Chapter Text
“Be so kind and pass me that textbook, Malfoy,” Harry said, not looking up from his Transfiguration homework.
Several people in the eighth year common room sent nervous glances their way after hearing Harry's demanding tone. Weasley tensed his shoulders and waited for Draco's move. Draco couldn't help rolling his eyes with an amused smile on his face and slid the book in his hand across the table’s surface. Harry caught it with ease.
“There you go.”
“Thanks.”
That was all. Weasley returned to his own homework in silence. Granger, sitting beside him, looked at Harry with a somewhat puzzled expression, then once again became preoccupied with her books. They all sat at the same table near the window, including Ernie Macmillan and Susan Bones. Draco could hardly believe he was peacefully doing homework with Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, but that was the truth and a fairly frequent occurrence.
The first few months after his return to Hogwarts were a nightmare; he got hexed four times and it took a very garish bruise on his jaw before McGonagall intervened. He almost got his teeth knocked out and by some spindly fifteen year old, no less. Things calmed down after the Christmas break and have been positively soaring ever since the Easter break. Right now, though Draco shivered at the thought, he had what could almost be called friends.
The breakthrough was probably the moment Harry Potter started acting friendly towards him in public. They weren't friends, oh no, but they were civil to the point it caught people off guard. They've been on decent terms for a month now and people still expected a storm when they both entered a room. In a way, perhaps there was a storm brewing between the two of them.
“I've been waiting for you,” Draco said later that night, right after curfew. He leaned back on the desk in the random empty classroom he'd picked earlier. In the dim moonlight, he saw Harry scowl and cross the distance between them in a few quick strides.
“I always have to look for you on the map, you git. This isn't hide and seek.”
“Yet you find me every time.” Draco smiled and reached out his hands to pull the boy into a hug. “Even if it's with the help of your stalking device.”
Harry huffed in annoyance and held him tightly, pressing their mouths together. He didn't bother with gentleness at all, sucking and biting on Draco's lips with fervour. Draco felt himself melt a little in his embrace, but he gave as good as he got, deepening the kiss. Eventually, Harry groaned in his mouth and pulled back, grabbing at Draco's clothes.
“Turn around and bend over,” he commanded in that easy way, like he thought he deserved it. Draco found himself unable to disobey.
His chest pressed to the hard surface of the desk, he felt his pants pulled down to his knees. Cold air hit him and he shivered when similarly cold lube appeared on his exposed body. Harry forced his legs closer together and gripped his bum. A moment later, his cock slipped between Draco's thighs.
This was the second time they’ve done it and as close as they'd ever got to fucking. Harry didn't seem to be interested in many things sleeping with another man entailed. Draco tried not to mind, but he wished to finally feel his own prick in Harry's hand. Or mouth, but that seemed a bit too far fetched. They were pretty new at this thing, though, so possibilities were endless.
He focused on the firm touch of Harry's cock on his skin and bit his lip when it brushed against his hole. It slid over it at a past pace, pressing into his skin. When the boy's breath grew haggard, Draco shakily reached down to wank himself. Moments later, Harry spilled cum all over his thighs after a few more thrusts and Draco only needed some quick strokes to bring himself over the edge too.
He stayed with his face down and exposed arse while the other boy fumbled for the wand and cast a cleaning spell. He grudgingly got up and fixed his clothes.
“That was pretty fast. What got you so pent up?” Draco teased as he slumped onto the nearby chair.
“The sight of you so casually invading my space, right beside my friends,” Harry replied, straightening his own tie. “But mostly those tight new clothes.”
“They're my friends too. Weasley is practically my best mate.” Draco smiled at the suddenly sour expression on the other boy’s face.
“I don't know about that, he's usually still considering hexing your bollocks off,” he scoffed and pulled out the invisibility cloak.
“Ugh, you wound me.”
Draco wordlessly stepped under the cloak as was part of their familiar routine. He found the bizarre items in Harry's possession a bit unnerving, but they did make sneaking around a lot easier. It must've been saying something, that he trusted Draco enough to show them to him.
They silently made their way back to the eighth year common room, which was fortunately deserted, and parted ways in front of their respective doors. Too many people came back to shove them all in the same space, so they had settled for two houses per bedroom. Shockingly, nobody suggested putting Gryffindor and Slytherin together.
“See you in class,” Draco whispered and got a nod in response. He tried to walk in without bringing attention to himself, but the moment he stepped through the door, five heads turned his way. Blaise Zabini and Theo Nott were in their own beds, as was Terry Boot, reading a book under a bright Lumos. Tony Goldstein and Michael Corner were near the bathroom entrance, chatting in low voices that immediately stopped following his sudden appearance.
“Would you look at that? We weren't sure you're coming.” Blaise raised an eyebrow and scrutinized him with a fair dose of disgust. “Who's been keeping you out after curfew these days?”
“None of your business.” Draco swiftly headed for his trunk, grabbed his stuff and made escape to the bathroom. “If I tell you, I will be getting a hex in the face.”
“Understandable, some people might not want to be associated with you. No offense.” Corner nodded at him with a look so dumb Draco wasn't even mad.
“That's still a pretty offensive thing to say,” Boot remarked from his bed. “Even though it truly might taint a girl’s reputation.”
It seemed to be the default idea to put Slytherins together with Ravenclaws and it usually worked. Yet somehow, all three stationed in that bedroom were such idiots it probably made Rowena turn in her grave.
“Don't worry about it, that won't be a problem.” Draco could defile Harry Potter every day and people would still want him. Definitely will not be tainted by the big bad Death Eater.
“Do you see no other men in her future? Are you planning to marry?” Blaise faced him with a smirk. “Is it Astoria Greengrass? I've heard our mothers talk before.”
“Stop spreading nonsense. Daphne would put me through medieval torture if I touched her underage sister.”
“She won’t be underage much longer.” Blaise looked unconvinced and definitely began forming some sort of tale in his head that couldn't be farther from the truth. Draco didn't bother denying it anymore and made his way to the showers.
No other Slytherins than the three of them stayed for the eighth year – they either didn't care about N.E.W.T.s or pursued education elsewhere. This didn't mean Draco was the best of friends with his two housemates. Blaise was often untrustworthy and cunning, while Theo became utterly plain and withdrawn after his father got chucked into prison.
Draco's father was probably Nott Senior's neighbour, rotting away in Azkaban for the foreseeable future. Draco himself spent a month there awaiting his trial post Battle of Hogwarts. He could hardly remember any of it but the cold, harsh stone floor he slept on. The Mind Healer said it was traumatic when she examined him before his return to school and deemed him normal enough for polite society. She was a Muggleborn and clearly didn't care much for his well-being, but she prescribed him a few months worth of muggle meds; something called antidepressants. They made him very numb and unbothered, and Draco loved every second of it. The less feelings, the better.
。。。。。
The next Potions lesson had everybody groaning and complaining from the moment Slughorn entered the classroom. With a cheery smile the man cleared his throat to get their attention and made an announcement.
“Please pair up with someone from another House. The potion we will be making today requires a peaceful and harmonious environment to thrive. Isn't it a wonderful opportunity to practice inter-house friendship?”
Draco glanced around and caught the eyes of Terry Boot, who shrugged and slid his book to the side, silently making space at his desk. He sighed in relief and stood up but before he could take a step, Harry blocked his way.
“Let's work together.”
“Are you trying to sabotage us?” Draco lifted an eyebrow.
“No, I just think we have a very harmonious relationship these days.” Harry grinned and took a seat.
Draco supposed they did, if you could call his compliance with Harry's sexual whims harmonious. He made sure to sigh very loudly and promptly ignored him in favour of writing down the instructions.
“Well then, go grab the stuff we need.”
Harry nodded and came back with arms full of ingredients. He dropped it onto their table and stared at Draco eagerly.
“What's next?”
“One look at the blackboard will tell you everything you need to know.”
“Mister Malfoy, harmony! Be kinder to your partners, everybody,” said Slughorn as he passed by them.
“Hear that? Be kind to me, Malfoy,” Harry mumbled with a fake pout and grabbed Draco's arm, tugging it like a child would.
“Stop that, we're in class,” Draco whispered but couldn't fight the smile off his face. “Right, cut these into cubes. Make them even, please.”
“Sure thing.”
Their work was pretty harmonious after all, when Harry followed all instructions without arguing. Draco did feel a twinge of excitement at being able to boss him around for once. Slughorn certainly seemed pleased when their potion turned a slightly sickly shade of pink. Granger looked far less happy as she glanced between the two of them and frowned. Draco pushed her out of her mind and headed to the Great Hall for lunch. Soon, Blaise and Theo flanked his sides.
“Must have been nice working with Potter. You got a nearly perfect potion,” Blaise drawled with a small smirk.
“Mine was completely botched. I don't think Finch-Fletchley likes me very much,” groaned Theo.
“I'm certain you called him a mudblood on several occasions. Can't exactly blame him.”
“Not so loud, Blaise.” Draco had a sudden urge to slap a hand across his face.
“Why? I'm not insulting anyone right now.”
“Give that argument to Granger and see how that goes.”
Draco had suffered several long conversations with her a few months back after apologizing for his long years of misdeeds. Of course, it wasn't that he disagreed with her, but the girl could be overbearing to put it nicely. Witnessing the horrors of war changed Draco's mind about a number of things and he wasn't stupid enough to admit to the ones he still believed in. At the moment, Granger avoided him when she could, but there was no animosity between them.
They walked over to the Slytherin table and sat right by the door. Some of the younger students gave them a wide berth. Draco used to keep his head down at first but he couldn't be bothered any longer. Whether he was liked or not, respected or not, was hardly a priority. His priority was eating up that bowl of mashed potatoes at the moment. He noticed a kid silently shuffling away from him on the bench and gave her a bitter smile which made her drop a fork.
Blaise started a tale about his current step father and his many adventures. He had a suspicion the old man was full of shit, but listened dutifully as the boy talked. Theo chimed in when the conversation moved on to the artifacts in the step father's collection; reportedly he had quite the treasury. Lady Zabini would probably make sure it belonged to her soon.
“Do you think I could see that shield? Sounds like a cursed piece of armour.” Theo stuffed some food into his mouth and mumbled, “Pretty wicked.”
“Manners, Theodore. Swallow before you talk,” Draco chided and reached for a cup to hand him some juice. “You love weird trinkets, don't you?”
“He sure does,” Blaise snorted. “You can visit me over the summer, Bartholomew will happily show you, if he's still around.”
“Plotting murder during lunch, Zabini?”
The three of them whirled around to see Harry standing right behind them with a silly smile on his face. It was the default look on him recently.
“I wouldn't dare,” Blaise drawled with faked amusement. “Not on your watch, Potter.”
“Good. Look, Malfoy, are you free right now? I need some help.” Harry turned to Draco and a glint in his eyes told him everything he needed to know.
“Can I finish eating first?”
“I've got something for you to eat, don't worry,” he added quietly and his smile only widened. Theo and Blaise exchanged looks right over Draco's head.
“Alright. Let's go right now.” Draco slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly. He felt his cheeks burning and scowled when he caught Blaise’s eyes.
He was happy he had chosen a seat so close to the exit when he glanced up to see at least two dozen heads turned their way. He strode out trying to look his most menacing while Harry followed behind him nearly skipping with excitement.
“Don't make me regret it.”
“Can't I celebrate?” Harry headed towards one of their frequented empty classrooms. “Besides, I assure you, you will not regret it. Potions class gave me some inspiration, you might get to boss me around a little.”
“Now we're talking.” Draco nodded and felt a familiar twist in his gut at the idea. He was half hard before they even locked the door behind themselves.
He pinned the grinning boy to the nearest wall with ease and immediately bent his head to nibble at his neck. Harry stroked his waist lazily, allowing Draco to kiss and bite him all over.
“My, your demanding nature resurfaced at last. It was getting suspicious.”
“Shut up,” Draco mumbled and moved away to tug at Harry's belt. He risked a little bit of honesty. “You’re attractive when you’re in charge. No, shut up. Not a word, Potter, or I will leave you here.”
Harry stifled a laugh and clamped a hand over his mouth to signal he would be quiet. Draco already regretted telling him that anyway. To distract himself from the burning shame, he worked Harry's jeans open. He cast a cushioning charm on the floor and knelt down to face the formidable dick of the Chosen One on a more comfortable level. He touched it through the fabric of his briefs at first, and tugged the jeans a bit lower.
“Lean on the wall and open your legs a little.”
Once Harry complied, Draco moved closer and pulled down his briefs to fully expose him to the world. Or specifically Draco. There was no one else who could see that magnificent sight and he reveled in it. Smiling to himself, Draco closed his hand around Harry's prick and held it motionlessly. It twitched on its own and the boy's hips jerked forward.
“Be patient, you're not allowed to move,” Draco scolded and glanced up at Harry's flushed face. He gave him his most innocent smile. “No complaining now. You let me take the lead and I want to take my time.”
Harry rolled his eyes quite unkindly at him and got the punishment of having his dick squeezed lightly. Very lightly, because Draco would never intentionally damage the precious cargo before getting the full experience. He took a deep breath to steady himself and gave the tip a small lick. It was warm and a bit salty, with silky skin. He was so horny he felt silly. No longer able to hide his eagerness, he took the whole head in his mouth. He moved his hand from the length to cup Harry's balls and rolled them around in his palm. He felt a sudden urge to suck on one and wasted no time fulfilling it. The angle was a bit tricky with the large prick blocking the way but he didn't mind diving in Harry's pubes. The boy let out a quiet whine above him.
“We didn't cast any silencing charms, please do control yourself, Potter,” he muttered once he had his fill and moved to lick a long stripe from the base to the tip. “Unless you want Filch to join in, of course. This is a judgement-free zone.” Probably too long to fit, but he wasn't so easily discouraged. He swallowed the head into his mouth again and tried moving up and down. Harry hissed in a way that made it clear he had done something wrong. Draco paused momentarily and shifted a bit, covering his teeth with his lips. This time Harry let out a content sigh. Spurred on, Draco tried moving again, fondling Harry's balls with one and grabbing his hip with the other.
He set a consistent pace and tried taking in a bit more each time. He wasn't even close to deepthroating the whole thing before he gagged. He didn't bother stopping and gave it another try a moment later only to gag again. Clearly, this required more practice. He sucked eagerly on the tip and started moving his hand rhythmically closer to the base, making sure no part of the Chosen dick was unattended to. As he wanked Harry off, the boy's breath became more and more erratic. He kept one hand firmly over his mouth and held back his moans, but couldn't stop the sudden shaking of his thighs. With a quiet grunt, he came and spilled his cum in Draco's mouth. Draco swallowed it all on instinct and then sucked every last drop out of Harry's softening prick. Satisfied with his performance, he shifted away and wiped his mouth. He stood up with some difficulty, his legs tingling from kneeling too long.
“I'm going to assume you loved it and it was the best oral sex of your no doubt remarkable life.” He tried not to preen but seeing Harry's blissful expression made him feel really good about himself. It was the first head he's ever given and it was already enough to make Harry look dumb from all the pleasure. Draco was the best slut in town. “You can talk, by the way.”
“Fuck!” Harry yelled immediately and winced. “Sorry, too loud. I really don't want to tell you this but it probably was the best. You're so bloody eager, like you just can't wait to get stuffed full of my cock. I could come just from watching you being so bloody pleased with yourself when you got it in your mouth. Bloody hell. Fuck, now I sound like Ron. You sucked all the braincells out of me.”
“And I'm only going to get better at this, Potter. You’re lucky,” Draco drawled and adjusted his pants, feeling a little awkward. He was so hard it almost hurt.
“Oh, right, Ron!” Harry suddenly said and sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration. “I need to get back, I told him I would meet him by the library in twenty minutes.”
“You’re already late.”
“I know, he's going to ask questions. Will you let me go, kind sir?” he asked with a teasing smile and genuinely pleading in his eyes. Draco had no choice but to take mercy on him.
“Fine, I got turned off by talking about Weasley anyway.”
“I’m sorry. I'll make it up to you!”
“Sure,” Draco replied and watched Harry nearly bolt out of the classroom. The ungrateful twat knew twenty minutes wouldn't be enough to get them both off. Just thinking about it pissed Draco off so much he rearranged his robes and strode out of the classroom. He headed straight for the common room and a cruel, cold shower. Cold like Draco's empty heart that did not need Harry's affection at all.
Theo was in the bedroom and was about to start chatting about something excitedly when he saw Draco's stormy expression. Draco pushed right past him and couldn't be bothered to apologize, even when the boy looked at him like a kicked puppy.
“Not in the mood, Theo. Go bother Blaise.”
The cold water gave him some relief and certainly made him feel a bit more level headed. He made a mental note to give Theo a charmed book from the manor that always seemed to have a different order of pages. He would love that useless thing. Having washed away the anger and lingering horniness, Draco strolled out of the bathroom, still wiping his damp hair, when he heard furious knocking on the door. Theo opened it to reveal Weasley, face nearly as red as his hair. He huffed like an angry bull and spoke through gritted teeth.
“Malfoy. Outside, now.”
The Ravenclaws had come to the bedroom earlier too, so all the boys perked up to watch the fight. Unluckily for them, Draco was determined not to let it escalate in front of others. Merlin bless muggles for their antidepressants, he's never been this calm before when faced with a blasted ginger. He nodded and grabbed his wand off his bed, then followed Weasley out into the corridor. He tensed, half expecting the ginger to hex him without a word, but he only looked back to make sure Draco was following him. He led them out of the common room under curious gazes of their peers and into an empty hall. Once he made sure they were alone, Weasley turned to him and took a steadying breath.
“I need you to be honest with me right now, Malfoy. No games, or I will make sure you join your father where you belong.”
“What is this about?” Draco gripped his wand tighter.
“Did you coerce Harry? Put him under some sort of spell?”
“What?”
“Hermione is checking him out and hasn't found anything but I won't believe it until I hear you say it.”
“I haven't jinxed Potter in ages, if that's what you're asking.” He stared at the fuming boy incredulously.
“He had a bloody hickey on his neck! Left there by you!” Weasley no longer controlled his volume and outright yelled. “I can't believe he would shag you willingly!”
The accusation stung right where it hurt. Draco was often in disbelief himself, and grew more doubtful the longer Harry refused to touch him. But hey, Harry surely liked him at least a little bit, considering they were almost friends.
“Oh. Well, I can swear on my magic that I did not trick Potter into sleeping with me,” Draco let out a breath but didn't feel any relief. His hands shook and he quickly hid them in his pockets. He was calm and collected. No red-headed prat could possibly make him upset.
“What does he see in you?!”
Well, Weasley was right to ask. It was hard not to like Harry Potter but what did Draco have to offer in return? Years worth of insults and the world's worst tattoo on his forearm.
“I suppose it's not my charming personality. I do believe I have a great arse, however.” He sneered to get his act under control.
“Fuck! Bloody hell, this can't be happening,” Weasley groaned and leaned against the wall, then sank all the way to the floor. Throwing caution to the wind, Draco sat down beside him, exhausted. “I thought he was sneaking around to meet my sister!”
“You couldn't have asked her?”
“She would hex my bollocks off! Hermione said she's seeing some younger bloke from Hufflepuff.”
“Branching out, I see. If she's looking for a full Hogwarts dating experience I can introduce her to a Slytherin too. Blaise is great, only insults Muggleborns when they're not around to hear it.”
“Are you insulting Ginny right now?” Weasley glared at him.
“No, I was merely impressed with her. How come your dating history isn't half as interesting?”
“Are you like this because I said I didn't know what Harry sees in you?” He gaped at him and Draco felt himself flush a bit. “Did you expect me to praise you?”
“No way, I don't want your compliments, Weasley,” he mumbled, looking away. The other boy snickered and got up to his feet.
“Oh, you massive twat,” he chuckled and pointed his wand at Draco again but did not radiate malicious intent. “I have to believe you for now, Malfoy, because Hermione and Harry both claim he's lucid. I still think he's gone crazy but the moment you hurt him, fun's over. I will be watching you!”
“I figured as much. Granger's been staring at me for days already.”
“Yes, my girlfriend is very smart,” Weasley had a dreamy smile on his face at the mere mention of her. “Well, see you.” He turned around on his heel.
Some time later, Draco returned to the common room to see Weasley sprawled on a sofa with a bunch of friends. Granger glanced up from her parchment and winced uncharacteristically. Harry looked sheepish and didn't really meet Draco's eyes. They both burned with embarrassment now that their little affair was no longer a secret.
“Oi, Malfoy!” Weasley called out and the grin on his face reminded Draco of his twin brothers. Not good. “You have a great arse!”
Draco choked and couldn't come up with a snarky retort for once. He bolted to his bedroom to escape the shocked laughter filling the room.
。。。。。
Time flew by and the exams were just around the corner. Draco started to frantically revise and dragged the reluctant Theo to the library with him every free moment of the day. He came up with a series of questions and quizzed the boy on each subject, explaining in depth whenever he failed. Granger joined in twice, when her friends fled from her grasp. That evening she came up to Draco in the common room again with a stack of books in her arms. He snickered seeing her frazzled state.
“Haven't had the time to grab a hairbrush, have you?” he asked. The girl frowned and shook her head, freeing several stands from her loose ponytail. He sighed and took a few steps closer. “Let me do your hair first if you want me to appear in public with you.”
“I have several ideas on additions to your question database. I think that's a little more important.”
“Sure is, Granger.” He rolled his eyes and swiftly tied her hair in a secure pony.
“Hey, get your hands off my girlfriend!” Weasley bellowed as he strode out of his bedroom, Harry following behind. Draco jerked away instinctively, but one look at the two boys told him Weasley wasn't actually trying to start a fight. Oh, how far they've come, he mused internally with a small smile.
“Your fault for leaving her alone.” He shrugged. “Granger got so lonely she willingly came to seek comfort in my arms.”
“I only came to you because you actually care about your grades, unlike those two right there.” Granger sent him a very unimpressed glare and sighed. “Well, are you coming? I'd like to get through the whole Potions today.”
“I think we're going to be taking him today,” Harry piped up and grinned. “We're playing a little match with the others from our year. Fancy being the other seeker?”
“Against you? Oh, it's on, Potter,” Draco replied without a second thought.
“Really brave coming from someone who’s never once won against Harry,” Weasley chimed in and easily dodged the stinging hex Draco aimed loosely in his direction. “Oi, that's a foul!”
“It's not if you're on my own team.”
“What? No bloody way! That's setting myself up for failure!”
“I'm going to make sure I hit you next time, Weasley.”
They argued as the other boy approached Granger, then gave her a kiss on the cheek to placate her. Draco took this chance to give her a half-hearted apologetic smile and escape the common room with Harry.
“I'm kinda glad you're getting along with my friends,” Harry whispered as they made their way down the stairs.
“Getting along? Weasley insulted me and I hexed him.”
“Neither of you really meant it.”
“You're right, he didn't get all red and start huffing like the Hogwarts train.” Draco stroked his chin, feigning surprise. “Weasley and Malfoy… Us being friendly might be against some ancient family rules.”
“Oh, stop that.”
He followed Harry onto the Quidditch pitch immersed in easy conversation – him making all sorts of witty remarks and Harry patiently letting him. Pansy once told him in a fight that he must be in love with the sound of his own voice, but it simply wasn't true. Draco often had so many brilliant things to say, keeping them to himself would be criminal. Just think of all those snarky comebacks he's given Weasley over the years. Having Harry's attention made it a lot different; Draco was still in a constant state of disbelief, there was no way the Chosen One actually chose to spend time with him. And yet, Harry listened and smiled at him. It was intoxicating.
Weasley caught up with them and they all joined the small group of boys on the pitch. There weren't enough of them for a proper match, and no girl chose to bless them with her presence that day, but they decided to play casually. Draco ended up in one team with Seamus Finnigan, Tony Goldstein, Ernie Macmillan and, surprisingly, Weasley because everyone thought the opportunity was too funny to pass up.
Draco, Macmillan, and Weasley all had experience playing for their respective House teams, so they were doing objectively better than the other boys. Their teamwork left a lot to be desired, but they were still levels above the opposing Dean Thomas and Terry Boot, who knocked into each other at a frightening speed.
“Stop staring at me, Malfoy! Look for the bloody snitch!” Weasley bellowed as Draco hovered above him.
“Am I making you nervous? Is that why you let those dunderheads score three times already?”
Michael Corner flew past them and laughed. He started humming the old tune Draco had thought long forgotten. But no, he's lived several lifetimes since then, yet people still remembered Weasley is our King. Judging by the flushed look on Weasley’s face, he remembered it too.
Luckily for him, Boot was a far worse keeper. The point gap grew so big, he started complaining there was no point in playing any longer. Indeed, the snitch must have thought the same and flickered far above them. Draco yanked his broom up so suddenly, he almost slid right off of it. He soared high, the wind hitting him in the face and pushing him back. Harry took off with far less trouble and they were soon at the same level. They exchanged a short, flickering glance, and Harry flew past him. He closed his palm around the snitch and raised his hand up with a victorious shout. He braked too quickly, giving Draco no chance to slow down. He slammed into Harry like a bludger, making them both almost fall down. He wobbled in the air and Harry did the same, clutching at his broom.
“Malfoy!”
“Don't just stop so suddenly!”
Harry reached out to grab him by the robes to steady him.
“Sorry. Fuck, if we fell down from this height, we wouldn't have bones left for Pomfrey to mend.”
Draco looked below and felt suddenly grateful for the hand holding him in place.
“Let's just get down. Slowly.”
They flew side by side to the boys waiting for them on the ground. Boot was in low spirits, similarly to the rest of Harry's team. Weasley looked over the two of them with furrowed eyebrows, but seeing them unharmed, his concerned expression cleared. He grinned and walked over to clap a hand over Harry's back.
“Good game! But even catching the snitch didn't help you even out the score. Let's all congratulate Ernie on his amazing performance by getting some drinks in the common room.”
Even the losing team let out cheers at the suggestion. Draco frowned slightly.
“Drinking so close to the exams?”
“You can always go keep my girlfriend company in the library. She will applaud your attitude.” Weasley shrugged and started leading their group off the pitch.
Draco prepared to begrudgingly follow him when Harry grabbed his arm. He sent him a questioning look but Harry didn't say anything, merely looking him all over. He lifted his left arm and Draco let out a quiet whimper despite himself. Pain exploded all over his shoulder.
“I thought so. You hit me pretty hard,” Harry muttered. “Let's stop by the hospital wing first.”
Draco trailed behind him without protesting. Madame Pomfrey looked vaguely unimpressed when they recollected the event and cast a few charms on them both. Neither had faced anything serious, but they were given some pain relievers and bruise paste. Draco felt significantly better once the dull ache in his shoulder subsided. Good enough to allow Harry to drag him straight for the drinks table in the common room, where the boys combined all their private stashes of alcohol. Boot was already leaning on Corner for support, seemingly drinking his sadness away. After the first swig from the firewhisky cup, Draco realized this whole farce might be less of a celebration and more of a nervous mourning. They were all stressed about the exams and, most importantly, what would come after them.
“I don't want to graduate,” Finnigan mumbled and poked Thomas to signal his cup was in need of a refill.
“You just don't want to get a job.”
“Who does?”
“I'm quite looking forward to becoming an auror,” Weasley chimed in. “Isn't that right, Harry?”
“Oh? Yeah, sure.” Harry looked around a little dazed. A peek into his cup revealed he definitely couldn't be drunk yet. Draco raised an eyebrow at him and only got a little shake of the head in response. “I think I'm gonna go lie down for a moment, might join you guys later.”
Draco's eyes followed the boy out of the room. He knocked back the cup in his hand and sighed. While he was friendly enough with the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and the lone Hufflepuff Macmillan, he was not their actual friend. The energy around him shifted a bit, which did not go unnoticed.
“I'll keep the other blokes here for a long while,” Weasley whispered after he had taken a seat on the couch beside him. “You should go to Harry. He must be feeling a little off.”
“You want me to go comfort your best mate?” Draco stared at him incredulously.
“You can comfort him in a way I’m not exactly willing to,” seeing his blank look, Weasley continued in a quieter voice. “Why do you think I'm letting you two have the dorm room for yourselves?”
“Oh.” Then it dawned on Draco and his already warm face seemingly erupted in flames. “Oh. Salazar, Weasley, how can you just say stuff like that?”
“Yeah, who raised me, right?” He rolled his eyes. “I know you're not having much fun here anyway.”
“Okay, thanks for kicking me out.” Draco gave him a wry smile. “I'll probably go suck off Harry now.” He barely squeezed the words through his throat without dying of embarrassment, but the expression on Weasley’s face made it worth it.
He walked over to the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff bedroom, trying his best not to look like he was sneaking in. Nobody said it wasn't allowed to visit the other boys’ dormitory. The eight year common room was all about unity, after all. A rouge Slytherin donned in red should be encouraged, even if it’s for nefarious reasons.
Harry was in bed with his curtains open, wandlessly levitating a snitch above his head. He glanced up when the doors creaked and watched Draco approach.
“Did you drink a lot?” he asked and sat up, letting the snitch fly away.
“Not much more than you,” Draco replied. He stopped by the bed and waited. Harry considered him, then made some space beside him.
“Hop in.”
Draco flopped down onto the warm sheets and sighed, turning to the side to face Harry. He wasn’t sure how to proceed. There was something bugging the boy and Draco wasn’t sure if he was allowed to ask. No matter what Weasley believed, their relationship was not that close, if you could call it a relationship at all. The sight of Harry's dejected face made him cave in though; he'd rather get rejected than let Harry stay upset any longer.
“What's wrong?”
“Is it that obvious?” Harry covered his face in his palms and rubbed it. “It's just all that talk about the future.”
“I thought yours was pretty much set.”
“That's the thing! I feel like my biography was already written and now I must follow the script. I can't even let myself think about it too long because I start to question everything. What if being an auror isn't the career for me?”
“Weasley accepted you shagging a Death Eater, I'm sure he will live if you tell him you won’t be his coworker.”
“It's not just about him, though I bet he will be devastated if I don't go into auroring.”
“You have to decide for yourself whether you want to follow the script or not, Potter.” The urge to call him by name was too strong. “I say, don’t let others define you.”
“Easier said than done,” Harry muttered and threw a hand around Draco’s waist, snuggling him closer. “How about we get to shagging a Death Eater now?”
“Right, you owe me something.” Draco nodded. “I need some comfort after today’s game.”
“Your team won, shouldn’t you be comforting me?”
“I don’t care about the score. I only wanted to beat you to the snitch,” he allowed himself a little childish whine. He burrowed his face in the crook of Harry's neck and gave him a sharp bite.
“Ow, stop that. Fine, I can see why you’re devastated. So many years and not one win against me?” Harry yelped when Draco bit him again. “Ouch! You twat.”
He rolled on top of Draco and pinned him to the mattress. He didn’t have any qualms about putting his whole body weight on him and biting him in retaliation. Draco couldn’t hide his smug grin when he felt Harry lightly grinding on his crotch.
“I get you riled up so fast. Your body is obsessed with mine, Potter,” he whispered.
“It’s the part of you I like the most.”
“That’s upsetting, but I figured it probably wasn’t my noble upbringing or great sense of humour.”
“Shut your mouth, will you?”
“I don’t think I will,” Draco mumbled through Harry’s impatient kiss. He eagerly parted his lips to let Harry’s tongue in and wrapped his arms around his neck. The boy’s hands sneaked under his shirt and fumbled with his belt.
“What shall I do? Fuck your thighs, your mouth?” Harry asked in a breathless whisper and freed his own cock from his trousers.
“How about you just touch my dick for once?” Draco sneered, though he wouldn’t mind a repeat of either of those.
“You think I can’t do it? I’m not scared of your posh little prick.” Harry raised an eyebrow and lifted himself up a bit. “I’ve been thinking about it for days. You do deserve a little something, I suppose. I’m just not sure if you can handle it.”
Without a word of warning, Harry grabbed Draco’s cock in his hand. He gave it a firm tug and Draco almost yelled out loud. Harry’s experience wanking was limited to getting himself off, but he sure had a lot of it, or at least a natural talent. It wasn’t all that shocking. Of course, the Golden boy had a golden hand too. Draco stopped fighting the moans slipping through his throat, only trying to keep them somewhat quiet. Harry’s palm enveloped his width entirely and moved with high speed. He moved it up and down, gently pulling his foreskin until Draco's thighs were shaking.
“Potter, it’s too much,” he pleaded when Harry sucked on his neck. “Slow down or I’ll come.”
“That’s the point, isn’t it?” Harry snickered and loosened his grip, only to grab both of their cocks in his hand. “Blimey, this is tricky. Feels so good though.”
He focused on pleasing them both rather than giving Draco all of his attention, but it didn’t make it less good. Coupled with Harry's soft grunts, the feeling of their lengths sliding together in his palm was making Draco insane. He would be coming all over himself if it wasn’t for the antidepressants. They allowed him some dignity to last a while longer, but he soon fell apart with a stifled moan. Harry came a moment later and their stomachs were covered in their mingling spend. Draco’s thighs were still shaking when Harry waved a hand over them to clean it up with a spell.
“Harry…” Draco whispered with a sigh before he could stop himself. Panic flashed through him but the boy didn't react to the name, merely shifting his body to cuddle him. With a delighted smile, he ran his hands through Harry's messy hair. “Salazar, I can keep losing against you for the next eight years if you wank me afterwards every time.”
“Not a chance. I’m happy you recognize my skill, but…” Harry trailed off when someone rapped their fingers on the bed frame.
They exchanged a surprised look and Harry carefully moved the curtains to take a peek. Weasley stood there with a formidable expression on his bright red face.
“Two horny morons,” he seethed through his teeth. “Malfoy’s shoes are on the floor. It’s pretty obvious you have a guest in there, Harry. You’re bloody lucky I only came up here with Neville and he didn’t notice.”
“Crap,” Harry swore and quickly redressed himself. “Make yourself decent and get out, Malfoy. The others are about to get back.”
Draco fumbled with his clothes and nearly fell out of bed in his haste. Seeing Weasley’s stormy face, he gave the air beside his cheek a loud, smacking kiss. The boy dodged immediately but still made sure to wipe himself with his sleeve.
“Bloody hell, get that mouth away from me. Who knows where you’ve just put it?”
“May Lady Magic bless you for saving my arse.” Draco ignored him and gave him a little courteous bow. He turned to Harry and winked. “See you, Harry. Let’s repeat that soon. Oh, and you should probably heal those hickeys.”
He fled the room when both Gryffindors scowled at him and laughed under his breath. The distance between their dorms was pretty short, so he slid past the door unnoticed. Or so that was what he thought until he slammed right into the leaving Theo. The boy wasn't part of the festivities outside, so he was fully sober and judgemental.
“Draco, please tell me you weren't doing anything stupid.” There was pleading in his voice.
“I kind of did Potter, so I'm afraid stupid is a pretty fitting description.”
“Oh, you… Must it be him? You know it's a bad idea.” Theo rubbed his temples like an exhausted grown up dealing with an idiotic child. “Potter isn't even a viable option. I heard he's going to get Weaslette back.”
“Who said that?” Draco's good mood dwindled slightly.
“All of her friends are saying that.”
“Girls love rumours. I think he's a bit too enthusiastic about me playing with his prick to be in love with her.”
“I don't know… I'm not his biggest fan.”
“I know, Theo.” Draco rolled his eyes with an indulgent smile. “Our whole House shares the sentiment.”
“Not you, apparently.” Theo's expression was a little sour but Draco supposed it was valid. He had been leading the anti-Potter campaign for years only to end up tangling in the sheets with the boy-wonder himself. Rather inconsequential of him.
“I only like him a small amount. No need to worry, you can still insult him in front of me.”
“Thanks, I will.” Theo deadpanned and headed out of the room. Draco looked back after him and shrugged. It was probably time for bed.
。。。。。
The last day of school finally arrived. Everyone packed and walked around in a daze; the common room was full of slightly bewildered eighth years. Draco almost ran into three girls crying. He didn't really get the sudden commotion, he'd been ready to leave for the past two days already. That's not to say he wished to leave Hogwarts. He liked it there and would always miss it a little, but he'd started feeling too grown for the atmosphere of the school. Leaving was inevitable, and maybe the future outside the wards held something exciting for him. He only hoped it would involve Harry.
The boy seemed as frazzled about their graduation as the rest of them, but it wasn't all that shocking. Draco watched with amusement as several kids circled Harry at lunch and begged for a picture, autograph, or gave him something to remember them by. He probably didn't even know the students’ names, but generously signed a notebook for a tearful first year and gently let down the one who gave him their owl address.
People were reluctantly starting to gather outside when Harry came to him and dragged him into an empty classroom. He pushed him against the window and sucked on his neck hard enough to leave bruises while he worked his hand into Draco's pants. He fondled him for a while before asking for a blowjob with those green, pleading eyes. Draco complied easily and sank to his knees as Harry leaned on the windowsill. It was quick, and he got himself over the edge with his own hand soon after. Harry panted heavily above him, but composed himself fast. Draco was sure he painted a less put-together picture, with his shirt half unbuttoned and bruises along his neck. Harry had given him a little souvenir too.
“I'm going to miss your bratty mouth. I'm glad I discovered it's good for more than just talking shite.” The boy sighed with an already nostalgic look on his face.
“You could probably experience this every once in a while if you play your cards right,” Draco said with a fake hint of nonchalance in his voice. Propositioning Harry like that took a lot out of him.
“Nah, I would rather we leave this here at Hogwarts. No offence, but it's not like we could ever be together. I like you, Malfoy, but it's best if we stop seeing each other. Like, at all.”
What the actual muggle hell?
‘You're saying you never want to see me again?” Draco choked out in disbelief. “I was under the impression we were at the very least friends.”
“Yeah, but you're not really the kind of friend I can take with me to the Burrow, are you? The Weasleys would never accept you.”
That stung quite deep. The people in Harry's life would never accept him as his lover. Not even as his school friend. The truce with Weasley made him forget what the harsh reality was. The Wizarding Britain would riot upon seeing the two of them together.
“Sure thing, Potter.”
“Besides, I've talked with Ginny and we have a deal.” Harry turned a bit sheepish at the mention of the girl. “She said we should get back together the moment we graduate.”
A thousand words swirled in Draco's head. Twat, git, arsehole, wanker, prat, for starters. He chose to remain silent and take a deep breath. His chest hurt around his sternum. Should he go for a quick check up with Pomfrey?
“Go to her then. I won't keep you separated any longer.”
“This is all you have to say?” Harry raised an eyebrow.
No, it wasn't. Draco could say so many things, cruel things to hurt the boy back. He could yell, cry, and beg for Harry to reconsider. Instead, he felt too stifled by the sharp pain in his chest that made taking every breath a challenge.
“Yes, it is. Goodbye, Potter.”
It looked like Harry had more to say too. He had been expecting an argument, maybe some crying. He definitely had excuses for his choice; it was for the better, it was logical. It was expected of him. Draco did not want to hear it. Harry caved in and followed the scriptbook like a spineless loser. He'd hoped the boy would be more Gryffindor about it.
“Goodbye, Malfoy.” With the last unreadable look, Harry turned around and left the classroom.
Rage blossomed in Draco's heart. He wanted to scream. Run at full speed. Cast cutting curses at everything. He settled for giving the nearby chair a kick and cursing out loud. He felt ready to burst with anger and his nose hurt in a foreboding way; tears filled his eyes a moment later. He shook his head wildly and took a few breaths. It took him several minutes to feel normal again, but he didn't cry; he would not cry because of Harry Potter.
He fucking hated Harry Potter.
The dissipating anger flared up again when he was leaving Hogwarts for good. He saw them on the grand staircase – Potter and Ginny Weasley, with smiles on their faces and locked in an embrace. He turned his head away when they kissed. Funny. He could still taste Potter in his mouth.
He rode the carriage with Ravenclaws and strolled on the station, taking it in for what might be the last time. He sighed under his breath and boarded the waiting train. He found an empty compartment and barely had time to sit down when the door slid open, revealing none other than Weasley. He let out a deep sigh and dropped onto the opposite seat.
“Glad I found you. What a display.” He leaned his elbows on his knees and covered his face in his palms. “My best mate is snogging my little sister. Wasn't sure if I'd see it again.”
“Shall I extend my condolences or congratulations?”
“I don't know. At least he's not two timing.”
“Hm, he did break things off with me rather harshly so don't worry about that.”
“So I've heard. He told me the story in the carriage. I'm sort of disappointed in him. I don't even know why I'm telling you this, I might actually feel a little bad for you, Malfoy. He was just really… nasty about it. ”
“What did he say?”
“He was so mad. He said you're still a prat but he doesn't even feel like hexing you anymore. Knowing that you would, uh…” Weasley scratched his reddening neck and lowered his eyes to the ground.
“Well, spit it out.”
“Knowing you'd willingly take his cock like a poncy slag. His words, not mine. I don't think there's anything wrong with it.”
“Does he think it's humiliating to sleep with another man?” Draco blinked a few times in disbelief, feeling a light squeeze in his chest again.
“I pointed out he's been sleeping with a man himself but he said you two didn’t go all the way.” Weasley looked shifty again.
“I did get the impression he avoided all the gay aspects of gay sex,” Draco added blankly, not sure what to say in front of Harry's best friend. “It might be just me that he's disgusted with. I'm more inclined to believe that than him being bigoted.”
“He would never discriminate against anyone, I think you just really pissed him off today, Malfoy. Anyway, it's him who's being disgusting. Can you believe he was fucking around with you and now he's back to my sister like it's nothing? And he intends to keep her clueless about it too.”
“Yes, Weasley, I saw that. Forgive me for not feeling particularly bad for her though, I'm kind of focused on my own heartbreak right now.” Draco rubbed his temples with a sigh. “I just hope she never finds out we probably exchanged saliva through that git’s mouth.”
“Ugh, that's gross.”
“Tell that to Potter. He didn't even wait fifteen minutes after getting off with me before kissing your sister. You should probably jinx him for that, just saying.”
“I'm considering it. He was always so bloody excited to see you, I was mentally prepared to see you two together at Christmas…” Weasley trailed off, realizing it was a slightly insensitive thing to say. Draco had been preparing for the same thing, back when he still thought Potter actually liked him. “Well, anyway. I suppose I'll see you around. I have to get back to my compartment before Harry notices I've gone to you and gets mad at me too. Fuck, it’s like dealing with exes after a nasty breakup.”
Weasley left in a hurry, bumping into Theo in the corridor. They exchanged confused glances with Blaise and walked inside, sitting on Draco's sides.
“What was Weasel doing here?” Blaise asked with barely masked hostility.
“Just chatting. Probably our first civil conversation.”
“And may it be the last one.” The boy nodded and leaned back comfortably in the seat. “I'm assuming your paths won't cross much. Are you planning to go home or try to escape the country? I know I'm not staying in this blasted place any longer. Might join my mother in Italy, maybe move to our summer house in Greece. Somewhere really sunny.”
Draco couldn't step a foot outside the country for the whole three years after his trial; he wasn't sure if Blaise was rubbing it in. Theo came to his rescue by flapping a letter in their faces.
“Nowhere we can go, mate. The Ministry wants to see us right after we get to London. Have you read it yet?” He directed the question at Draco who fumbled through his pockets and took out the letter he'd received earlier in the morning.
“I've been trying to avoid it. You didn't tell me you got one too, I was starting to think they're trying to jail me again.”
“No, I'm pretty sure it's the Death Eater father privileges, nothing to do with us personally.”
“Maybe we'll even meet Greg on the way then.”
“Ugh, please let me know if you do.” Blaise groaned. “I wonder where he fucked off to. He still owes me like twenty galleons. So does Millie, by the way.”
“I doubt you'll be getting them back. Our year scattered in the wind, none of those arseholes even sent a letter.” Draco's expression soured a bit. Pansy had promised to keep in touch.
“I heard Daphne’s getting hitched. The bloke is from Sweden, I think.“ Theo added. “No news from anybody else. You’d better keep us updated, Blaise.”
“No worries, I'll make sure to send you both pictures of myself naked at the beach.”
Once the train arrived at the station, Blaise left them immediately. Draco trailed somewhat mindlessly behind Theo and watched the hopeful partings and joyous reunions. He locked eyes with Granger for a split second before she was swept into a hug by the Weasley matron. Potter had already been released from the smothering hold and laughed loudly at something one of the Weasleys said; his girlfriend giggling in his arms. Draco looked away.
The journey to the Ministry was long enough for him to calm down. Theo was fretting the whole way there despite his own earlier words of reassurance. Once they picked up their guest's badges, someone came to collect them and show them the way. They were led to Level Two which made them exchange looks, then into a room with just two people in it, an auror and an old lady in a yellow hat. The auror gave them a very bright and equally fake smile, welcoming them to sit down.
“Mr Malfoy, Mr Nott. How kind of you to show up on time. I will get right into it to avoid unnecessary stress on your side.” He first turned to Theo. “Mr Nott, your investigation last year proved you had no participation in Death Eater activities but were informed about a large number of them. You were not charged with compliance due to your young age.”
“That's correct,” Theo said in an even voice but Draco saw his palms clench on the edge of his jumper.
“Mr Malfoy, you no longer bear a Dark Mark and were similarly underage during war time. You were however charged with several offences, including working on Death Eater’s orders. This makes you both part of the risk group.”
“Risk group,” Draco repeated dumbly.
“Indeed, young people strongly influenced by You-Know-Who. The Ministry decided to keep a close watch on such personas to prevent future groups of dark wizards forming.”
“So we're going to be monitored?”
“Oh, no. There is a way better method to keep you in check. You are both being offered a ministry job in close quarters with the DMLE.” The auror pointed at himself and his grin grew wider. He seemed to be actually somewhat amused by this situation. Then, he nodded at the greying lady sitting in the other chair with a small frown. “Gentlemen, meet your new boss, Miss Hyacinth Bunnyhopps.”
Chapter 2
Notes:
time skip! sorry for all the mistakes, I have no beta and very little understanding of english punctuation. I also have two pending essays to write so the next chapter will take a longer while I fear
Chapter Text
One year later
“My arse really hurts.”
“Give the ointment some time to work. It's not magic,” Theo said as he rubbed it in with his big, warm hands. Draco sighed.
“Very funny. My back is killing me, too.”
“That's not my fault. I'm sure it just starts happening the moment you turn twenty.”
“It's definitely your fault.”
“You fuck me next time and we'll see how well you do.”
“Oh, I will!” Draco grumbled and buried his face in the pillow. When Theo put the ointment away he pulled up his pants and rolled onto his back. “Do you think Hyacinth will let me take a day off?”
“You can try staying home if you don't mind receiving a howler again.” Hearing Draco's groan, Theo grabbed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile. “I will make sure your chair has a cushioning charm, okay?”
“I wish we could floo there.”
“I will apparate us most of the way.”
“Ugh, I hate it here.”
Theo was long used to the complaints by now. After getting a Ministry job, they decided to rent together rather than stay at their respective manors. The Nott heir refused to take the lordship title and patiently waited for his father's prison sentence to end. Draco didn't fancy living at the Dark Lord's old headquarters and in the vicinity of his overbearing mother. Of course, she wasn't pleased to hear that and refused to give him any funds for rent. Hence, their options were a dingy flat at Knockturn Alley, or living amongst muggles.
Their muggle flat was very small and cramped; they had a living room with a kitchenette, bathroom, and one bedroom. The interior had bright colours and had lots of light so it was nice enough, even if some of the furniture probably remembered the 60s. The biggest flaw was definitely the lack of a fireplace. Two Nott family house elves popped in once or twice a day to bring them food and necessities, because neither of the boys had ever held a frying pan. They were freed and employed, obviously, otherwise Granger would have Theo's head.
Draco wasn't sure after how many nights of sleeping in one bed their dynamic had shifted, but it fully changed a month ago. They were having a great evening and got way too tipsy to safely apparate from the pub. Theo held his hand when Draco shivered from the cold nighttime air and led him all the way home, where they kissed as soon as they stepped through the door. In a way, their relationship felt inevitable.
Theo busied himself with getting ready for work, while Draco lounged on the bed and considered his options. His boss was not a forgiving person and the scariest old lady he’s met. He groaned again and begrudgingly sat up, taking his pajama top off. He pushed Theo out of the way and dove into their shared closet in search of an ironed white shirt. He was halfway through buttoning it up when their doorbell rang. After exchanging a suspicious glance with his boyfriend, Draco walked over to the door and opened it to reveal their neighbour.
“Hello, lads. Do you happen to have any sugar? I would like to borrow a cup.” The old man looked at Draco hopefully. When he only blinked in surprise, Theo turned on his heel and rummaged through the kitchen, leaving them staring at each other across the doorway.
“What are you making so early in the morning, sir?” Draco asked politely.
“Good ol’ apple pie. My daughter is coming all the way from Manchester today. Long drive.”
“Nice city, I visited once.” That wasn't true but Draco learned muggles loved small talk, no matter how fake it was.
“Yes, yes. I might move there when I get too old to live by myself.”
Theo rescued him from the conversation and brought a plastic cup full of sugar. He handed it to the old man with a smile.
“Keep it, sir.”
The neighbour thanked them profusely and trudged back to his flat. Draco closed the door and slumped against it, fighting with the rest of his buttons.
“Did you conjure it?”
“No, I transfigured the cup but we have a whole jar of sugar in the cabinet.”
“Why do we even have it? We don't put it in our tea nowadays.”
“Polly hopes you will pick up baking. She said you should try learning some house skills as the…” Theo snickered and cleared his throat. “Future Lady Nott.”
“Oh, fuck you and your nosy elves.” Draco crossed his arms and stomped back to the bedroom. Theo started laughing and followed him, throwing himself on the bed, rumpling his fresh clothes.
“I recently told her I don't ever want to marry. She's not taking it very well.”
“She should try to find a job at a house with a bunch of kids instead,” Draco said as he fumbled through his drawer in search of a tie.
“She would love it, but she doesn't want to leave.” Theo sighed. “Polly took care of me when I was a baby.”
“Hm, I know. I guess I can try making use of the oven if it will make her happy.”
“Just don't burn the flat down.”
“I’ve always had outstanding grades in Potions, how much different can it be?”
“Well, the main difference is we have to actually eat it. You can down a potion pretty quickly if it tastes horrible.”
“I feel like you don’t have much faith in me, darling.”
The man shrugged and got up to finish grooming his hair. He leaned on the wall and watched Draco expectantly. “We’re going to be late, you know.”
“Give me a minute, I’m almost done. Can you grab my bag?”
They exited the flat side by side and walked down from the third floor they lived at, heading to the alley two buildings away. People saw them going in and out of the house like normal muggles, and the alley was remote enough that nobody ever noticed them disapparating. Theo side-alonged Draco near the Ministry entrance in Whitehall as promised, and continued holding his hand until they had to walk inside. Draco headed to Level 2 without thinking, nodding at whoever greeted him. It was bizarre how easily you could get used to things.
Their department counted three people: Draco, Theo, and their boss Hyacinth. They had one large, shared office nearby the Aurors. Of course, Hyacinth had her desk separated from them while they squeezed together in the corner. Draco wondered if it was part of their punishment or if the Ministry simply lacked funds. Either way, he had a job and the title of a Curse Consultant, which was as close to a curse-breaker as he could ever get. The work was pretty simple – he was at the beck and call of all the Aurors who went into the field. They encountered a warded ex Death Eater house, a cursed artifact, or anything of the like, it was the Consultants who had to examine it first. Lots of things Draco and Theo could do by themselves, as they received quite the intensive training led by the oldest Weasley brother. Whenever they faced trouble though, it was their turn to call up the Gringotts Curse-Breakers for help. Draco couldn’t shake off the feeling their position was entirely unnecessary and a very mediocre excuse to keep an eye on them, but he wasn’t going to complain.
Draco spent the first few hours of the day silently dealing with paperwork, then eating something for lunch. He was still sipping on his coffee when there was a foreboding knock on the door.
“Salazar, not him again.” He sighed. “Come in!”
Ron Weasley, their main contact with the Aurors, strolled into the room and smiled when he saw Draco's stormy expression. He greeted Hyacinth and walked up to Theo’s and Draco's desks.
“Hello, mate. We're going to need you for a little while.”
“Take Theo. I'm not going anywhere today.”
“I'm afraid Nott is less suited for the job.”
“Dear Ronald, what have I said about using surnames in my office?” Hyacinth piped up with a disappointed frown. “We're all friends here.”
“Right. Well, Theodore is not my first choice this time. We found a property that belonged to the Lestranges.”
“Is it because of the family connection? I assure you Rabastan did not have my baby pictures on his nightstand.”
“I would hope not. Either way, Willis asked for you specifically, so if you could get your arse up…”
Draco sent a pleading glance at Theo who only looked a bit apologetic and got back to scribbling on his papers. There was nothing he could do but get up and grab his bag, then follow Ron outside of the office. The ginger menace introduced him to the case but lowered his voice when they were passing by other people in the hall. “You know, Nott kept staring at you in a weird way,” he said, glancing around cautiously.
“I don’t know what you mean by weird, but I think he’s allowed to look at me.”
“No, you don’t get it. It wasn’t in a friendly way.”
“Yes, Ronald, because we aren’t friends.” Draco turned to the man and rolled his eyes at the dumb look on his face. “We’ve been dating for a few weeks already.”
“Dating? You two are dating?”
“That’s what I said. Theo is my boyfriend.”
“Bloody hell, I can see it now. Makes sense. I thought he’s just ogling you like a creep! I was about to ask if you have any other place to stay!”
“No need to worry, he’s not going to molest me. I’m a willing participant.”
“Oi, I don’t want to hear what you get up to.”
“I’ll just tell you I hope this is a quick job. I’m still sore after last night.”
“Be quiet!”
Draco chuckled at Ron’s flustered reaction but dutifully followed him and let the man side-along him to the site. Several Aurors roamed around and looked up at their arrival. The oldest one with graying hair and beard approached them in a haste.
“Consultant Malfoy, good to finally see you here.”
“Auror Willis. What seems to be the problem?”
“Well, my men are securing the area but we can't get past the door.” The man pointed at the house looming behind him. “It's got to be some nasty bugger. You might have to call professionals.”
“Let me take a look,” Draco replied with his most polite smile. A year on the job was not enough to convince some of the Aurors that he was in fact a professional. “The Ministry has to pay the Gringotts Curse-Breakers a lot more than they pay me, so let's hope I can take care of it myself.”
He approached the door and cast some spells from a few steps away. The knocker started shining an ominous purple light. He sighed to himself and pulled out a thick book from his bag.
“What is it?” asked Ron.
“Nothing too complicated, but I haven't dismantled this curse before.” Draco quickly scanned the chapter featuring the spell. The knocker was designed to instantly injure any unwanted visitor by corroding their fingers. “Move away, it might explode when I destroy it.”
He walked a bit further away and aimed his wand at the door. After a second of hesitation, he cast a beacon of white light at it. The wood exploded in an instant, and the brass knocker fell to the ground. The debris flew right in his direction before he even realized what was happening.
“Protego!”
The large chunks of wood came to a halt inches away from his body. He shuddered and exhaled.
“Fuck! You didn't say the curse would attack you!” Ron yelled and ran up to his side.
“I didn't expect it to.” Draco barely registered Ron fussing around him. He turned his head to look at whoever casted the shield and came face to face with Harry Potter.
“You okay?” Potter asked with his face blank. He was never a good actor, but Draco couldn't pick up a single emotion from him. Was he concerned or annoyed with Draco's negligence?
“I’m fine, thank you,” he replied with a courteous nod.
“Great reflexes, Auror Potter!” Willis praised and then turned to Draco. “Close call. How about you do a quick scan of the property and head back to the office?”
Draco walked inside the house and started casting at every corner. Aurors began filing in after him and doing their own work when he deemed the room safe. There wasn't much for him to do until he reached the study which was locked with another protective spell. Fortunately, it wasn't charmed to permanently disfigure nosy visitors.
A detection spell revealed several cursed items inside. Draco took care of whatever he could do on the spot, and left the more complex things as they were. He wrapped everything in a protective bubble and conjured a box around it. He grabbed one, nodding to himself. It was sturdy and ready for transport.
“Is this plastic?” Potter asked, knocking on one of the see-through boxes. Draco whipped his head around, surprised to see him in the room. He schooled his expression and shrugged.
“Yes, muggles use it for everything. I thought it would be the best option.”
“How do you know that?”
“I live in muggle London, Potter.” Draco rolled his eyes seeing the man's disbelieving frown. Potter didn't respond, only staring at him for a moment. Draco didn't feel like entertaining him any longer. “I’m going to finish up the rest of the house. You can get those boxes out of here.”
“Okay.”
Draco walked past the frozen Potter and immediately headed to the room furthest away. Once he was alone he rubbed his face with his hands and sighed. When they parted ways last year, neither of them had expected to become coworkers. Draco hated his guts for being spineless and breaking his heart. Potter hated him in return for… Actually, Draco wasn't sure why Potter was so mad at him. He broke things off himself, after all.
The problem was, Draco had to put in conscious effort to seem unaffected by Potter's presence. They didn't cross paths every day, thank Merlin, but it was still fairly often. Whenever they did, the awkwardness was so bad it was hard to believe they'd ever been friends. They both tried to look like it was nothing, but Potter's blank face was too fake, and Draco's insides squeezed at the mere sight of him. Draco still felt something for him, but he wasn't willing to think about it. Whatever it was, it should shrivel up and die already.
With newfound motivation, Draco quickly finished the work and reported back to Auror Willis. Soon, he was back in his office chair, sighing with relief.
“How was it?” asked Theo.
“Not bad, but I almost got impaled on a piece of cursed wood. Guess who came to my rescue.”
“Weasel?” He looked at Hyacinth and lowered his voice.
“No, it was the Saviour himself.”
“The instincts took over. Normally, he doesn't even greet us in the lift.”
“I know. I'm glad we don't work more often with that prick.”
“I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm happy we work with Weasley instead,” Theo grumbled and took the notes Draco had made earlier. He looked through the information on all the items from the Lestrange house, while Draco finished up writing a memo. He didn't have much left to do that day but pretended to work hard under Hyacinth’s watchful eyes.
The rest of the week was far less eventful, and Theo handled all the other field work, which left Draco bored at the office. He amused himself by sneaking in muggle magazines and reading celebrity gossip. He didn't know any of those people, but it was always fun to read about divorces. Sometimes, he let Theo go home on his own, and wandered around London until dinner time. As he took his walks in the different areas, he started to realize just how small the wizarding community was in comparison.
He grabbed two cups of coffee to go and headed back home one evening, only to see his boyfriend setting up a candlelit dinner.
“Oh! You bought wine? What's the occasion?” he asked, setting the cups and his keys on the counter. He hung his cloak up and walked to the bathroom, while Theo whirled around with the cutlery.
“It’s Friday night. Don't we deserve to have some fun?”
“Sure,” Draco drawled as he washed his hands. “Put the food under stasis. If you want to have fun, we're going to do it first. I'm not letting you fold me like a pretzel on a full stomach.” He heard the other man choke and cough furiously.
“Draco, I promise getting into your pants was not my intention,” he wheezed out.
“Too bad. I already took them off.” Draco walked out of the bathroom only wearing his shirt and watched with amusement as Theo's face instantly went red. “Well, darling. Are you coming?”
Theo cast a spell at their dinner without another word and followed Draco into the bedroom, which Draco couldn't help but laugh at. He laid on his back and let Theo climb on top of him, peppering his face with kisses.
“I'm going to be more gentle with you this time, okay?”
“I can handle a sore bum, you know. I just love to complain.”
“I don't want to be the reason behind your complaints. You can whine about work, neighbours, and Potter all you want.”
“Yeah, I probably will.” Draco chuckled and hugged Theo closer, kissing him properly.
He fully undressed them both, sat back and waved his wand over Draco’s body. It wasn’t the first time he’s felt it, but Draco still shivered at the sensation of cold lube appearing on his bottom. He relaxed a moment later and his muscles quickly became less tense.
“Magic makes this so much easier. I really wouldn’t know what to do with you otherwise,” Theo mumbled quietly and slipped two fingers inside him. “Girls take much less work.”
“Are you sure any of them actually enjoyed themselves?” Draco raised an eyebrow, somehow doubtful of the statement. “Also, you would have learned. Muggle blokes shag each other all the time. I read about it.”
“I don’t know if they enjoyed themselves, but I know you will,” Theo scoffed and moved his fingers in a way that made Draco’s breath hitch. “If only you stop talking.”
“You will have to shut me up.”
Theo didn’t ignore the challenge and immediately leaned down to bite Draco’s bottom lip. He kissed him gently afterwards, then moved down to kiss and suck on his neck. Draco sighed in satisfaction and wrapped his arms around him, letting the man do whatever he wanted.
“I’m going to put it in.”
“Well, hurry up.”
“Tell me if it hurts.”
“It won’t.”
It did hurt a little bit, but Draco made sure not to let it show. He didn’t mind the painful stretch and moved his hips to urge Theo to push himself in. He stifled a moan at the feeling of being stuffed so full, which made his silly boyfriend stop and ask if he was okay. Draco snickered and realized his heart was full too, and so warm his chest almost hurt. He smiled like a fool until Theo fucked him so hard all he could do was moan and try not to lose his mind. He was extremely grateful when instead of using a cleaning charm, Theo ran them both a hot bath later. They ate the belated dinner and decided to retire for the night.
“I'm so tired,” Draco groaned and promptly yawned once they got back into bed.
“Me too. I'm so glad we don't have to get up tomorrow,” Theo replied and threw an arm around Draco's waist. They both started drifting off to sleep when they heard a large thud above them.
“What was that?” Draco glanced at the ceiling, startled.
“It's just the neighbours. I'll cast a silencing spell.” But before Theo reached for his wand, the sounds continued. Thuds, scraping across the floor, and stuff falling down.
“What the hell is going on up there?” Draco muttered and crawled out of bed. “I'll go knock on their door. It's almost midnight.”
“Wait, I'll go with you.” Theo followed him, yawning openly.
They reached the floor above them and Draco furiously knocked on the offending neighbour’s door. They waited a long while before it opened and a young girl emerged.
“Uh, hi. Can I help you?” She took in their frazzled look and pajamas, relaxing a little. “Oh, you live here too?”
“Right below you, in fact. You've been quite loud just now.”
“I moved in today!” She smiled but then her expression soured. “I'm trying to put furniture but it's too heavy. I'm alone.”
Draco looked her up and down, considering his words. She was a frail woman around their age, definitely a muggle and probably an immigrant. He glanced at the passive Theo and then smiled at her.
“Well, we could help you right now, if you'd like. My name is Draco, and this is my boyfriend Theo.”
“My name is Marlena! You can help. Come here,” she said with a relieved smile and let them inside. Her flat had the same layout, but seemed a bit smaller. It could be because of the boxes lying around, and the couch awkwardly placed in the middle of the room. Overall, she didn't have many belongings.
“Let’s start with the couch,” he suggested and the girl nodded happily. For the next half hour, she instructed the two of them where she'd like her couch, bed, wardrobe and table. Theo looked more and more displeased throughout the process.
“It's done,” the girl said eventually. She awkwardly twirled her mousy blonde hair on her finger and stared at them. “Thank you. It looks very good.”
“No problem. It was nice meeting you,” Draco smiled politely and nudged Theo who did the same. “We will see you around.”
“Yes, see you soon.” She smiled in return and led them to the door. As soon as she closed it behind them, Theo sighed.
“How about we move into my family manor after all?”
“I don't know what your problem is.” Draco shrugged and started walking down the stairs. “We just made friends with a new neighbour. She seems very nice.”
“Yeah, when she's not ogling you.”
“Oh, come on.” He rolled his eyes and entered their flat. “Not everyone who looks at me wants to shag me. Besides, I told her you're my boyfriend.”
“I doubt she even knows what that means.” Theo withered a bit when Draco glared at him. “She barely speaks English and you know it.”
“Let's get you to bed, love.” Draco forcibly pushed him into the bedroom. “You're awfully cranky.”
“How about we go for another round to appease my jealousy?”
“Not a chance.”
。。。。。
Draco had to stay and work overtime for the first time in ages. Theo headed home first, which he could hardly blame him for. Even Hyacinth wasn’t bothered with supervising him anymore and left him alone with a stack of documents from the blasted Auror Division. Ron stopped by to drop them off with a slightly malicious grin, but gave him an envelope as an apology. As it turned out, it was an invitation Granger gave him and Theo for her birthday party. It was bizarre, but he supposed he could count as one of Ron’s close friends now, which was even more bizarre. Either way, good manners demanded they go and show up even if only to give her a gift. When Draco finally emerged from the Ministry, the sky outside was already turning dark. He was so sleepy, coffee seemed like the only solution. He also might have developed a caffeine addiction, but it was something he didn’t want to admit.
“Malfoy?”
Draco turned around at the familiar voice. Potter stood at the end of the queue, staring at him in surprise. He took a deep breath to calm his suddenly erratic heartbeat. Why was he even so nervous? He scolded himself.
“Potter. Didn't expect to see you here.”
“I live nearby,” Potter said and shook his head as if he hadn't meant to. “No, what are you doing here?”
“I told you I live in London too. I was on a walk from work.” Draco shrugged and turned back to the young cashier. She handed him his drinks and he threw some change into the tip jar. “Thank you, love.”
He smiled hearing her giggle, and walked over to where Potter stood and gaped at him.
“It's weird seeing you like that. Acting normal around muggles.”
“I want them to think I'm normal, obviously. I'm also well-mannered and capable of interacting with other people, so I don't know where the surprise is coming from.”
Potter didn't reply, only rolling his eyes. Draco tightened his scarf and prepared to leave.
“You got two coffees. Do you have company?”
“One's for Theo.” Draco replied offhandedly. Seeing Potter's confused look, he clarified. “My boyfriend that I live with? We went to school together? You know, our coworker?”
“Yeah, I know who he is. You're dating Nott? Really?”
“What's wrong with that? He's my closest friend, we care about each other, and enjoy each other's company.”
“That's it? I should probably start dating Ron then,” Potter scoffed.
“You can still try, if you're not afraid of Granger.” Draco scowled and gripped the drinks tighter. He felt his face going warm with anger.
“It's too late.” Potter's expression suddenly turned wistful and Draco would not deal with that.
“I don't know what you're brooding about but I do not want to hear it. I also couldn't care less about what you think about my relationship.” He walked towards the door without another glance. “See you.”
“Hopefully not too soon,” Potter replied as Draco took a step outside.
The entire walk home he was brimming with anger and pent up energy. The thing with Potter was, he was nice to look at but the charm disappeared whenever he opened his mouth. Draco was convinced the twat said half the things he did only to antagonize him. A good duel could probably solve their issue, but Draco wanted to keep his shitty job. Enormously pissed off, he made his way up the stairs and walked inside his flat. He slammed the door and walked up to the startled Theo.
“I got coffee,” he seethed through his teeth and put the cups on the table.
“Yeah, and a foul mood. What happened?” the man asked, leaning on the kitchen counter. Draco grabbed him by the hips and gave him a firm kiss.
“I met Potter and he chose to annoy me again. He disapproved of our relationship, for some unknown reason. I'm going against my own mother to be with you, does he think his opinion has any worth to me?” he grumbled, burying his face in Theo's neck.
“I think he just couldn't help but share it. Most people swoon at his every word, after all.” Theo seemed completely unbothered, running his hands through Draco's hair. “Relax a little. You're so mad you're shaking.”
“I can't. I have to do something or I'll explode.”
“Hmm. How about you shag me?”
“Salazar…” Draco shuddered with sudden excitement. “Great idea, darling. Get those clothes off right now.”
。。。。。
“Oh, you're here!” Ron grinned and stepped aside to let them through the door. “Come inside. Remember to be nice to everyone.” He warned them with a stern look.
“We will be perfectly civil, Ronald. Thank you for inviting us.”
Draco bumped into the whole Weasley clan the moment he walked down the hallway. He greeted everyone one by one and got quite unenthusiastic responses. Ginny, George, and their father all looked a bit suspicious of the two newcomers, and Draco could hardly blame them. He got much warmer greetings from the two oldest and definitely hottest siblings.
“William, it's great to see you.”
“Yeah, you too! I haven't seen you since your training,” Bill smiled and glanced at their joined hands. “Oh, is that a new development?”
“Yes, we're together,” Theo replied, briefly acknowledged the other brother, and immediately began talking about work. “I sent a letter to Gringotts this week, do you think our department could get access to the artifacts you're handling right now? I would love to study them.”
Bill was equally eager to discuss the cursed trinkets, so Draco gently removed his hand from Theo's and turned to the rugged man on his right.
“Well, they're going to entertain each other for at least fifteen minutes,” he said. “I'm Draco, Ron's… friend, I suppose.”
“He wouldn't invite you if he didn't consider you a friend.” The man smiled and extended his hand. “I'm Charlie. Are you an Auror?”
“Merlin, no! I'm somewhat of a Curse-Breaker, but I work directly for the DMLE. It's definitely a much lower level job than William’s.”
“How come? It's a pretty dangerous line of work.” Charlie started leading him away deeper into the house and Draco got the chance to look around. It was so cramped his tiny flat suddenly seemed spacious. The insults he'd directed at the Weasley house in the past were not entirely uncalled for… But it was pretty cozy. He waved at Thomas and Finnegan sitting by the fire.
“It's part of my sentence.” He shrugged. “I can't even quit for the next few years.”
“What? That's crazy!”
“Not so crazy if you know my surname.” Draco sighed and locked eyes with the clueless man. “I'm a Malfoy.”
“Oh. Bloody hell, I guess that makes sense.” Charlie winced, but still remained friendly. “I heard a story or two about your school days. Teenage Ron would never believe you're invited to dinner at his house.”
“Oh, he would have a stroke.” Draco laughed at the idea of fourteen year old Weasley appalled to see him next to his family. “So what do you do for a living?”
“I'm a dragon tamer.”
“What? That sounds like the coolest job ever.”
“It's really not.” Charlie began to explain the work he had to do when they heard a yell from the kitchen behind them.
“Boys, get those plates on the table!”
He immediately excused himself, went to grab the levitating plates of food and brought it over to the dining room, leaving Draco awkwardly standing in the kitchen doorway. He looked at the Weasley matron hunched over a massive bowl of soup and cleared his throat.
“Hello, Mrs Weasley. I'm Draco. Can I help you with anything?”
“Draco?” She turned to look at him and shook her head. “No, I'm already finished. It's nice you could come. Whenever I ask Ron about his job he starts talking about you.”
“Oh. I hope he only mentions good things.”
“From what he's told me you are a very hardworking and smart young man.”
Draco chatted with her a bit more and couldn't believe his eyes. Weasley’s mother, whom he's definitely insulted before, was being perfectly nice and polite to him. She busied around the kitchen and took a steaming pie out from the oven which immediately caught his attention.
“That looks delicious. I've wanted to try baking recently. Do you have any tips, Mrs Weasley? I've never done it before, but I think I could try some easier recipes.”
“Of course! I can give you some later. I have a cookbook you might like. If you struggle, perhaps you could ask your mum for help?” she replied, not really looking at him. Silly to assume the pureblood lady of the Malfoy Manor knew how to bake. She only glanced up when Draco stayed quiet.
“My mother hasn't been talking to me much recently,” he finally squeezed out. “We've had our differences for a while, but she threw quite a fit when I told her I was dating Theodore.”
“Oh, dear, that's awful.” Her expression turned full of pity and Draco knew he'd gone a few ranks up amongst her son's friends. “After everything we've all been through, to turn away from your child because of such a thing… Well, if you have any problems, I could always help you too.”
“Thank you.” He smiled at her and went to find Theo when she ushered him out of the kitchen. The house was swarmed with people, most of whom Draco had seen before but hardly spoken to. He accidentally got roped into an awkward conversation with Longbottom, who looked equally surprised to have a civil talk with him. Everyone was kinder than Draco had expected, and for a moment it was like the war never happened. But it did, because if there was no war, he would have never become this version of himself. His teenage self would not appreciate the smile Mrs Weasley gave him and the small gesture of Lovegood passing him food at the table. Now it was enough for him to feel warmth spreading in his body and he easily smiled at them in return.
Granger rolled his eyes when she saw the expensive gift Draco and Theo chose for her, but she gave them a brief hug nonetheless. The party was in full swing but they didn’t dare take up the time of the main stars. Theo felt uneasy talking to people he didn’t know, and Draco shared the sentiment, so they stayed away from the loud groups of Ron and Granger’s friends. At some point, Mr Weasley overheard Draco talking about muggle technology and seemed to warm up to him a bit. It was a rather big relief to know neither of Ron’s parents were likely to kick him out of the house anymore. It was when the man patted him on the shoulder that Draco caught Potter’s eyes across the room. He was startled by the sudden hostility he saw in them, and instinctively took a step back when Potter strode towards him.
“I didn’t know you were invited, Malfoy,” he said in lieu of greetings. “I asked Ron when I first saw you and apparently you two are great mates now. You even let you bring Nott with you.”
“Good to see you too. I’m not sure what’s so shocking, you know Ronald is our main contact with the Aurors, hence we see each other every day. Apparently, Granger decided his friends should be invited to the party too.” Draco gripped Theo’s wrist hard to keep them both from lashing out. He was used to Potter having a problem with him, but Theo was one snarky comment away from attacking the Saviour of the Wizarding World in front of witnesses.
“No, I know. It’s just hard to believe you’re friends now.”
“How about we go get some air?” Draco asked through gritted teeth when he noticed several people curiously looking their way.
“Gladly.” Potter turned and walked towards the door without checking if Draco followed. He did, because some stupid part of him couldn’t escape Harry Potter, and what’s worse, it didn’t want to. “I saw you talking to Ron’s parents and brothers. Is Ginny the only Weasley who didn’t immediately open their arms to welcome you?”
“George seems to have mixed feelings about me too, if that makes you feel better.”
“Have you used some sort of spell?”
Draco’s stomach twisted at the accusation and he felt himself heat up with rage. Still, he laughed when he remembered the last time someone believed he coerced people into liking him. He waited until they were alone outside and spoke up.
“You really are Ronald’s best mate.” He snickered. “He asked me the same thing, you know. Back when he found out about us shagging. I assure you, I am not tricking the Weasley family, I honestly do not care enough about their opinion to risk something like that.”
“Then how can they just accept you? Has everybody forgotten what you've done just because you don't have the Dark Mark anymore? You wanted Hermione dead and poisoned Ron! And now they're passing you salt at the table like it's nothing.” Potter fumed and glared at him so hard Draco considered grabbing his wand.
“I've never wanted either of them dead, you stupid prat, I just liked to run my mouth! Also, I had no idea Ron would ever drink that thing. I talked about this with them both back in Hogwarts and they both chose to give me another chance. You're the one who's holding it over my head! How many times do you want me to apologize?”
“I don't know! Until you mean it!”
“Oh, now you think I haven't changed at all? You think I'm still a bigoted Death Eater? You didn't seem to care about it when you had your dick in my mouth!” Blood boiled inside of Draco at Potter’s words.
“Shut up! Stop bloody mentioning that!”
“So ashamed of it now? I know you must really fucking hate me but–”
“I don't bloody hate you! That's the problem!”
“What are you even talking about? What is your problem with me right now?!” Draco grabbed his perfectly groomed hair and pulled at it out of frustration. He was about to continue arguing when the door to the house opened. Ginny took one look at them and hastily approached Potter.
“Harry, today's not the time for petty fights. We have an announcement to make.”
Potter stood frozen for a moment and looked like he wanted to argue with her too, but resorted to taking a deep breath. He glared at Draco one last time and turned to the girl.
“Right. Let's go inside.”
She managed to calm him down immediately, but even her smile couldn't wipe the scowl off Potter's face. Draco watched them disappear behind the door and took a moment to compose himself. After smoothing down his hair and controlling his hammering heart, he followed them inside. He made it just in time to see Ginny standing up from the couch and looking in the direction of her parents.
“Harry and I have news,” she said. Then, she held up a dainty hand and let everyone see a ring glimmer on her finger. “He proposed to me last week!”
The room exploded with a whole range of reactions, ranging from crying to shocked screaming. All the women seemed extremely moved and swarmed Ginny to see the ring, while the men congratulated the slightly awkward Potter. Draco leaned on the doorframe and watched it with a cool sense of detachment.
“I don't know how to feel about that.” He heard a sigh behind him and turned to see Ron.
“You don't look surprised.”
“He asked for my advice, obviously. I told him to wait,” Ron mumbled with another tired sigh. “Ginny's bloody nineteen, and he's got some issues he should probably work on first.”
“Yeah, there's definitely something wrong with him. Have you considered a Mind Healer? I had to see one last year and she gave me wonderful muggle medicine. I was like a new person for those few months, I bet they have something to make him normal too,” Draco drawled with the intention of sounding mocking, but the information he shared made Ron pause.
“I doubt he'll go, but if they had a solution for a nutcase like you…”
“I don’t appreciate you calling my boyfriend that.” Theo suddenly appeared next to them. “If he was a nutcase, he would have started hexing Potter in your backyard just now.”
“Ugh, you saw that,” Draco groaned.
“Of course, I wouldn’t leave you alone with him.”
“Did you have a fight?” Ron asked in a tone that clearly indicated he was disappointed but not surprised.
“He couldn’t accept that your family can like me without me magically forcing them to. Also, just yelled at me for the same old things. He needs to get more creative.”
“It's like dealing with his teenage self again. He could be having a perfect day but go crazy the moment he sees you.” He whined and Draco almost felt sympathetic.
Ron was then called by his girlfriend to join the group around the freshly engaged couple. Though Draco figured Potter was already engaged when they bumped into each other at the coffee shop. Now, the man sat on the couch surrounded by his friends, but his smile looked a bit forced. Ron could easily tell Potter was overwhelmed by all the attention, and tried to steer the conversation into another direction. The birthday girl Granger had the spotlight again for a while, and Draco began preparing to leave the party.
Mrs Weasley didn't let him out without a box of leftovers and gifted him a copy of a cookbook. To his surprise, he also left the house with several hugs, promises to meet again, and a contact to Charlie of all people, which Theo was very suspicious about. His boyfriend was nonetheless happy to finally get out of the rowdy gathering, so unlike the pureblood galas they were used to.
“Potter really thinks I don't mean it? My apology,” Draco asked that night when they were in bed.
“Do you?”
“I regret being an idiotic twat, believing joining the Dark Lord would give me benefits, and the things I did under his orders. At first it was only because I was scared for myself and my parents… And what if he's right? Maybe I'm only being selfish and deep down I still don't care about people like muggleborns.”
“I doubt Potter actually believes that and I honestly don't believe it either. Look at me, Draco. I don't care about muggleborns, same goes for Blaise, Greg, and most of our friends. Obviously, we don't want them to be killed, but we don't concern ourselves with them. You're the one making amends with Granger and befriending stray muggle girls.”
“The difference is, you are a bunch of arseholes, and I have an actual criminal record.”
“That you've already been punished for. Sleep now, Draco, and you'll wake up in a better mood. Anyway, whose opinion is more important, your amazing boyfriend's or Potter's?”
“Yours. He can't compare to you, darling,” Draco mumbled and hugged Theo's waist.
“That's what I thought,” Theo replied, but he didn't sound so sure.
Chapter Text
Several months passed in a similar fashion. Draco's life couldn't be more stable, which he was immensely grateful for. People hardly ever tried to hex him in the streets anymore, slowly healing from the war. His job was interesting enough, and he made up for the boring parts by dragging Theo out to socialize.
That’s why Draco was a satisfied man, and could hardly imagine a worse start to a Monday than Harry Potter showing up in his office at nine in the morning. The man knocked and immediately strode in, heading for Hyacinth’s desk. She nearly jumped in her seat when she saw who he was.
“Dear Harry! What a pleasant surprise,” she said, beaming at him.
“Yes, it's great to see you, uh, Hyacinth…”
“Morning,” Draco piped up.
“Not a good one?” Harry raised an eyebrow.
“Not as long as you're here.” Hearing his response, Theo snickered and Hyacinth let out a scandalized squeak.
“How can you say that, Draco? Harry is always welcome at our humble office.”
“Thank you, but I won't be long. I just came to say that I got a promotion and will act as the team leader for field missions. Auror Willis will retain his position until his upcoming retirement, so it's possible two teams will be working at once sometimes. Aurors other than Ron might be coming to get you then.”
“Oh, congratulations! It's no problem, we all love Ronald, but it will be nice to see new faces around.”
“Yes… Well, that was all I had to say. I hope you all have a great day.”
“You too, Harry, you too,” Hyacinth gave Potter a smile so genuine Draco could never even dream about having it directed at him. He rolled his eyes the moment the door closed behind the man.
“So pretentious. Why did he have to come and boast about his promotion?” Theo whispered.
“This could have been a memo,” Draco added and got back to his stack of papers. The day was fairly uneventful until they only had half an hour of their shift left and Ron suddenly walked in. Theo and Draco both groaned simultaneously.
“No, I'm not here to keep you working overtime today,” he greeted.
“Thank Merlin. I would make sure there was a workplace accident.”
“Don’t worry. Draco, come out for a minute, I need to talk to you alone,” Ron said with an unreadable expression. The lack of a smile on his face instantly made Draco uneasy.
“What happened?” he asked once he closed the office door, leaving them alone in the empty hallway.
“I shouldn't be telling you this, but I don't think anyone intends to let you know until it's too late.”
“You're scaring me, what's going on?”
“You know there were laws passed to make Azkaban more humane, right?”
The moment Ron mentioned Azkaban, it was like air got punched out of Draco. He tried to take a breath to no avail, and desperately grabbed the man's arms.
“Fuck,” he choked out, panic suddenly rising into him when he started getting dizzy from the lack of oxygen.
“Bloody hell, breathe in,” Ron almost yelled once he realized what was happening. “Come on, mate, focus on me and calm down. You're gonna pass out!”
Draco eventually started wheezing with great difficulty, and ended up hyperventilating with Ron trying his best to make them both stay calm. In a minute or so, he was feeling good enough to speak.
“I don't know what came over me. I haven't felt like that in a long time.”
“I’m not sure if I should keep talking…”
“Tell me what happened.”
“Healers do regular check-ups on the prisoners now,” Ron said and fidgeted a bit before mumbling out, “Your father is seriously ill.”
“Is he dying?” Draco asked and felt himself start spiralling again.
“No, I don't think so. I heard the higher-ups are thinking of changing his sentence to house arrest to make taking care of him easier.”
“I'm surprised they chose to heal him at all,” Draco muttered bitterly, but instantly felt relieved to know it wasn't the worst news.
“The system has to be fair regardless of personal grudges. I say this as someone who definitely has personal grudges against him,” Ron scoffed. “I don't know how much of it is true, but I also heard he's… not right in the head.”
“Okay… Thanks, Ron. I appreciate you telling me.”
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, don't worry about me.” Draco gave him a weak smile and returned to his desk. Hyacinth very kindly allowed them to leave a few minutes earlier, and Draco led Theo through a floo in the atrium straight to Leaky Cauldron for a pint. He told him what Ron had said, and Theo held his hand the whole time even when the other patrons stared at them.
。。。。。
Draco took interest in yet another bizarre muggle hobby. On weekend mornings, he put on an atrocious set of gym clothes and went outside to run. Running was below a Malfoy, so even as a teen he limited sprinting across the Hogwarts halls and Manor fields. For the first few weeks his runs barely lasted half an hour, and he had to apparate home, gasping for breath. Theo found the whole thing weird and pointless, but he always offered to give him mouth to mouth resuscitation. Draco couldn't ask for a more supportive boyfriend.
He was running at the park as usual, already approaching his limit, when he saw the person he wanted to see the least. It wasn’t even a surprise anymore; Potter somehow showed up everywhere Draco decided to go. He would have taken a turn and avoided the man altogether, but this time he was not alone, which instantly made Draco intrigued. Potter spotted him pretty quickly and winced.
“Good morning, Malfoy…”
“Oh, Merlin! Who's this tiny gentleman?” Draco exclaimed and immediately crouched to be eye-level with the toddler, who looked at him in surprise. “Where did you get him, Potter?”
“He's my godson.”
“My name is Teddy Lupin. Who are you?” the child replied in a cute little voice. Draco was never a big fan of kids until he reached a certain age and they all suddenly seemed adorable. He had an urge to pick the little boy up but didn't dare try his luck in front of Potter, who watched him like a hawk.
“Lupin? Oh, dear. I'm Draco Malfoy, your grandma and my mum are sisters,” he explained with a smile.
“Will you be at Christmas then?”
Draco gaped at Teddy for a moment, not sure how to reply. Potter sighed and came to his rescue.
“There's still many months left until Christmas, Teddy.”
“Why?”
“Because it's summer. Christmas is during winter.”
“Winter is cold,” Teddy mumbled and nodded to himself.
“Yes, it is.”
Draco watched in amused disbelief as Potter entertained the small child. It was a bizarre sight, but it was clear Potter was used to this. Draco himself had no contact with kids at all, aside from cooing at random muggle babies in the grocery store queue. He straightened up when his knees started aching and met Potter's eyes.
“Enjoy your walk, lads. I have to go. See you soon, Teddy.” He winked at the toddler, who already lost interest in him, focusing on the flowerbeds nearby.
“Malfoy, don't ruin this for me,” Potter said in a quiet voice, grabbing Draco’s arm.
“What do you mean?” Draco asked when he saw the man scowl.
“You hang out with my friends, work at the same place, and show up at the Burrow. Let me have Teddy to myself without you corrupting it.”
“He's my family.”
“He's mine too. Is he even good enough for your parents to consider him family?” Potter whispered furiously.
“I'm not my parents. I don't care about his blood status or anything and you know it, Potter, this kid can barely talk. Don't make me out to be some monster.”
They stared at each other in silence for a moment before Teddy spotted a butterfly and squealed loudly. Potter backed off, shrugging.
“Okay. We're going, Teddy! See you at work.”
Draco watched them leave, feeling mildly irritated. Perhaps Potter had a point saying they bumped into each other too often, but why would he admit that? Draco spent years coming up with all sorts of plans just to inconvenience the other boy. He would not feel worthy of calling himself a Malfoy if he simply let Harry Potter live in peace. Spurred into action, that evening he drafted his first letter to aunt Andromeda. See you at the Christmas table, Potter.
。。。。。
It was way past lunchtime, which Draco missed thanks to a badly timed Auror call. He spent two harrowing hours dealing with an incredibly unpleasant Carrow family artefact, only to give up and ask for the Curse-Breakers in the end. Exhausted and hungry, Draco came back from the restroom to the quiet office. Theo's head immediately snapped up when he entered.
“Oh, you're here. Ron's just stopped by with big news.” Theo announced with a lukewarm lack of enthusiasm. “He's going to be an uncle.”
“Who's pregnant?” Draco asked cautiously, setting his stuff at his desk.
“William's wife, Fleur.”
“Thank Merlin. That's great.”
“Did you think it was Ginevra?” Theo snickered.
“It crossed my mind.” Draco admitted and sat down. “I’m glad it's not the case. Fleur is nice.”
“Yeah, I remember when you tried to chat her up with your broken French back in fourth year.”
“It wasn't that bad.”
“I recall she barely understood what you were saying.”
“Another word about my French and you might find the new Weasleys’ prank potion in your dinner.”
They returned home together after their shift and Theo very carefully checked the food before serving it. It was still made by elves, though Draco tried his best at cooking some simple meals. His baking hobby was in full swing with various results. They had suffered two months of weekly burnt pies and gooey muffins, but Draco eventually got better. It was nothing to brag about, but everybody who tried it claimed his baked goods were edible.
“Hey, an owl brought a letter from your mother.” Theo said when Draco joined him on their tiny couch after dealing with the dishes. “I checked it first, I hope you don't mind.”
“You shouldn't have, what if she was writing awful things about you?” Draco grumbled and took the letter from Theo's hand. He instantly felt uneasy when he was about to open it.
“I was worried she would say awful things to you, Draco,” his boyfriend explained and threw an arm around him. “Don't worry, she was very polite. Only insinuated that I'm not welcome to come with you when you visit.”
“Why would I want to visit?” Draco rolled his eyes and quickly scanned the letter. His eyes widened when he got to the last paragraph. “Fuck, Ron was right. They're releasing my father. He's really sick and apparently so barmy there's no point keeping him locked up.”
“Yeah, house arrest for the next five years sounds much better than Azkaban.”
“I guess I will have to visit, after all.” Draco sighed and leaned his head on Theo's shoulder. “I don't really miss him, to be honest. He made my life hell, even if he didn’t mean to.”
“But he's still your father.”
“Unfortunately.”
。。。。。
“Hey, I got a really weird letter today,” Ron said and placed the parchment on Draco's desk.
“You want me to check it for curses?” Draco raised an eyebrow.
“No, dimwit, I want you to read it. What are those two doing?”
Draco opened the letter and skimmed through it. With every word he read his jaw dropped lower.
“What the hell?! Pansy and Blaise are getting married?”
“Yeah, but why am I invited?”
“Theo, did you hear me?” Draco ignored the ginger and turned to his boyfriend. “Why aren’t we invited?!”
“I’m sure we are. An owl brought something for us this morning but I haven’t had the time to check it,” Theo said, far too unbothered for Draco’s liking, not even glancing up from the book he was holding.
“And you didn’t mention it? Merlin, Blaise and Pansy?” Draco leaned back in his chair, massaging his temples. “Fuck, that’s gonna be one posh party. I didn’t see it coming, I must admit.”
“So you don’t know why Hermione, Harry and I all got invites?”
“To make a statement, obviously.” Draco shrugged. “What’s a better way of making it known they choose to leave their dubious dark past behind? I’m sure they’re inviting tons of important people in hopes of networking too.”
“Like Slughorn.” Theo said.
“We don’t have to go, do we?” Ron asked, looking at them hopefully.
“No one’s going to make you. It might be fun, though.”
“Uh, I don't think so. Well, I'll be on my way. Send me the report you got back from Gringotts later, okay?”
Draco agreed and shooed Ron out of the room, then sat on top of Theo's desk. He used the rare chance that Hyacinth wasn't at the office to slack off and immediately began planning.
“We have to buy new robes. Should I owl Pansy and ask about the color palette? They only mentioned the dress code,” he wondered out loud. “It might be hard to get them custom made on such an awfully short notice.”
“Whatever we have in the closet will be enough.” Theo let out a resigned sigh. “Please don't overdo it. It's not your wedding.”
“This is the first time our friends get married, darling. I can't put on the stuff I wore at my mother's Christmas parties.”
“Salazar, you can be a nuisance. Fine, we will go shopping.”
Draco felt a small sting at Theo's words, but he ignored the feeling and gave him a smirk. A win is a win.
。。。。。
It was another Friday evening when their doorbell rang. Draco reluctantly got up from the couch and opened the door, revealing a now very frequent guest.
“Hello.” Marlena smiled at him and walked into the flat like she owned it. “I'm here to do your hair. Then we can go to the club.”
“My hair looks fine,” Theo argued, but she put her stuff on the table and shrugged.
“It can look better.”
“Don't listen to him, dear, you know best.” Draco reassured her and took a seat on the couch again to watch the show. “How do you feel about curling it?”
“I don't feel great about it–”
“Awesome! Come here, Theo.”
“Hey, I'm the one who will have to go outside like that.”
“Trust the professional, darling.” Draco chuckled and ignored the glare his boyfriend sent him. “Marlena, dear, how is it at your new job?”
“My boss isn't very nice.” The girl sighed, brushing the reluctant Theo's hair. “But clients ask for me a lot, so she can't fire me. I'm the best at the salon.”
“No doubt you are.”
Theo ended up with his brown hair full of loose curls, looking so silly and adorable that Draco had to kiss him. He brightened up a bit when Draco reassured him he was as handsome as ever. Marlena was satisfied with her work and eagerly took care of Draco's hair next, styling it into smooth waves. She'd cut it a few weeks earlier, so his fringe only reached his ears. He refused to grow it out and look like his bloody father.
Next came picking out clothes and they were ready to go. The first time their upstairs neighbour had knocked on their door to ask if they liked clubbing, Draco was flabbergasted. Once they found out what it was, Theo claimed he had no interest in hanging around a bunch of intoxicated, sweaty muggles. On the contrary, Draco’s interest was piqued, mostly because he never would have thought to spend his Friday night that way. Theo caved in pretty quickly when the girl said people would definitely try to approach Draco if he went alone.
The three of them had gone out several times since then and Draco started genuinely enjoying it. Even Theo grew to like ordering posh alcohol and subtly feeling Draco up on the dancefloor.
They sat at the dimly lit bar and sipped on their overpriced drinks, when Marlena suddenly knocked hers back and stood up.
“Oh my God! They're playing Britney Spears!”
Draco discovered they both shared a love for female pop stars, much to Theo's puzzled distaste. He left his own drink with the man and eagerly followed her to dance. The next three songs were by NSYNC or whatever other boyband it was, Draco wasn't sure, but she would not let him sit down. When he finally made it back to the bar, his hair was already sticking to his forehead. He finished up the drink while Theo bought him a fresh one, then quickly downed it too.
“You should probably take it slow, or I'll have to levitate you home.”
“I'll be fine,” Draco groaned, still gasping for air. “Marlena might be a problem. Don't let her near any more alcohol. Fuck, it's bloody hot in here.”
Theo cast a wandless cooling charm at him, which was fairly impressive. Draco quite liked watching carelessly powerful displays of magic performed by handsome men. They stood on the sidelines for a long while, and when Draco finished drinking he could already tell the alcohol was getting to him. He didn't protest when Theo dragged him to dance in the most crowded place, where no one saw or cared how close to each other they were. His head was spinning and the loud music hurt his ears, but he felt alive. After thinking he would die at sixteen, this was the best feeling in the world.
For a brief moment, Draco thought he'd seen a familiar figure in the crowd. Then, Theo's arms wrapped around him from the back and he almost jumped away, startled.
“I cast a muggle-repelling charm, no one will pay attention to us,” Theo said in his ear, making him relax a bit.
“You moron, we came here with a muggle, how will she find us?” he chided.
“She's not supposed to look for us, she's supposed to give us a bloody minute to snog.”
Draco was about to argue, but he noticed it again, and this time he was sure. While everyone around them minded their own business, one person looked straight at him. A very bad idea popped into his head. He chose to worry about it once he sobered up.
“Alright then, darling, don't be shy.” He chuckled and drew Theo into a filthy, open-mouthed kiss. He sucked on his tongue and messed up his idiotic curled hair, pressing their bodies together. Theo broke away to press wet kisses to Draco's neck, while Draco put on the nasty smirk he often wore as a teenager. He tried not to shudder at the hot breath on his collarbones and the warm palms on his waist. He watched with amusement as Potter's eyes followed Theo's wandering hands.
Potter stood a few meters to his right, where Theo couldn't see him but Draco could. He must have been there for a long time, nursing a pint of beer. Draco saw two other Aurors near him, but he didn't remember their names. All he focused on was the piercing green gaze that saw his every move. He stroked Theo's back almost like an afterthought, leaning into his demanding touch with familiarity.
“We should continue this at home,” Theo mumbled and Draco gave him his sweetest smile.
“Sure. Let's split up and find Marlena.”
The moment he was alone, he felt another familiar touch on his shoulder. He almost laughed at how predictable Potter was.
“Good evening.” He greeted mockingly. “Are you having fun?”
“Not as much as you are,” Potter responded, seizing him up.
“Yeah, and it's not over yet. I'm afraid we have to say goodbye now, Potter, I'm going home to get fucked by my boyfriend until morning,” he dared to say, keeping the smirk in place, even though it made him burn with embarrassment. The dark look on the other man's face was absolutely worth it. He didn't wait for a response, turning on his heel to search for Theo in the crowd.
“Sod off, Malfoy,” Potter yelled after him.
“Cheer up, don't you also have your other half waiting at home?” he called out and watched Potter's angry expression freeze and turn mortified, as if he only now recalled he was already engaged. Draco snickered and rolled his eyes. He should probably do everyone a favour and write Ginny an anonymous letter exposing her fiance for watching other men snog in the club.
He quickly found Theo and Marlena, and managed to convince the girl to leave for the night. She was too drunk to notice they apparated her halfway home, chatting happily about some nonsense. Once they safely helped her back into her flat, they didn't waste a single minute returning to their own. They fell right into bed where, as promised, Theo kept him up until morning. Draco didn't think about Potter once.
。。。。。
Draco was very fortunate for the next three weeks and barely saw Potter at all until the wedding. He took a portkey with Theo late in the morning and landed on the sunny Isle of Wight. Apparently, Blaise had insisted on a warm and beachy place, while Pansy’s parents firmly refused to hold the wedding in the south of Europe. It worked out great for Draco, because he still couldn't leave Britain.
The reception would be held at a large, fancy hotel where the guests could settle, so he took their bags into one room, then convinced Theo to go out. They strolled on the beach and explored the place until noon. Later, they had to change into their matching robes, which were a lot more muggle-style than Theo liked. Draco reasoned it was a public wedding, where muggles could see, so pointy hats were out of the question.
The last of the guests arrived in the early afternoon, and as the sun began slowly descending, the ceremony began. The newlyweds stood near the edge of the water on a small wooden platform, with a flowery arch behind them. Pansy's dress was not light and flowy like he'd expected, but an elaborate gown he'd place at a cathedral rather than a beach wedding. She made Blaise look unremarkable in comparison, which you couldn’t say about most people.
The exchange of vows was pretty short and standard; the two would hardly express their love in front of an audience. Frankly, Draco doubted there was any love at all. He'd talked with them both and while they were excited about the wedding, they didn't seem too concerned about whom they were marrying. They didn't date back in school, maybe snogging once or twice, which meant very little considering Draco kissed Pansy once too. Draco could be the one marrying her and it would probably be just as genuine.
“You look amazing, dear,” Draco told the beaming bride once it was over, taking her hands in his. “I wonder what Blaise did to get so lucky.”
“He gave me that ring you're touching.” She wriggled her fingers. “Well, there's also the estates.”
Draco gently held her palm up and looked at the engagement ring – a large diamond surrounded by a circle of small ones, gleaming in the sunlight. Worth way more than Draco's whole flat. Good job, Blaise.
“Look all you want, I'm not getting you one,” Theo spoke beside him, making Pansy chuckle.
“Theodore, how heartless… You can still buy one yourself and give it to some pretty girl, Draco.” She grinned and consoled him, but Draco felt a sudden buzzing in his ears when Theo nodded along with a careless smile.
Once Pansy moved on to chat with other guests, he grabbed Theo's arm and quickly led him to a less crowded place.
“You really don't mind me giving some girl a diamond engagement ring?” he asked in what he tried to make a joking tone.
“You don't like women anyway, what's there to be jealous of?”
“Are you serious? You're fine with me having a wife and shagging you on the side, really?” He gaped at him in disbelief.
“This is how everybody does it, Draco. When's the last time you saw two pureblood men married to each other?” Theo shrugged. “As long as you come back to my bed, ask your parents to find you a wife immediately for all I care,” he said and Draco's heart cracked.
He wasn't trying to be cruel and perhaps that's why it hurt even more. Theo genuinely did not intend to break the old pureblood rules for Draco; he didn't even consider it. It did not occur to him that Draco could feel hurt by his words, because he never once thought they could be a real family.
“My mother will be overjoyed when I tell her,” Draco muttered and decided to walk away for a moment to calm down. Theo didn't stop him.
There were people everywhere, some right by the water and others lingering near the hotel entrance, waiting for dinner to start. Draco figured it would take some time before Pansy and Blaise greeted the countless important guests they'd invited. He went to grab a drink from the closest table and headed inside, wandering around the hotel in hopes of some privacy. He made it to a deserted balcony with a view of the English Channel, then leaned on the wall and allowed himself to wallow in his sadness.
He didn't even get five minutes to himself before he heard another person approach.
“I thought I saw you going this way,” rang the familiar, agitating voice behind him.
“I'm not in the mood, Potter, leave me alone.”
“What's wrong? This wedding is such a joyous occasion.”
“Is that why you got so pissed you can't walk straight?” Draco looked over the drunk man skeptically.
“I'm not a fan of social gatherings. Ron's not here, Hermione’s busy talking with some politicians… All I can do is drink.” Potter stumbled up to him and leaned a hand on the wall to hold himself up, simultaneously trapping Draco in. “But you haven't answered my question. It bothers me to see you so miserable.”
“It's none of your business.”
“I've always considered you my business. I need to know what evil things you get up to,” he slurred a bit as he talked, but Draco could tell he didn't mean to be insulting. The idiot might have been joking, even though it wasn’t very funny.
“I can assure you I've done nothing wrong, Auror Potter. Will you let me leave?” Draco rolled his eyes. Potter swayed on his feet and propped both hands up on Draco's sides, leaning heavily on the wall.
“I don't want you to leave. Who else can I talk to?” He shook his head. Potter stood so close to him their clothes brushed and Draco could clearly see right into his eyes. He wasn't sure what he saw in them, but he felt the warmth radiating off the man and wished for nothing more but to come closer, to be held in his arms. Instead, he tried to make his face blank. Potter would not soothe him, he could only break his heart more, and Theo's done enough of that.
“If you touch me, you're going to ruin both our lives,” he warned.
“Whatever. I think I already ruined mine,” Potter whispered but eventually took a step back with some difficulty. He approached the balcony railing and looked at the water in the distance. A moment later, Draco leaned on the railing next to him and admired the sunset, ignoring the hammering in his chest.
“You know what I think. I told you ages ago you should fight for the life you want.”
Potter frowned and remained silent for the next few minutes. They stood side by side in the warm sunlight, while the party music played in the background.
“I can't marry her.”
“You will,” Draco retorted. “If you don't do anything about it, you will marry her. I would hurry up with the decision making, if I were you.”
“Don't sound so bloody smug. I doubt you had the same conversation with Zabini before his obviously arranged marriage.” Potter scoffed. “This wedding is fucking horrendous, by the way. I shouldn’t have come.”
“There is a difference between you two, you know. He wants a pretty pureblood wife to host his parties and birth his heirs. Pansy wants a capable pureblood husband to rely on in return. He will treat her well, and I bet she will hex him if he doesn't.” Draco chuckled. “They’re compatible. I can't say that about you and Ginny.”
“We both want a family.”
“Really? Last time I heard from Ron, she wants to focus on her career right now. Can't exactly play quidditch if you get her up the duff.”
“Last time I heard from Ron, your boyfriend doesn't want to settle down properly. I was under the impression you value marriage and family too… Doesn't seem like Nott is your best match then either.” Potter bit back with a mocking smirk, making Draco want to curse Ronald’s gossiping arse.
“Fuck you, we're not talking about my relationship right now, what I tell Ron is private. If you're so bloody defensive then go be sad and miserable with your forever disappointed wife all you want. I'm not stopping you, hell, I hope you invite me to the wedding!”
“Oh, I will. You can take Nott as your date, if you two can even last that long.”
All the fight suddenly left Draco, and he sagged with no more steam to continue the argument. The pain he felt was almost physical and so bad it was like someone crushed his sternum. Potter was right, after all. Theo was not the person Draco could be with forever. He'd known since the beginning that Theo never wished to marry, but a part of him expected that to change with time. Now he was faced with cruel disappointment; the life Draco had built for himself began crumbling to dust.
“I told you to leave me alone, Potter,” he said and turned to exit the balcony. “I'm going to dance with my boyfriend while I still have him.”
Notes:
Ron: So you two disapprove of each other's current partners… you both want stability, marriage, and a bunch of kids soon… you're attracted to one another… you genuinely enjoyed your time together before you started fighting for no reason…
Draco: Yeah, what's your point?
Harry: I don't know what you're trying to say.
Ron: *sighs* I can’t do this anymore.
Chapter 4
Notes:
i spent a few days at the hospital again, sorry for the delay. i'm starting finals next week, so it will take some time for the next update too. luckily this chapter ends on a somewhat, uh, positive note?
bad news: harry will crash out
good news: it's the last time this happens. we are a step closer to drarry, hold on tight
Chapter Text
Draco suddenly started noticing all of Theo's flaws. His lukewarm attitude rarely bothered him before, but now it was driving him crazy. The man never fully stopped making comments about muggles or muggleborns, always left the bedsheets rumpled, and his cleaning charms left the plates weirdly devoid of shine. His taste in music was also horrendous and Draco would go barmy like his father if he had to hear Limp Buzzkit or whatever one more time.
He was almost grateful when Ron asked him to meet him on a Saturday for lunch… No matter how weird the idea of grabbing some Indian with a Weasley was.
“I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm really glad to see you,” Draco groaned and slumped onto the chair. “Everything sucks these days.”
“What happened?” Ron glanced at him cautiously and got back to the menu in front of him, scratching his stubbled jaw.
“I'm pretty sure Theo and I are about to end our relationship. Now it's just a matter of admitting it to each other.”
“What? Why?” He gaped at Draco in disbelief. “You've already been dating for like a year!”
“And apparently it means nothing to him. Can you believe he said he wouldn’t care if I got married?”
“To somebody else?”
“Yeah.” Draco sighed. “It opened my eyes. I'm starting to realize he's not as perfect for me as I had thought.”
“That's tough, mate, but this is your first relationship, isn't it? They rarely work out.”
“Yours is doing well,” Draco grumbled and flipped through the menu.
“I also dated Lavender Brown, you know. Hermione’s not my first.” Ron chuckled and his face started turning pink. “You know, Hermione’s the reason why I wanted to see you. I feel kinda awful bringing it up now…”
“Merlin's tits… Are you going to do what I’m thinking about?”
“I want to propose,” Ron choked out and hid his face in his palms, his ears nearly letting out steam. “But I don't know how! What if she says no?”
“Why would she?”
“Maybe she wants to become the Minister first? Start a charity for the underprivileged? I don't know, maybe she just doesn't want to be my wife. It's not like I have much to offer.”
“Let's not get dramatic. I'm really not the person you should ask for consolation, considering I've insulted you on countless occasions, but I still know she will agree. No matter how poor, useless, and unremarkable you are, Granger seems weirdly enamoured with you.”
“Thanks.” Ron wilted a bit and Draco burst out laughing.
“I'm kidding. Just go for it, yeah? She's made it pretty clear she loves you.”
“That's not a guarantee. Theo loves you and he would reject you, if you asked,” Ron whined, his forehead almost resting on the table.
“Glad you remembered to rub it in.” Draco rolled his eyes. “I'm not sure he does. He never told me he loves me, though to be fair, I've never said it either.”
“Right. Did your parents ever say it to each other?”
“Maybe on some birthdays.” He shrugged.
“Pureblood culture is bloody ridiculous.”
“Yeah. For all I know, if I confessed my love, Theo would tell me…” Draco lowered his pitch, mocking his boyfriend, “...no purebloods love each other, obviously. Why would you think I love you? Either way, I don't care as long as we still shag.”
“What a miserable way to live. I much prefer being a blood traitor, Hermione tells me she loves me every time she ends the floo call.” Ron sighed and straightened up when a waiter started walking in their direction.
“Another reason why you should stop being a coward and ask her. Be a Gryffindor.”
They each ordered their food and Draco thought the topic was over. Unfortunately, the moment the waiter stepped away, Ron began freaking out.
“The ring. What kind of ring do I get? Oh, bloody hell, Hermione went to the posh Zabini wedding. What if it gives her any ideas? It's not like I can afford anything like that!”
“I'm fairly certain she would marry you in a barn if only you asked.” Draco rolled his eyes. “I'm no expert, but I would go for a simple and elegant ring. No garish family heirlooms from your great aunt, Granger is a practical woman. If you're worried about the wedding, I can happily help you with the planning for a small price… Make me your best man.”
“Hilarious. Do you want Harry to use Unforgivables on us?”
Draco couldn't help but laugh at the unimpressed look on Ron's face. “He wouldn't. Well, since you don't want to make him jealous, I guess I can settle for being the wedding officiant.”
“You're funny today. I think my mum has the planning covered, thanks.”
“You have no idea what you're missing out on, I've had so many great ideas!” Draco pouted. “I have to ask, though. Why aren't you having this conversation with Potter?”
“I already had it. He was bloody useless!” Ron huffed. “I wanted to know how he proposed. He said he had felt it was time to get married, bought a ring, asked Ginny while they were at a restaurant and that's it. He didn't even consider being rejected, which, honestly, he should have.”
“Oh, is it not going well for the golden couple?” Draco smirked.
“Ginny complained about him being distant. Harry's not said a bad word about her, but I can tell he’s freaking out. They're both realizing they're rushing into things.”
“Finally. Maybe she does the smart thing and leaves him. There are more suitable candidates even on her own quidditch team.”
“Okay, Witch Weekly, stop it with the gossip. My sister doesn’t have an eye on anyone else right now. Harry… Well, I have no clue what’s going on in that pillock’s head.”
“Not much, I imagine.” Draco focused on his freshly delivered food. Ron was too preoccupied with digging in his bowl to defend Potter, which Draco found incredibly amusing. When Potter accused him of stealing his friends, perhaps he wasn’t entirely wrong.
。。。。。
Lucius Malfoy had been released. He was right at home in the Malfoy Manor, where Draco grew up and hadn't visited in several months. Draco genuinely hasn't been that nervous in ages. He wasn’t sure what Lucius would be like. It's been around three years since he last saw his father, incarcerated after the Battle of Hogwarts. His mother's letters remained cryptic and he had no idea what to expect. Lucius looked horrible after his first, brief stay in Azkaban; there was a chance he would be in a far worse state now. Draco didn't want to see that.
Still, he had to go to the Manor, he already told his mother he would. Frankly, he wasn’t sure what treatment to expect from her either. He put on black trousers and a plain white shirt, with his bag always on him. Mother would be displeased to know he dressed so casually, but she was displeased with many things he did. He acted like it didn't mean much – if he could fake a smile and kiss Theo in the mornings, he could also smile at the family table and pretend his mother wasn't hurting him too.
He apparated in front of the Manor wards. Nobody came to welcome him, so he walked inside the empty atrium, and began exploring. Narcissa must have been busy renovating, thank Merlin, because the normally gloomy house seemed a bit brighter. She probably did it for her own peace of mind, to make it less haunted by horrible memories. Although, to be morbidly honest, it was entirely possible the dungeons were actually haunted. He didn't dare check.
He found both his parents in the dining room, already waiting for him. His mother stood up from her chair and approached him, dressed in a beautiful gown as usual. He hasn't seen her in so long that he instantly felt emotional, and broke all rules by simply hugging her. His heart felt a little lighter when she hugged him back.
“You haven't visited in a very long time, Draco.”
“I wasn't sure if I was welcome,” he whispered and took a step back.
“This is your home, you can come back any time.” His mother smiled at him, and he knew she was being genuine, even if there were conditions. “Go see your father.”
Lucius sat in a weird chair Draco thought was another one of mother's quirky new furniture, but turned out to be something like a muggle wheelchair. As far as Draco knew, his father's illness was quickly progressing and already rendered his feet immobile. He was also stripped of his wand as part of his sentence, and overall it seemed like Lucius Malfoy would rather die than be in such a position. Draco expected a sneer, cold detachment, or outright hostility, but the moment he stepped closer, his father smiled.
“Son, I finally get to see you again. How are you doing? Your mum didn't tell me much.” Lucius reached out a hand and Draco grabbed it, not sure what to do. His father simply held it and placed their joint hands on his lap. That was new.
“I have a job at the Ministry and I handle curses for the Aurors. I live in a muggle flat…” Draco hesitated. “I'm dating Theodore Nott. That's the rough summary, my life is fairly simple.”
“Do you like it that way?”
“Um, I'm happy with most things. I want to live a simple and comfortable life. I don't think I could hold galas and massive parties every quarter of the year like my mother used to.”
Narcissa took a seat at the table near them and huffed a gentle laugh. “It is a good thing you refused to court Pansy Parkinson. I've heard the wedding was a glamorous affair.”
“It certainly was loud and crowded.” Draco agreed. “Pansy will probably throw parties every other weekend.”
House elves filled the table with food, a lot more of it than they ever used to. It looked like everybody was glad Draco came home. He inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
“You know, dear, you can still have a simple life at a manor. I don't understand why that silly boy refuses to take his lordship title.” Narcissa sighed, greatly troubled. “He should move you into the Nott family house, at the very least. Of course, it would be best if you married first. Living together like you do now is unseemly.”
“Would you agree to that?” Draco looked between his parents in disbelief. Lucius was leisurely digging into his food, completely unbothered. Narcissa sighed again.
“If you insist on staying with Theodore, you should do it properly. I cannot stand the idea of my son being another man's plaything.”
Draco shuddered with sudden humiliation at her words. This was one of the good things about the fact that whatever he had with Theo was already dying out. If he was fortunate, he wouldn’t have to face this conversation much in the future. To change the topic, he let out a shaky breath and reached for his bag, taking out a small metal tin.
“I baked biscuits. Would you like to try them?”
“Oh, they look great, son. Let me have one,” Lucius said, grabbing one biscuit from the tin and immediately trying it.
“You baked?” Narcissa was stunned for a moment, but grabbed one too. “How unexpected. See, dear, you can easily learn the role of a proper spouse. There's many things you can do when you stay at home. I could teach you embroidery.”
Well, that was fucking hilarious. Now that his mother somewhat accepted he was a gay man, she wanted him to become a perfect pureblood housewife. He might as well stump that idea out immediately.
“Theo won't marry me,” he mumbled out, keeping his eyes focused firmly on his plate.
“Why's that?” she asked, still keeping the indulgent smile on, as if he was an oblivious child.
“He said it. Told me to get myself a wife as long as I keep… Well, sleeping with him.”
His mother was too scandalized to speak. His father took a sip from his goblet and shrugged.
“Son, this is nothing unusual for people with your condition.” Meaning homosexuality. “You have to decide if you want to continue that debatable tradition. If you don't, I suggest splitting from the Nott boy and finding a man who will marry you without shame.”
“This is unacceptable,” his mother finally spoke. “I knew Theodore was not the partner for you, what has that useless father of his taught him? Since he doesn't mind, how about you meet with the lady I picked out for you? Give it a try, dear, maybe you will like her enough to try building a relationship. Love and attraction are not necessary for a steady and fulfilling marriage.”
“But you love my father, don't you?”
“Yes, but I didn't love him when we got engaged. Who knows, it might come with time for you too,” she said. Draco seriously doubted that. “If it doesn’t work out, I will try my best to search for a suitable man instead. ”
An idea started sprouting in his head, however, and it was probably a bad one. Would Theo still be so bloody nonchalant if Draco actually went out to see a girl? Because he was ready to begin courting out of sheer spite.
“Alright. Who is she?”
His mother immediately brightened up, setting aside her cup of tea and leaning closer.
“Astoria Greengrass, my dear. I talked with her mother a long time ago. My first choice was Daphne, of course, but you were too indecisive. She's already married, so we have to make do with what we've got. Considering your lifestyle, I'm sure you're going to adore her.”
Draco was a bit suspicious of what she had in mind when she mentioned his lifestyle, but he realized what Narcissa’s problem with Astoria was the moment he saw her a week later. The girl showed up to the appointment dressed completely like a muggle. With everything she said it was becoming more and more clear her views strayed from the rest of the Greengrass family. She had respect for muggleborns and a bleeding heart he'd only expected from a Gryffindors.
The two of them sat in a secluded corner of a small coffee shop in Diagon Alley. The grill settled for a cup of tea, while Draco had his second coffee of the day. Her dress was modest, yellow with white patterns. Draco felt overdressed in his dark blue robes, but Narcissa had insisted he wore them. Astoria's appearance was pretty familiar to him, even though they hardly ever talked with each other back at Hogwarts. Usually, when he saw a group of girls in the common room, he instantly fled into the other direction. She was a beautiful girl, however, more delicate than her older sister, and with dark, wavy hair. If he had had any more attraction towards women, she would have caught his eye.
“It's been hard to live at home since my graduation,” she confided in him. “My parents disapprove of what I think and do. Marriage can be an escape for me, as long as I find someone with similar ideas.”
“My mother is the same, that's why I don't live at the manor anymore. Unfortunately, I'm fairly certain arranged marriage can only ever be a cage for me.” Draco sighed. “I think it's amazing what you do, the charities and everything. I would support you through it all, obviously.”
“Right… But you would never find your own happiness. I've heard about Theo Nott.” Astoria took a sip of tea and leaned back in her chair. “My great uncle lived like that, with a wife and son, while keeping boys around. He changed them every few years, so I doubt there was much love between them, but everyone involved always seemed miserable.”
“I wouldn't do that to you,” Draco blurted out and immediately realized it was true. “Even if you allowed it, I couldn't possibly hurt both you and the man I supposedly love like that. I have no respect for people who keep a mistress.”
“Would you really choose me over Theo?”
“Probably. I agreed to meet with whoever my mother chose because our relationship is rather strained right now. His fault, if you ask me.”
“Hm, that’s very sad to hear, but well, Theo's loss. Then, would you choose me over a man you're truly crazy for? Your soulmate?”
Harry was the first thought that came to Draco's mind. He hesitated for a moment.
“I'm not sure. If we were married, then I probably would. I’m just not sure I could marry you in the first place, knowing someone like that is out there.”
“I don't demand a positive answer. I want you to realise what you’re getting into, Draco. If you want a temporary pureblood wife, I might be the perfect pick. A pregnancy or two might be enough to push past my limits. Once you're a tragic widower, no one will begrudge you the quiet companionship of another man.”
Draco then listened to Astoria explain her condition with dawning horror. She spoke of her death so freely, as if she didn't mind that she would barely live past thirty. He reached out over the table and held her hand.
“How can you say that? Do you think me so heartless? Even if I don't love you romantically, I would still care about you deeply as a friend. What about the children? Daphne? Your parents surely would be heartbroken too.”
“My father is the one who keeps telling me not to expect too much because of my curse.”
“Do not believe him, you deserve much better than that. You deserve better than a poof for a husband too.”
“And you deserve someone who will love you and whom you can love in return.” Astoria gave him a small smile and sighed. “So this is the end of our arrangement then.”
“Most likely. We can refrain from giving our parents a definitive answer for now, though. They will give us some peace. I’m not sure how many more girls my mother has lined up next.” Draco rolled his eyes.
“That’s fine. I expect some nice courting gifts in the meantime.”
“Anything for you. If you need help with your charity, just let me know. I can even hand out fliers.”
“I might take you up on the offer. I sincerely hope you find the man for you, Draco,” she said and began gathering her things to leave.
“Thanks. I’m afraid I already found him.” Draco rubbed his temples when the name appeared in his head again. “I’m just not sure I want to be with that bloody oaf.”
。。。。。
Theo and Draco began preparing for work as usual. Neither of them had a Daily Prophet subscription, so the morning was fairly normal. Without any warnings, nothing could have prepared Draco for the day ahead of him. The first blow was the sudden hostility he received right from the moment they stepped into the Atrium. It reminded him of the time shortly after the war, but everyone has become pretty used to him already. He didn’t see why Philip from the Department of Magical Transportation ignored his greeting in the lift all of a sudden. The second blow was definitely the moment when Hyacinth scanned him from head to toe and slammed the newspaper on his desk. Theo peered over curiously and his whole face froze in disbelief.
HOW MANY MASKS DOES THIS DEATH EATER HAVE? DRACO MALFOY CAUGHT TWO-TIMING!
Dear readers, one of the previous issues did a small investigation on the two young men from Death Eater circles. If you missed it, here is the news now: Theodore Nott (21), son of a notorious Death Eater, and Draco Malfoy (21), known for working under You-Know-Who himself, seem to be dating. They are both employed by the Ministry and are frequently spotted together, as in the attached picture of them holding hands. Readers have expressed various opinions on this unexpected romance, many claiming that seeing the love between the two troubled young men was heartwarming. Indeed, it might seem like a brave sign of change for pureblooded men with such a background to publicly showcase their relationship. It is with great disappointment that we squash this hope. Following the recent release of Lucius Malfoy (47) from the Azkaban prison, all eyes have been on the infamous family. It led to an accidental discovery of what seems to be a budding affair between Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass (19). The presumed couple was holding hands while on a date, which you can clearly see on the attached photo. Coworkers of Theodore and Draco inform that nothing has changed between them recently, meaning the Malfoy heir must be meeting the young girl while still dating the unfortunate man. It feels reasonable to speculate on the nature of their relationship, and our witness claims she heard the two discussing marriage. Do not be surprised if soon the news reports on the Greengrass-Malfoy union. While it is a shame to see the young man following the old rules and securing a worthy wife to continue the lineage, some of the more sceptical readers were surely expecting this outcome. We’re sending kind regards to Theodore Nott and sincerely hope he does not find out about the sordid affair from a newspaper.
Draco scanned the article and felt panic wash over him. He made it to the damn front page. Side by side there were two photos of him, one sitting at the coffee shop with Astoria, and another of him shopping with Theo. He did recall an issue on their freshly discovered relationship a few months ago, but it was one of the many scandalous articles that day. Witch Weekly might have been more interested in that, but he didn’t read that rag. There really must have been no other news recently, huh, for Draco’s cheating to be the most interesting thing to happen. Did Draco care? Obviously. His hands shook a bit as he held the newspaper, already expecting how his other acquaintances might treat him now. It won’t be just Philip ignoring him, he figured, though most people in DMLE would probably understand it’s all fake after seeing him and Theo act normal. As soon as the thought popped into his head, he turned to face the other man with a sudden realization. No, it would not be fine. One look at Theo’s detached expression made it clear nothing might ever be normal again.
“You discussed marriage with Astoria?” Theo asked with an unimpressed scoff.
“I’ve informed you my mother is planning my betrothal. She’s the first candidate,” Draco replied in his calmest voice. “You’ve said before that you don’t mind.”
“I didn’t think you’d actually do it!” Theo hissed angrily, breaking his cold facade for a moment. “What’s the verdict? You’re marrying her or not?”
“Probably not. She wants to marry as soon as possible. I told her to try finding another potential fiance, but if she fails I will consider it.” Draco shrugged. It wasn’t exactly what had happened but Theo didn’t have to know that.
“I can’t believe you. Let’s talk about this later.”
He was saved by the memo Theo received from the Aurors just then. His luck extended for the next few hours, because he got to sit in his office undisturbed. He wasn’t looking forward to meeting any more colleagues that day. There was only one task left for him, which was dropping some files Hyacinth gave him at the Auror team leader’s desk.
Draco smoothed down his hair and white shirt, fixed his posture, and took a deep breath. He would walk out there like the unbothered Malfoy he was. He’s been trained how to be the center of attention his whole life, whether it be good or bad.
He got several looks, ranging from curious to full of judgement. Clutching the files tightly, he made his way to the main Auror office. He gave Ron a rather forced smile when he passed by him; the man looked entirely unsure how to react. Well, he was known for a temper and jumping to conclusions, but Draco still hoped the ginger wouldn’t abandon him without a word.
He finally reached Potter’s desk and looked around. He leaned on it and waved the folder in front of the man.
“Is Auror Willis not at work? I have something for him.”
“Nope, only me. You know I’m a team leader too, right? Just give it to me.”
“Right. I forgot. I expected one of your seniors to be promoted, I guess.” He shrugged and slammed the papers down. He propped himself up on his hands and leaned over the desk. “Make sure to have this done by the weekend. We still have to hand the file back to Gringotts.”
Potter looked at him, then his eyes dropped lower. He stared a few seconds at what must have been Draco’s… cleavage? What the hell? He immediately straightened up.
“Of course.” Potter snapped out of it. He suddenly scowled and crossed his arms. “Alright, get back to work. I don’t think my cubicle can accommodate such a Daily Prophet sensation.”
“Sod off. Like I asked for an article about my supposed cheating,” Draco mumbled and stepped away. “Remember the files, Potter.”
“Yeah. Have fun working with Nott, he should be back from the field soon.”
The wanker must have found this situation hilarious. Knowing him, he might do everything in his power to make sure Theo and Draco spent all their time at work together. Already riled up from a single conversation with the idiot, Draco stopped to use the toilet. He leaned over the sink when he was done and washed his hands. When he glanced up to the mirror, he saw himself going red in real time. No wonder Potter stared. The shirt slid down so low when he leaned over that you could see his bloody nipples. He meticulously buttoned it all the way up to the top once he had the revelation.
Theo came back soon after, when their shift was about to end. Draco sighed, thinking about the conversation waiting for them at home. His boyfriend seemed equally displeased with the idea and decided to work overtime. He claimed he had to take care of the report, considering the next day was Friday. It was a measly excuse, because nobody expected it before Monday, but Draco wouldn’t complain.
He left Theo alone and walked out alongside Hyacinth, who kept glancing between the two of them with obvious suspicion. Nobody asked a straightforward question; everybody assumed the Prophet article was true. Draco was torn between laughing hysterically and crying himself to sleep.
He threw himself into baking when he got back to the flat to get his mind off of things. He already packed the cooled down lemon biscuits into the tin and washed the utensils, and Theo was still nowhere in sight. The sky began growing dark, so Draco prepared for bed and ended up lying down with a book. At some point the book slipped onto the floor, and he drifted off to sleep. Theo wasn’t home yet.
When Draco woke up the next morning, he was properly covered with a duvet. Theo’s pillow was untouched, but he heard him walking around the kitchen. With a sigh, he rubbed his eyes and got out of the bed. He did not want to have the second shitty day in a row. At least he was somewhat prepared for it this time. He just didn’t expect it would be even worse.
“Theo.” Only silence responded. “Darling?” he tried again, as he walked into the kitchen.
“You’re up. The elves made eggs for breakfast. Great biscuits, by the way,” Theo said, munching on one straight from the tin.
“How are you?” Draco asked cautiously.
“Bloody exhausted. I worked until seven, then I bumped into Greg. Unbelievable, isn’t it? We went out for a pint.”
“With Greg Goyle?”
“The one and only. Well, get a move on. I don’t want to be late, Draco.”
“Okay,” Draco whispered and slumped over the plate of scrambled eggs. Theo’s normal attitude was unnerving. The good news was, it probably wouldn't last long.
He ate and dressed quickly, throwing glances at Theo who leisurely sipped his tea and read yesterday’s Prophet edition. He was so nervous his hands shook a little when he grabbed his own cup. Theo remained completely silent, and Draco saw no reason to start what would be an extremely unpleasant talk. He did think it was a bit ridiculous, after all he did nothing wrong – he had a friendly meal with Astoria, something Theo had indirectly allowed him to do. His theory seemed to be proved correct, however, and despite his words his boyfriend was in fact bothered by Draco securing a potential marriage partner. He was irked just a little bit.
They bumped into the old man next door when they were leaving. He told them with a bright smile that his daughter bought a new house and he would be moving in with her soon. Draco congratulated him, feeling slightly conflicted inside. At least he wouldn't be the only one moving soon.
The work wasn’t anything worth mentioning. The curious glances the two of them got wherever they went were the only abnormality. Ron tried to get Draco alone but neither of them found the time when a new field mission called them away. Draco promised to explain everything later. There wasn’t much to explain yet, but there was a rather noticeable atmosphere of impending doom.
Sure enough, Theo exploded right after they had finished supper.
“That article is ruining my reputation. Yours too, I reckon, but you deserve it,” he snarled, throwing cleaning charms at the dirty plates with more force than necessary. Draco wasn’t sure if having this conversation with a wand in hand was a good idea.
“I didn’t realize it affected you so much.”
“What did you think? I’m trying to act normal. Like I can’t see the bloody pitying looks everyone sends me. The scorned lover of the Malfoy heir. The discarded toy of an infamous Draco Malfoy. Like I’m some sort of maiden you can lord over,” Theo scoffed. “It’s a shame they don’t know how obedient you are when I get my cock in you.”
“We’re equals, Theo. Nobody thinks you have a lower status, everyone pities you because they think I betrayed you and broke your heart. That's fairly understandable.”
“This is entirely your fault. Why did you have a bloody date in the middle of Diagon Alley? Why did you have it in the first place?”
“My mother asked me to meet someone she picked for me. Like I openly told you she would. You know, after you said you don’t mind it.”
“Astoria. You hardly ever spoke to her before!” Theo scoffed and one plate cracked in the middle. “You really would get together with anyone, huh?”
“Not anyone, Theo. In case you can't see that, I want to be together with you.”
“I told you I don’t want a family. I’m not ready for anything serious like that.”
“Well, I do! I hoped you would change your mind eventually. Since you clearly won’t, I fail to see how we can work it out.” Draco squeezed out, feeling his heart growing heavier.
“Let’s get a bloody kneazle and call it a day, Draco. Why must you ruin it all?”
“You, Theodore, explicitly told me you don’t care who I’m married to, as long as I keep sleeping with you. How do you think that made me feel? I will tell you. Like a cheap whore you don’t even care about, let alone love.” He clenched his fists, trying to stop the tears threatening to spill out of his eyes.
“Oh yeah, like you love me?” Theodore completely ignored what Draco had said.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
The doorbell rang, startling them both. Draco completely forgot Marlena would be here to take them out clubbing. He hesitated, searching for possible excuses.
“Go to the fucking party, Draco. I need to calm down.”
Draco stared at him for a moment, then looked at the trembling tip of his wand. “You’re right, I should go.”
He reassured the girl he would be there in a minute, grabbed a different shirt and a bunch of his stuff. Luckily, she agreed to get ready at her flat instead and didn’t pry as to why Theo wouldn’t be joining them. He ended up dressed in black all over, with some dark eyeshadow smudged around his eyes too. She wanted to apply makeup on him far more generously, but Draco gently convinced her to focus on herself instead.
Seeing his foul mood, she poured him a shot of clear vodka. When he coughed and sputtered, she filled the cup with what seemed to be water but turned out, predictably, to be more vodka. He started to feel the alcohol coursing through his body before he even went outside.
“You look awful,” she reasoned. “Let’s party and you will feel better.”
“I don’t know,” he whined, reclining on her sofa. “Theo is mad at me. Why is he mad? The wanker brought this upon himself. I did nothing wrong.”
“Then he’s wrong. Every relationship has problems.” Marlena shrugged, putting on another piece of her garish outfit. “I’m ready. We’re having fun tonight, Draco.”
It sounded more like a command, Draco thought weakly, but downed another shot and headed out. They went to a club they frequented, because they would find their way back no matter how drunk they got. He figured it would be very drunk, even if it made Theo more furious than he was already.
The night was a blur of loud pop music, mediocre techno or whatever that was, way more alcohol than they could handle, and dancing with strangers. His feet hurt, he was sweating, but he no longer had the anxious squeeze in his chest. When Draco felt someone’s hand on his back and allowed the man to lead him out of the crowd. He panted for breath and tried to make out what the bloke was saying through the haze.
“Come on, I’ll give you one. Your girl too.”
Marlena trailed behind them outside, eyes narrowed with suspicion. They were both instantly relieved when all the man offered them was a pack of cigarettes. Draco took one and inhaled the smoke with faked practice, letting it burn his throat.
“Ugh, I hate the smell,” the girl muttered and declined. “Theo’s going to be upset when he finds out you smoked, you know?”
“Like I care.”
“Who’s Theo?” the man asked, leaning on the wall of the club.
“My stupid boyfriend.” Draco rolled his eyes, gazing around the dimly lit street. He shivered when a strong gust of wind hit him.
“Oh, I thought you two were a couple.”
“No, we’re neighbours, I moved in last year,” Marlena replied.
“Where are you from?”
“Chorzów.”
“Where the hell is that?”
He let them chat for a bit, taking a moment to relax. He finished the cigarette and watched the stars. They were barely visible in the heart of London. He would be able to see them soon from his window in Wiltshire.
When they got back inside, Marlena eagerly went to dance with the man. Draco wasn’t too worried, he had put tracking charms on her jewelry before. If she wanted to kiss a stranger, he wouldn’t stop her. Frankly, he kind of wanted to do it too.
The opportunity presented itself when Potter bumped into him so hard they almost tumbled to the floor.
“Oh my god, Potter! What the hell are you doing here?” Draco yelled out and held onto Potter’s arms to steady himself. “Oh my god. I’m cursing like a muggle.”
“Have been for a while. You’re fucking pissed, Draco.” Potter rolled his eyes. “I’m clubbing, obviously. What are you doing here? Not with one of your many lovers?”
“Honestly, shut the fuck up. I’m begging you, or I will punch you in the face.”
“I’d like to see you try. Can you even aim when you’re like this?”
“Like you’re any more sober than me.” Draco rolled his eyes and instinctively started swaying to the music when they played Tina Cousins. “Fuck, I don’t care what you want from me. I wanna dance, so join me or leave me alone, yeah?”
It was too dark to see properly but he guessed Potter had the usual scowl on his face. When the man’s arms snaked around his waist, he didn’t bother to hold back his laugh.
“Be quiet, Malfoy,” Potter almost growled in his ear, pulling him so close their chests pressed together. “No one’s ever annoyed me as much as you do, you know?”
“You are so bloody predictable.” Draco kept laughing, easily relaxing in the man’s embrace.
“No, you are so bloody seductive. Did you show me your nipples on purpose today?” They had to nearly shout to hear each other over the music. If other people heard too, Draco didn’t care.
“That was an accident. I'm a professional at work, but I’m glad you liked the display.”
Potter looked like he was one snarky comment away from shutting Draco up with his own lips, so Draco swiftly retreated from the dangerous territory while he could still form a rational thought. He stepped away, and they actually just danced for a while, bumping into the numerous people crowded around them. When the second horrible song in a row started playing, Draco decided to take a breath of fresh air. Another cigarette would be nice too.
Potter followed him outside the club and then took a lead, heading towards the alley on the side. It was dark and nearly deserted, with only a handful of drunk people occasionally trying to get past. Draco leaned against the wall with a sigh and let the cool breeze wash over him. Soon, it was blocked by Potter’s sturdy body pressing against his own. So inebriated he struggled to keep his balance, the man hugged him tightly. His hands wandered on Draco’s waist, sneaking around the edge of his shirt but never bold enough to touch bare skin. Draco wanted those warm hands on him like nothing else in the world, so he reached out to embrace Potter back. His head was swimming and it felt so heavy he simply had to rest it on Potter’s shoulder. They were around the same height, their bodies fit together perfectly, he discovered. He didn’t have to crane his neck like with Theo; he could snuggle his face right under Potter’s jaw. Draco didn’t hesitate before doing exactly that, despite him having scratching stubble and too much cologne. He never meant to press his lips to Potter’s skin, but he did it all the same. The arms tightened around him.
“Fuck, I want you,” Potter whispered, but there was no lust in his voice. He sounded so broken it woke Draco up.
“Get off me, we can’t do this.” He immediately moved away and tried to escape the man’s hold. “Give Ginny a blonde wig and leave me alone.”
Potter released him and scowled. “Don’t fucking talk about her.”
“I feel like you need to be reminded about her sometimes,” Draco scoffed.
“I don’t just want your body, you bloody prat.” Potter’s enraged expression didn’t match his next words at all. “I want all of you, be it your arse, your heart, or your stupid blond hair. Even your awful personality.”
“That’s news. I recall you once said you don’t even want to be my friend.” Draco stared into those damning green eyes and even through the haze of alcohol he could still remember the pain he felt that day. “Life plays silly tricks. You never wanted to see me again, and now you claim to want me?”
“You ruined everything. It was all so simple, Malfoy. I get the job, get the wife, and you spread muggle hate in some other corner of the world. But look at that, your mark disappeared and suddenly everything bad about you vanished too!”
“I’m sorry, would you rather I go back inside and throw the Cruciatus around?” Draco laughed in pure disbelief. “What the hell are you even saying? I told you life isn’t a script you have to follow, and I most certainly do not have to do whatever it is you expect of me.” He was probably slurring his words a bit, but he tried to get his point across, if that was even possible considering whom he was talking to.
“Well, I could have followed it just fine!” Potter huffed. “Before you made me realize I don’t want to! I had plans, Malfoy, which you ruined because you’ve changed and apparently, now everybody loves you and so do I.”
“You bloody nutter.” Draco gaped at him, still unsure what he was hearing. “You’re mad because I’m a better person and you can no longer hate me?”
“Oh, I can hate you with ease! Maybe you’re better but surely not good. You’re really one to talk about not following scripts when you’re marrying that perfect pureblood girl.” Harry paced back and forth on the pavement. A taxi quietly drove past him. “While dating Nott, too. Involving yourself with three people sure is the epitome of goodness, Malfoy.”
“I’m not marrying her, you idiot. That’s something our parents are just trying to arrange.” Draco rolled his eyes. “And if you need to know, Theo and I are breaking up, so I can involve myself with whoever I please. You can’t say the same thing. Need I remind you about your fiancee again?”
“God, everything is ruined. You ruined my life,” Potter muttered and tugged at his hair with a despaired moan. “I have to go home.”
“You’re crazy.”
“I need to get back right now.”
“You are far too drunk to apparate,” Draco warned but he didn’t listen. Potter closed his eyes and disappeared.
It was the golden boy’s pure luck that no muggles were around at that time. He also didn’t leave any body parts behind, it seemed. He did leave Draco, however, and in a very frazzled state. The whole bizarre conversation seemed so chaotic he wasn’t sure what had actually happened.
“Everyone loves me and so does he, yet he can hate me with ease. Isn’t that contradictory?” Draco wondered aloud, throwing the question at empty air. He crouched down with a sigh, too tired to think about it any longer. The chilly wind was making him more alert, though he couldn’t consider himself sober yet. It looked like he would be making it through the night without throwing up or blacking out, which was far better than his initial prediction. He needed to check on Marlena and how she was doing, he realized, and got up with some difficulty.
The club felt so stuffy now that he had no intention of partying anymore. It was far too dark to find anyone, but he got to the girl eventually. The cigarette man was still with her, sitting at the bar and obviously flirting. They exchanged numbers and neither protested when Draco insisted on going home. He needed to get a phone too. He would have no way to reach Marlena once he moved, he thought ,then felt a wave of overwhelming sadness. He didn’t want to go back to the Manor.
He linked arms with the girl and they slowly made their way back home. Draco was suddenly feeling utterly hopeless, realizing Potter might have been right. Everything was ruined. His heart was heavy, almost weighing him down, as if to prevent him from walking any further. He knew very well Theo was not asleep; he was waiting for their long overdue conversation.
When Marlena was safely in her flat, Draco stood in front of his own door, hand frozen above the handle. As if it would unleash a curse upon him when touched. It was almost a relief when the door opened on its own, revealing the equally tired Theo. The man moved aside and sighed, rubbing his eyes.
“It’s ridiculously late, Draco.”
“I’m sorry. You should have gone to bed,” Draco mumbled, stepping inside the flat.
They walked into the living room and Theo looked him up and down with narrowed eyes. Then he pulled him into an embrace and ran his nose along Draco’s jaw, inhaling deeply.
“You smell like alcohol, cigarettes, and another man. Who was it, Potter?”
There was no use denying it. Draco wrapped his arms around Theo’s waist and sighed.
“We danced together.” He decided to say a bit more. “Also, bloody wanker is blaming me for the fact that he fancies me.”
“Potter told you he fancies you?” Theo stiffened.
“Pretty much, though he also said he hates me. He was so pissed I barely understood what he was saying.”
“If he’s willing to admit his feelings then you’re already his.” Theo scoffed and his expression turned cold. “One word and you’ll come running. I know you want to.”
“What are you talking about? I’m still yours.”
“Draco, I heard you mumbling Harry in your sleep a few times,” he said with so much defeat, he didn’t even sound angry. Draco bit his lip, feeling the uncomfortable squeeze in his stomach.
“I don’t really remember my dreams. It could be nothing.”
“It could be, but we both know it isn’t.”
“Darling,” Draco sighed again, hugging Theo tighter. “Ask me to marry you right now and we can forget about it all. Just ask and I will be yours forever.”
“I don’t want you forever, Draco, and that is not your fault. Your contribution to this break up is the situation with Potter. How you feel about him is part of why I can’t be with you anymore.” Theo indulged him, rubbing circles on his back. “Do you think I don’t compare myself to him only to realise he’s better than I ever will be?”
“You two are too different to compare. So what, we’re breaking up?” Draco asked in a trembling voice, even if he already knew the answer. He knew it was coming for days.
“How else can we possibly resolve it?”
“But we have to see each other every day at work.”
“And we’re going to be mature about it. Don’t tell me you weren’t taught how to hide your feelings from strangers.”
“I think I will need a few days off. You know, to move out.”
“You want to move out? But you love the neighbourhood.” Theo’s eyebrows rose.
“I know you don’t want to move out either. I will make that sacrifice and go back to my parents. Mother will gloat about it for weeks.”
“She will be happy to hear the news. So will be Potter, I imagine.”
“Don't be ridiculous, he's still engaged. That halfwit might marry just because he's scared the Weasleys will discard him otherwise.”
“I don't think so. I’m sure fate has already decided.”
“I'm not Trelawney, I won't listen to what fate has to say.” Draco wasn’t sure why he was being so stubborn. His feelings have been dying out ever since the Zabini wedding, after all. He didn’t care anymore, right?
“I’m saying it too then. It's over between us. Let's break up.”
“Theo,” Draco sobbed quietly, struggling to hold back his tears. It hurt, losing not only a boyfriend, but the best friend he had. They witnessed each other break and go through the horrors of war, then recovered together, growing closer than they had ever been in school. All of this would be lost from now on; they would likely never be friends again.
“I loved every day I spent with you,” Theo whispered.
“I loved you.”
Hearing him sob again, Theo sighed, then gave him a short, chaste kiss. A farewell.
“It's late, we should sleep now.”
“I will go upstairs and ask Marlena if I can sleep over. I'll take care of my stuff tomorrow.”
“Alright, if that’s what you want. Sleep well, Draco.”
Draco nodded and left the room without another word. His throat was so tight, he struggled with squeezing out an explanation for his bewildered neighbour through his stifled sobs. The girl kindly let him inside the flat, gave him tissues and a blanket. He collapsed onto the sofa like a puppet with its strings cut off, immediately drenching the pillow with his tears. He didn’t sleep at all.
The next morning the world no longer cared about the affairs of Draco Malfoy. The Daily Prophet article stated clearly:
HERO DOESN’T GET THE GIRL? HARRY POTTER AND GINEVRA WEASLEY BREAK OFF THE ENGAGEMENT
Chapter 5
Notes:
sorry for the hiatus! I visited the hospital a few times (I'm better now), passed all my finals, and moved cities to live with my parents again. also just went through a pregnancy scare
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Draco walked into the empty flat before noon, immediately conjuring boxes and stuffing his belongings inside. Shoes, well, that obviously had to come with him. Trinkets were Theo's, and he also decided to leave most of the books. He only took the already open bottles of cosmetics, since they shared some of the stuff. Plants would have to pray for the mercy of Polly the house elf, because Theo always forgot to water them. The things they used for bedroom activities were left securely in the drawer, because Draco was not going to bring them inside his parents’ house.
He spent three minutes debating on the mixer – Theo wouldn't use it, but Draco would have nowhere to plug it in. In the end, he put it inside the box with several other kitchen utensils he'd acquired, figuring he might move out of the Manor again one day. He was struggling to sort out the clothes when he heard keys rattling outside the door. Theo walked in with two cups of coffee, dumped them on the kitchen table and glanced up when Draco emerged from the bedroom.
“Oh, you're already here. I brought you some coffee from the place you like.” He smiled weakly. “I made a good choice. You look exhausted.”
“Believe me, I am. Thanks, darli–” Draco cut himself off before uttering the pet name. He shook his head and grabbed a cup. “I’m sorting out the shirts right now but I'm not sure whose they are.”
“Alright, let's see.”
Theo joined him in the bedroom and they helplessly stared into the depths of their incredibly packed closet. Stocked with both muggle and wizardly attire, it was full to the brim. With a resigned sigh, Draco grabbed the first hanger.
“This mustard shade is atrocious. Definitely yours.”
“No, you bought it. I remember you said it has… intricate stitching.”
“Out of the goodness of my heart, I will let you keep it.”
“I do not want it.”
Then it went somewhat easier, with Theo pointing out which items he wanted, and which were definitely not his. The running clothes were Draco's, muggle band T-shirts were Theo's, blazers, suits, and fancy jackets were Draco's again. The button-ups they often shared, so it took a bit more work. Draco was inclined to let Theo keep nearly everything, because he definitely still had a fair amount of clothes at the Manor that fit.
“My parents will probably let me use their money again when I move back, you know. I can buy some new things,” he said when they reached a silky, silver shirt that shimmered with every move. It was designer, he recalled.
“Yes, but you should take it. It matches your eyes perfectly,” Theo replied with an easy smile that suddenly disappeared when he heard his own words. Draco looked away.
It hurt to separate their lives like that after ten years spent sleeping in the same room. From playing exploding snap at twelve, to making love at twenty, they've always lived in each other's presence. For the previous three years they had hardly been apart, Draco realized and blinked a few times to get rid of the incoming tears. It was time to mark a clear line they should never cross. Once he stepped out of the flat, they would each go their own way.
“I don't want you to go,” Theo said, predictably.
Draco had everything stored in neatly stacked boxes. He began shrinking them and stuffing them into his trunk.
“I know, I don't want to go either,” he whispered back, keeping his eyes glued to the boxes. He had to blink the tears away again.
“But it has to be done,” Theo concluded in defeat, levitating the last one inside. Draco's part of their life now fitted in a single school trunk.
“Yes, indeed.”
“I guess I will see you at work.”
“Probably not on Monday.” Draco shrugged. “I don't really fear Hyacinth’s howlers anymore. I have no intention of showing up.”
“I will talk to her, don't worry.”
They stood awkwardly in silence for a moment. Eventually, Draco picked up his things and opened the door.
“Goodbye, Theodore,” he said in a strained voice. Their eyes finally met.
“Goodbye, Draco,” Theo replied.
Draco walked outside the flat. Just like that, their relationship was over.
。。。。。
The Malfoy Manor loomed over him in a way that wasn't at all welcoming. The surrounding woods seemed oddly dark and hostile, too. He made his way through mother's garden, the only place which appeared more colorful in this dull and haunted place. Not in a pleasant way either; the red roses reminded him of the blood spilled on the Manor’s grounds. This was his house and birthright, but calling it his home was hardly appropriate. He wondered if raising his future kids elsewhere would be ruthlessly cutting them off from their ancestors, or doing them a favour.
Unlike the last time he visited, the doors were open wide for him. He expected to see the elves, but it was his own mother who stood in the doorway, smiling at him.
“Hello, Draco. How nice to see you again so soon.”
“Theodore and I broke up.” Draco said right away to get it off his chest. “Can I live here again?”
“Oh, that's delightful,” his mother said, but halted when she saw what must have been a truly miserable expression on his face. “I'm sorry, my dear. I do believe it's for the better, but surely you're heartbroken. Come in, I'll have Lippy put your stuff back in your room.”
He followed her inside and all the way to the drawing room where his father was dozing off in the wheelchair. Lucius woke up suddenly when Draco approached.
“Son! How come you're here? Has the school year ended already?” he asked with a startled look.
Sighing deeply, Draco held the older man's hand and gave him a gentle smile.
“Father, I already graduated from Hogwarts. I'm going to live here again, if you don't mind.”
“Of course!” Lucius nodded and seemed to gradually become more clear-headed. He blinked a couple times and hummed. “What about the Nott boy?”
“We're no longer seeing each other.”
“I see, that must be hard for you. But it is a good thing you'll be staying home again, you might become Lord Malfoy very soon.”
“Don't say that, Father. You still have many years to live,” Draco said but he began doubting his own words. The man before him looked way past fifty even though he wasn't; partially immobile, with haunted eyes that seemed to wander mindlessly. When you looked closer, you could see his hair was no longer a pale platinum blonde, but full of white streaks. Seeing him like that, Draco was willing to forgive his father nearly everything.
He headed to his childhood bedroom to get some peace and quiet. He almost thought he had walked through the wrong door when he saw the state of it. Narcissa's renovations extended there too, meaning his furniture was now white with silver accents, and the walls were baby blue. There was a large bouquet of wild flowers on his dresser, accompanied by framed photos and colorful trinkets. All his remaining toys were stuffed inside a wardrobe, and after a moment of hesitation he took out a stuffed dragon and placed it on the bed.
Overall, it was light and airy, very different in comparison to the dark, gloomy, and overwhelming green bedroom he demanded at twelve to feel mature. It was not the ideal place to brood and cry himself to sleep, but Draco was sure he could manage. He plunged onto the bed, letting the pillows fall all over the floor, and grabbed the little dragon. With a deep sigh, he allowed himself to embrace his sadness and hugged the toy.
He must have napped, because when he opened his eyes again the sky was dark grey. He considered his options, and decided to avoid his indifferent father and overjoyed mother for the rest of the day. The house elves brought dinner to his room only after a little bit of convincing. Once he finished eating, he got to unpacking his trunk. He found it wasn't so easy to fit everything he had in a whole flat into a single bedroom, even after he had left a lot of stuff with Theo. He took a few boxes into the nearest guest bedroom, which no one would be using anytime soon anyway.
Thinking about Theo made his mood plummet again, and he headed back to bed. He didn't leave it until noon the next day, and that was only because his back started to hurt from lying down too much. The house elves brought him meals with reluctance, and he guessed his mother must have complained about his absence. Father probably didn't care much either way.
On day three of his self-imposed imprisonment, Narcissa took the door out with a spell and almost dragged him outside by the ear. He followed her to the dining room but made sure to sigh extra loud.
“Draco, isolation is not good for you. I know you're in pain but this cannot go on. I invited a friend for you.”
When he saw Astoria gracefully perching on one of the chairs, he internally thanked himself for not skipping showers. He greeted her with a slightly forced smile and sat down next to her. This wouldn’t be so bad, he thought, and it’s not like he had many other friends.
“Your mother asked me to come over for dinner, I hope you don't mind,” the girl said in a quiet voice, glancing at his parents.
“No, perhaps she was right. I was starting to go barmy.”
They ate in silence and once they were finished, Draco led her to the drawing room, away from Narcissa's prying eyes.
“I heard you split up with Theodore.” Astoria made herself comfortable on one of the sofas. The soft light from the window made her pink dress sparkle.
“Yeah. I suppose it was a mutual decision, although neither of us wanted to make it.” He sat across from her and rubbed his face, sighing again. “Why do I already miss him? I'll see him tomorrow at work anyway.”
“I've seen my fair share of breakups in the Slytherin dormitory. I assure you it's completely normal to feel that way.” Astoria smiled. “You didn't see what some of the girls were like. I'd say you're handling it pretty well.”
“I didn't cry today at all so I suppose you could say that.”
“What about that other man you mentioned?” She looked at him eagerly. “You said there was someone you took a fancy to.”
“Oh, dear. Do you really want to know who that is?” Draco glanced at her wide eyes, staring at him impatiently. “Fine. It's Harry bloody Potter. I'm so original, not like half the Wizarding World that also fancies him.”
“Hm. I don't think half the Wizarding World knows him as well as you do.”
“That's the problem. I know this wanker personally, so I know we aren't good for each other. At least, he isn't good for me.”
“Can you really be so definitive? People change. You've changed.”
“I know. That's why I can't simply say no and move on. I got myself in a big mess, Astoria.” Draco sighed for what must have been the fiftieth time this week alone. “But enough about me. How have you been? Any new marriage offers?”
They chatted for about an hour or so before Astoria took a floo home. Draco intended to return to his bedroom and collapse for several hours, but Narcissa blocked his way.
“Did you have fun, dear?”
“Sure,” he deadpanned, fighting the incoming eye roll. “Don't invite her here again, please. It's not good for our reputation and nothing will come out of this anyway. There will be no marriage.”
“Why must you be so negative?” Narcissa sighed.
“Everyone hates me again, mother. The biggest newspaper called me a cheater on the front page.” His chest squeezed, recalling how everyone treated him at work.
“Public opinion is fickle, child.”
“Three years of being on my best behaviour wasted just like that,” he lamented. Because of you, he didn't say, but his mother heard it anyway. “Now that Theo broke up with me everyone is going to assume it's all true!”
“Well, I'm sorry my meddling caused you such problems.” She bristled, but softened when she saw his crestfallen expression. She gently grabbed his shoulder. “I will talk to Lord Greengrass, he surely wouldn't mind issuing a public statement clarifying his daughter is part of nobody's affair. Everything can still be fixed.”
Astoria’s father didn't like her, Draco remembered, but for families like theirs reputation was more important than personal grudges.
“Yes, that would be for the best. It's not like anybody would believe what we have to say,” he grumbled.
The next day Witch Weekly posted a heartfelt article about the frail, kind Astoria, who would never stoop so low as to romance a taken man. Nothing about the marriage was mentioned other than firmly denying it. She was portrayed to be Draco's good friend from the same Hogwarts house, just like her older sister. It was very exaggerated, since Draco hasn't talked to Daphne in months, and wasn’t Astoria’s friend in school at all. The main reason behind their meeting was officially stated and similarly untrue – Draco was reportedly about to become Astoria's business partner and a major founder of her charity. He couldn't help but laugh when he read it; Lord Greengrass sure was a shrewd man. Now that it was printed, Draco had no choice but to actually donate money.
He saw the immediate impact the article had when he flooed into the Ministry atrium in the morning. It wasn’t as obvious as when the Prophet slandered him, but the freshly released news made a number of previously hostile people smile at him. He couldn’t quite relate to their good mood, considering he was about to face his ex-boyfriend any minute, though it was nice to feel less weighing down on him. Chewing on his bottom lip nervously, he braced himself and opened the door to their shared office.
“Would you look at that? Could it be our young Draco finally gracing us with his presence?” Hyacinth raised both eyebrows and gave him her least genuine smile yet. She watched him with an air of disappointment as he trudged towards his desk.
“I apologize for taking leave so suddenly. I feel good enough to start working again.”
“Fear not. I will simply deduct the days from your planned holidays.”
Suppressing an eye roll, Draco turned to Theo, who watched them both in silence.
“Hi, Theo.”
“Hi. I'm glad you’re feeling better, Draco,” he responded with a small smile and turned his attention back to his documents.
Draco sank in his chair with a sigh. This would be a long fucking day.
Around eleven in the morning Theo was called for a field job. Figuring it would be the end of the day’s troubles, he began thinking about lunch. Should he go show his face in the cafeteria, or grab something at a muggle place? He twirled his quill and lazed around for an hour or two. In the end, he visited a pancake shop, took a walk back, and allowed himself to relish this moment of peace. It was far less horrible than he had expected.
Ronald ruined it around three in the afternoon when he barged into the office, completely out of breath and panicking. This was the bloke who helped take down the Dark Lord, Draco thought, if he was panicking then the apocalypse must have been upon them.
“What happened?” Draco asked cautiously, rising from his chair. Ron only urged him to get outside.
“No time! I need your help.”
“Right, I’m coming,” he muttered after glancing at Hyacinth.
“Come on, Draco! We need to go right now!” Ron yelled and gripped Draco's wrist, dragging him through the halls. They ran to the nearest apparition point, then Draco saw the world spin and found himself in front of a dilapidated house with a bunch of Aurors swarming around. Without an explanation, Weasley led him all the way inside the grimy drawing room to a young woman sniffling softly.
“What's wrong?” he asked cautiously, taking in the dim surroundings. The walls were dark and covered with mold, and there was a musty smell suggesting this was not a place anyone visited frequently. Nothing seemed out of place other than the crying girl.
“I can't move! My feet are rooted in place,” she wailed.
“How'd that happen?” Draco’s stomach sank when he realized what was going on. Nobody had checked the house for curses.
“I touched the things in that cabinet,” she sobbed and pointed at the nearby piece of furniture.
Draco cast a few spells on it and winced when he got an idea of what exactly the curse was. He walked up to the girl and crouched beside her. After analyzing it for a moment, he tapped her shin with the side of his wand and kept moving it lower. Just above the ankle he heard a clinking sound. To be sure, he tapped it a few more times and got the same result. The girl whimpered above him.
“I know the curse. Auror Horn,” he spoke at last. “I’m afraid you are turning into glass.”
“What?!”
Draco stood up and left her coworkers to console her while he approached Potter and Ron, who were standing to the side and watching the whole thing go down.
“Get a Healer here immediately and ask a Gringotts curse breaker to stop by as soon as possible. I need a second opinion but I'm pretty sure she must have her legs amputated.”
Ron’s jaw dropped but he composed himself and nodded, ready to depart. Potter held his arm and glared at Draco as if it was somehow his fault.
“What the hell? You won't be crippling my auror, Malfoy!” He bristled and took a warning step closer. Draco barely held back an eye roll, crossing his arms and firmly standing his ground.
“Would you rather she turned into a porcelain trinket? Get a move on if you want to still save her knees!”
Ron left them alone, and Draco took the opportunity to study Potter in action. He sure wasn’t that responsible for a team leader; too confident in his own abilities, too reckless. The others listened to him, but it was more out of admiration rather than trust. He was too young to appear experienced, like a boy in his father’s too large shoes.
“Can nothing else be done?” he asked with a desolate sigh, watching the others comfort the unfortunate Auror Horn.
“That’s the only way to stop the curse, I fear. It was designed to catch thieves, so it is rather slow-acting. Healers should be able to regrow her feet, but she will definitely have to spend some time off-duty,” Draco explained. “I don’t understand why you would let your people inside a house without notifying me. It could have been easily avoided.”
“Aurors used to operate just fine without any helpers.”
“Before the war, yes, but clearly the freshly graduated kids are not used to being always vigilant. It’s your job to warn them.”
“Obviously, I told them not to touch anything suspicious,” Potter grumbled.
“They don’t know the right spells, how can they know which things are suspicious?”
They couldn't continue their argument because a Healer barged inside with a Curse Breaker right behind him. Draco's assessment had been correct, so what followed was unpleasant for everybody involved. The girl was stunned in order to cease her wailing, and detached from her porcelain feet. The Curse Breaker was a bit too obviously eager to take them for studying, in Draco's opinion. In a joint effort they quickly scanned the whole house for remaining curses, while the Healer transported the girl to Saint Mungo’s. He reassured the nervous Aurors their colleague would be fine after treatment, but Potter's expression never cleared.
He stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed, watching everything like a hawk, while Draco watched him. He scowled with his eyebrows drawn together, which could be a sign of being focused, if you didn't know him very well. Draco'd learned to read him long ago, and he could tell Potter was brimming with anger and about to explode. The fury could have only been directed at Potter himself. He wasn't taking this situation well, Draco was torn between feeling sympathetic and blaming Potter for letting it happen in the first place.
When the operation came to a close, an Auror sheepishly informed them Potter and Draco were called into the Head Auror’s office. Draco had only seen Robards on unhappy occasions, so he silently followed Potter through the Ministry halls and hoped it wouldn’t be his last day on the job. He firmly believed he had done nothing wrong, but between firing the ex-Death Eater and the Chosen One, the choice was obvious.
The office was easily twice the size of Draco’s and had an eerie aura to it. After exchanging greetings, the two sat across the older man, making Draco increasingly grateful for the desk separating them. Robards watched them with a grim expression before speaking.
“Auror Potter, Consultant Malfoy, I was informed about a very unfortunate event that took place during a mission today. From what I understand, a rookie Auror was heavily wounded due to somebody’s negligence.” He paused and shifted his focus to Draco. “Explain to me how such a curse could have been overlooked during the Consultant assessment.”
“There was no assessment. We were not called to the scene,” Draco replied, trying to remain confident under the scrutinizing gaze. “Auror Weasley came to get me after Auror Horn had been injured, and my colleague Nott was already helping Auror Willis at the time. Neither of us knew Auror Potter’s team found a site to be investigated.”
“How could that be?” Robards finally looked over at Potter.
“It’s entirely my fault. I decided to let my team investigate on their own because I did not want to work with Malfoy for personal reasons.”
“What? I’ve been nothing but professional and you do something like that?" Draco gaped at him but shut his mouth after accidentally bringing the Head Auror’s attention to himself again.
“I know! I thought we could handle the mission on our own. That was stupid and I endangered my people for no reason. Horn will be unable to walk for weeks because of my mistake.”
“Indeed, Auror Potter, we should discuss how to move forward–”
“I’m resigning.”
“Excuse me?” Robards froze.
“I quit.”
“What the hell? Why would you do that?” Draco took the chance to ask while Robards was too stunned to speak.
“They won’t fire me even though they would have fired anyone else.” Potter shrugged. “I deserve this. Well, I’ll see you around, Malfoy. Oh, and I recommend Ron as my replacement.”
“Auror Weasley’s quick thinking saved the day,” Draco muttered mechanically to Robards, who still watched in disbelief as Potter headed for the door.
They were left alone in the office and it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Eventually, Robards rested his head on his palm and waved Draco away with the other hand.
“You’re free to go, Malfoy. I need to think how to handle this mess,” he groaned, defeated. Draco didn’t need to be told twice. He bolted outside as quickly as he could without it being rude, and immediately bumped into Ron on the other side of the door.
“Oi, be careful.” He grabbed Draco by the arms to steady him. “What happened there? Harry told me he quit and ran away.”
“He didn’t explain much to me either. He felt like he deserved to be fired over the whole situation with Horn.”
“I should have expected this.” Ron rolled his eyes.
“That’s very much his style.” Draco agreed. “Though this time it might actually be his fault. He said he didn’t want to work with me because we were fighting.”
“He only told us there was no need to call for you.”
“Knowing him, he probably genuinely believed he could take care of the mission. He just didn’t take into account that there are Aurors far less capable than he is.” Draco scoffed and started walking towards his own office. Ron joined him, sighing deeply.
“By the way, I talked to Theo when you didn’t show up at work. I’ve heard you two broke up in the end. How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Better. I mean, not great, but I’ll live. I moved back in with my parents, so you can floo call me now.”
“As long as I don’t have to chat with your mum.”
。。。。。
The first floo call from Ron came on a Friday night. If he had called only a week earlier, Draco would have been out in the club, partying and drunk out of his mind. He felt a squeeze in his chest thinking about Marlena, but Theo surely told her about everything that happened. Now his evenings have become dull in comparison. After eating dinner with his parents, he returned to his room and began searching for a book to read when a house elf informed him of the call. He approached the fireplace and unceremoniously flopped down onto the thick rug.
“Ronald. How unexpected.”
“I’ve come to save you from rotting away in your manor. Are you free tomorrow?” Ron’s grinning face erupted from the flames.
“Yeah… Why do you ask?” Draco immediately felt suspicious of the man’s giddyness.
“I’m throwing a small party tomorrow to celebrate my promotion to Team Leader. Before you ask, Harry suggested it, but he won’t be coming. He’s holed up at home right now and refuses to leave.”
“Is he okay?” Draco asked despite telling himself he did not care.
“Yup. He just needs some time away from the public.”
“Alright, I guess I can come. Will there be anyone who might want to hex my arse?”
“My sister is the only one but I’ll make sure to have a Calming Draught ready on hand. I only invited family and close friends.”
“Aw, I’m your close friend?” Draco smirked and Ron immediately faked gagging.
“I only had to invite you because Robards said you’d recommended me.”
“Maybe I did. I’m not really sure. Potter definitely did.”
“You did, that’s why Robards took me seriously. Said if a Malfoy is acknowledging my skills then it has to be true.” Ron’s sour expression made it obvious he did not agree with that line of thinking.
“Well, then you’re welcome. What is the dress code?”
“Zero formal robes. Bring some wine, too.”
Draco ended up reading three chapters that evening, took a lavish bubble bath, and wrote another impulsive letter to Aunt Andromeda. It had taken a good few weeks before she replied to his previous one, but she wasn’t overly cold, so he decided to try his luck. If everything went well, he could visit little Teddy, and his mother could reunite with her sister. Of course, he also had to convince Narcissa, but it would be a lot easier if he had proof Andromeda wanted to meet them first.
He stayed in bed longer than was appropriate in the morning, then began preparing for the party. His closet did include a pair of jeans now, so he chose that and ended up picking a shirt at random. His mother did a double take when he walked downstairs after changing, but courteously remained silent. His father wished him a great day, even after he heard where Draco was going.
In the early afternoon, he took a floo and walked out in Weasleys’ house with as much grace as he could muster up. He brushed the soot off his clothes and got roped into helping at the kitchen right away. Mrs Weasley didn't actually tell him to do much, but simply took the opportunity to catch up.
“The other boy is not coming?” she asked, mixing soup. She took a sip from the ladle, shook her head, and dumped more salt inside.
“No, we’re not together anymore.” Draco forced a smile onto his face.
“Oh, dear. I’m sorry to hear that. Have you made up with your mother? Ron mentioned you live with your parents again.”
“We’re doing alright. She does push for my marriage now, but I feel like she might give up soon.”
“Every mother wants her child to find someone to love and rely on,” Mrs Weasley said, sparing him a warm glance before focusing back on the food.
“I know, I just wish she let me find it on my own. Her arranged marriage worked, so she believes mine will as well,” he sighed, placing the steaming muffins onto the plate.
“That’s possible…” The woman paused, clearly hesitating, but she asked anyway, “How is your father?”
”I fear he’s not in his right mind and his physical health is deteriorating… Despite it all, he seems to be happy.” He shrugged. People came out of Azkaban all sorts of wrong. Perhaps there was something wrong with Lucius Malfoy to begin with that caused him to come out so bizarrely… normal.
“Good, being happy is the most important.”
“Right, that’s true,” Draco mumbled and decided to steer the topic into another direction. “I’ve learned how to bake. I quite enjoy it.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it’s very unfortunate I can no longer do it at the Manor. The house elves don't let me inside the kitchen, and I only know how to use muggle appliances anyway,” he said. “I’m thinking about where I would like to move next, wizarding or muggle house. It’s a hard choice between a fireplace and electricity.”
“Have a chat with my husband, he might give you some tips. I'm used to simply using magic,” Mrs Weasley replied and as if to prove her own words, the pot with finished soup flew across the kitchen. Draco did find the man in the living room and they talked briefly, before he ventured deeper into the house. He saw Longbottom, Finnegan, and Thomas, and out of the many siblings he only noticed Charlie, Ginny, and Bill. Odds were in his favour, because no one except the girl seemed to dislike him particularly much.
Ron snatched him by the arm some time later and pushed him upstairs, where Charlie and Bill were lounging on somebody's bed. They both greeted him with smiles and they waited in an eager silence for what Ron had to say.
“You are the only ones here who know about it and I couldn't wait.” He rummaged through his pocket and took out a small box. His face was steadily turning red. “Please tell me what you think about it. Will she like it?”
“Oh my god!” Draco slapped a hand across his mouth. “You bought a ring!”
“It's about time,” Bill chuckled and leaned closer. They all examined the ring in silence for a moment.
“It's pretty,” Charlie concluded.
“Indeed, it's elegant but not over the top. Good choice.” Draco smiled seeing Ron exhale in relief.
“So if she rejects me then at least it won't be because of the ring,” he mumbled.
“She won't,” they said in unison.
Ron hesitantly told them about his ideas for the proposal, visibly nervous despite their support. No matter what they said, they could not reassure him everything would go well. Draco made him promise that he would propose until the end of the year, in case he suddenly felt like chickening out. Bill stopped them from completing a magical vow, since Ron himself was actually quite inclined to get an extra push.
To avoid attracting suspicion, they left the room and went back to mingling with the others. Charlie followed Draco to the living room.
“I talked to my friend and we can probably arrange for someone to take a look at those boots you’d mentioned a while ago.” He smiled. “Since I'm already here, that someone will be me.”
“Thank you. It's a really unexpected curse to see placed on such an object. I thought it wouldn't work well with a dragon's skin.” Draco thought back to the owl he'd sent Charlie a few weeks earlier after encountering a cursed artifact on a mission.
“You can write to me more often, you know? Not only when you're dealing with cursed dragonhide.” Charlie gently bumped their shoulders together. “I’ll be grabbing a pint with the boys soon, you can join us. Take your boyfriend too.”
“Oh, we broke up.”
“What? No way.”
“He mentioned it when we bumped into each other at Gringotts.” Bill suddenly appeared next to them. “That’s really unfortunate.”
“So we're both single now, huh?”
Draco turned around in surprise when he heard the voice. Ginny stood there with a wry smile and a wine glass in her hand. She looked the same as the last time he'd met her months ago, but there were visible shadows under her eyes.
“I suppose we are,” he replied cautiously.
“Let's have a chat, Draco.”
They were hardly on first name terms, and the smile on her face was mildly unnerving. Draco exchanged a pleading look with the men but they slowly backed off, leaving him alone with the fearsome Ginevra.
He followed her outside and they sat on patio chairs in the shade of a tree. He'd snatched a glass of wine for himself too to calm his nerves a little. He swirled it in his glass leisurely and waited for her to speak. After a good few minutes, the girl looked up at the clear blue sky and sighed.
“Has Harry spoken to you after our breakup?” she asked.
“Not really. Only at work.”
“So you don't know how he broke up with me. Let me tell you then.” Ginny relaxed into the chair, took a large sip, and glanced at Draco. “He started off by saying he doesn't think we should get married. I didn't realize he meant to say never, so I agreed. We were way too hasty with the engagement. When he understood I didn't get it, he reiterated by saying he doesn't think we should stay together. That he cannot imagine spending his entire life dating me.”
“Damn,” slipped past Draco's mouth. Ginny laughed.
“I know, right? Obviously, I can imagine that quite easily, I've fantasized about marrying Harry Potter since I was a little girl. He explained himself, basically he can see me as his children's aunt but not their mother. He tried his best to be gentle, but then he started crying, which made me cry too, so we were both a sopping wet mess.”
“Gross.”
“Yup. I'm not devastated, really, but it still hurts. Although in a way, splitting up was a relief. I got a deal offer from a German club, you know? No idea how they found me and why they want me on their team, but it's kind of flattering. I decided to stay here, but when I was still considering it, I realized marrying Harry would tie me down to the point it wasn't even an option. How could I possibly leave my new husband and move countries? What if I got pregnant?”
“Yeah, I believe you're far too young to give up your own life for marriage.” Draco thought of Astoria. “I guess for some people marriage is their life. They're fine with that, but you're clearly not. There’s no reason to force yourself.”
“Exactly. If I chose to move away, Harry and I would probably have to take another break and what's the point of that? The last one was bad enough.” Here, Ginny finally turned to fully face him. “Harry told me about you, though he did it far too late. If I'd known he fell for you so hard, I wouldn't have asked him to get back together. I mean, I've gone on a few dates with other people too, but they never got too serious. Every boy felt he couldn't compare to Harry.”
“Theo was insecure about it too. He kept thinking that given the choice, I would leave him for Potter, even though I kept actively choosing him. Bloody ridiculous."
“I won't lie, I thought you would be already hanging off of Harry's arm now, too. He certainly seemed to want that.”
“I have some pride left.” Draco sent her a half-hearted glare. “He's not exactly the best candidate for a boyfriend. He dumped me quite spectacularly the first time around, I don't want to deal with it again.”
“So I've heard. Fuck, I'm not sure if you stole my man, or if I stole yours.” Ginny giggled, almost finishing up her glass.
“He's the one to blame, we're just victims of his undecisive, spineless, little arse.”
“Oh, it's not little. He put on so much muscle as an Auror, you have no idea. I'm going to miss groping him.” She let out an exaggerated, dreamy sigh.
“Don't make me too curious, or I will abandon that pride.” He warned jokingly, making her snort. “I will try my best not to accidentally fall into Potter's bed, and you can try finding yourself a bulky quidditch player, how does that sound?”
“I might try it but only when I get too lonely.” She raised her glass to toast him. “To being single.”
Draco raised his glass too, stifling a chuckle, and that was when Ron found them. He looked over them to assess the damage, and flopped onto another chair with relief.
“I thought you two wouldn't last two minutes together! Mum told me to check on you.”
“We're perfectly fine, Ronald,” Draco waved a hand over to Ginny, emphasizing how calmly they were sitting. “Very friendly.”
“Just having a civil conversation about our common interests,” she added.
“Meaning Potter.”
“Okay…” Ron closed his eyes, now fully relaxed. “If you didn't fight over him then it's fine. Let me take a five minute nap, okay? Then we can pick teams and play some quidditch.”
“Sure. I wanna be a seeker,” Draco agreed.
“Harry's not here so you might have a chance at winning for once.” Ginny snickered. “Unless I play seeker for the other team, of course.”
“Don't be so sure,” he said and got up from the chair. The girl leapt up too, and they glared at each other playfully.
“Let's find out.”
“Oi, I said five minutes,” Ron groaned.
。。。。。
When Draco came back home it was already dark outside. He endured a conversation with his mother, who seemed unsure if he really came back from the Weasley house unharmed. She had trouble believing they genuinely let a Malfoy eat at the same table, just as much as she couldn't grasp why Draco would even want to do that. He couldn't blame her for that, considering for how many years he wrote her letters explaining in detail why he hated Ronald Weasley. He wasn't sure how they ended up this way either. Hell, he's going to be invited to the weasel's wedding with Granger. Life can be so strange.
When he woke up in the morning, his thighs were burning from sitting on a broom for so long. His arms were sore too, and he realized he hadn't worked out in a while. He had to exercise somehow, so he considered his options. He could apparate to London where he usually went on his runs, but it sounded like a weird thing to do, and the weather was very unpleasant for July that day. He could go for a fly but he wasn't sure that wouldn't end up with him splattered on the grass. Exercising inside felt weird, and doing it outside where his parents could see would end up with them extremely surprised. In the end, he decided to just run around on the Manor grounds and hope his mother wasn't out on a stroll at that time.
He had a pleasant run, then an even more pleasant shower, and after lunch he dared to step inside the kitchen. The house elves were utterly dumbfounded when he asked if they minded him doing some baking, but obviously didn't argue much. He spent two hours surrounded by curious elves that he specifically asked not to help him, even though he could tell they were itching to grab stuff for him or just haul him outside altogether. He applied some tips he'd learned from the Weasleys and wizarding cooking books, which taught him several new spells. After much struggling and almost giving up, what he took out of the oven definitely resembled a strawberry pie. The elves unanimously decided it looked edible enough to serve on the table, and promised not to tamper with it until tea time. Draco didn't entirely trust them.
They did serve his cake in the afternoon and it appeared exactly like before, so they must have listened and trusted it would not poison the whole family. After he gave his parents and himself a slice, he sent it back to the kitchen and told the elves to try it too. He feared their judgement, so didn't ask for any feedback. He had to rely on his mother's opinion.
“I'm surprised, dear,” she said, lowering the now empty fork. “You must have a talent for baking. It's even more tasty than the biscuits you brought us.” She ate a bit more, nodding her head.
“It's very good,” his father added with a full mouth. “Sweet.”
“Strawberries are in season, so I thought it would be good to try using them. I'm glad you like it.”
“You should bake us something every weekend.”
“I might, unless the elves ban me from the kitchen.” He smiled.
“I'm sure they're a bit caught off guard, but certainly impressed. You're much better at this than I ever was.”
“You can cook, mother?” Draco looked at her with some disbelief he really hoped didn’t seem rude.
Narcissa chuckled lightly and drank some tea. Lucius sat up straighter and bristled.
“Of course! She made food for me several times before you were born.”
“I thought it was a good way to show my feelings for you, husband. You definitely showed yours when you ate it all no matter how bad it was.” Narcissa smiled at him and then turned back to Draco, a bit pink in the cheeks. He had to cover his mouth to hide his laughing when he watched his parents showing this rare display of affection. “To answer your question, I know the basics, but I wouldn't say I can cook very well. I've hardly ever done it in the past two decades. I only learned because when I was little your grandmother arranged for a class I had to take with my sister. As you can imagine, I don't mean Bellatrix.”
“Bellatrix didn't seem like a person who would willingly do something like that,” Draco agreed. Since the opportunity presented itself, he decided to mention the letter he received a few hours earlier. “Andromeda appears to be far more reasonable.”
“Oh, she had a temper too. Extremely stubborn girl.” His mother sighed, then hesitated in silence. Eventually, she chose to continue the topic. “When she left, I was sure she was going through some sort of mental crisis. Leaving her life behind… leaving her family behind was such a bizarre thing to do. I understood it was the family that forced her out when you stopped speaking to me after I had disapproved of your relationship with Theodore. My dear, please remember your father and I will not disown you, even if you do something we don't like.”
“You're our only child,” Lucius added quietly.
“I did worry about that.” Draco admitted, suddenly falling into a solemn mood. “I can easily understand her. Some sacrifices are necessary to live the way you want, but I've always hoped for your acceptance. I bet she felt the same.”
“Perhaps. I haven't spoken to her in so long, I can't say I know how she feels or what she thinks. I barely know her now.” Narcissa cleared her throat and brought the cup up to her lips. Draco feared he was about to witness his mother crying, so he spoke without any more hesitation.
“I talked with her. She replied to my letters.” When she dropped the teacup, Draco swiftly levitated it with wandless magic. “I met her grandson recently and asked if I could see him again.”
“Late Nymphadora's baby…” Narcissa whispered to herself. She thought about it for a second and asked with some reluctance, “What does it… look like?”
“He's not a little puppy, if that's what you're asking about. Perfectly normal human child, although I've heard he's a metamorphmagus. Very sweet and intelligent.”
“And what did my sister say?”
“She invited us for tea.” He almost snorted out loud when her eyes grew wide. “I'm serious. She said she doesn't have a lot of family left, and she's willing to leave past grudges behind if you're ready to accept her.”
“Our parents and Bellatrix are dead, her husband and daughter passed away too…” Narcissa glanced at Lucius who seemed to be dozing off. “I don’t want to imagine that."
“How about we visit them next week?” he asked, handing her a tissue. “You're going to have some time to prepare. Maybe write her a letter yourself.”
“No, I think what I have to say needs to be said in person.”
“Alright. I will go upstairs to my room. Let me know if you want to talk, mum.” Draco watched her carefully, but she only gave him a teary smile and nodded. Showing emotions like that wasn't a good thing, he realized that, and he knew it was better to leave her alone than pry.
He lounged on a settee to read a recipe book for a bit, marking down whatever piqued his interest. The quiet rustling of paper made him feel sleepy after a while, and he simply placed the book on the coffee table, intending to nap until dinner time. He had to pick an outfit for work later, he thought, drifting off. He felt like slept for no more than fifteen minutes before an elf frantically shook him awake. He rubbed his eyes and smoothed down his shirt while she bounced on her heels nervously.
“What's the rush?” he mumbled. “My parents will wait with dinner. Calm down, Lippy.”
“It's not dinner! Master, you have an important guest!”
“Who is it?” He instantly felt more awake. His first thought was Aurors. He must have done something wrong. They would get him for some insignificant crime and then persecute him again. He would have to go back to Azkaban. An image of the prison flashed in his mind and he had to sit back down again.
“It's Harry Potter!”
“Okay,” Draco said, exhaling slowly. He took a few slow breaths, calming down his suddenly spiking pulse. It was just Potter. He quit the Aurors, so he had no power to arrest him anyway. This would be no more than a minor inconvenience. “Tell him to wait in the atrium, I will be down in a moment.”
He looked into the mirror and quickly brushed his hair, trying to make himself more presentable. He was wearing casual clothes and his thin shirt was creased to the point a quick ironing charm made no difference, there was nothing he could do about it. Potter dressed like a homeless man sometimes, so he was no person to judge anyway.
Despite himself, he felt a bit nervous as he walked to meet Potter. He made his way down the stairs but stopped a few steps from the ground. The man uncertainly stood halfway to the door, and he brightened up when he saw Draco. He took a few steps closer, but Draco didn't move, keeping a distance between them.
“Potter… I didn't expect to see you here.” He raised an eyebrow. “Ever again. Especially not willingly.”
“Hi.” Potter smiled, scratching his head awkwardly. “I know, right? I just couldn't wait to see you, I mean, no. I just didn't know when the next time we met would be… Now that we don't work together.”
Draco watched him, not sure how to feel. Potter didn't look as rumpled as usual, despite having a visibly tired face. He was groomed well, clean shaven and with nice clothes. Even his hair seemed to hold well under his constant messing with it. He must have considered visiting him very seriously rather than apparating to Wiltshire on a whim.
“Okay, why did you want to meet me then?”
“Er… Should I just get into it? Right here?” Potter looked around the atrium with unease.
“Here is fine. I don't have long.” Draco had no intention of sitting down with the man and having dinner together. Even if he wanted to.
“Fine. I've been thinking for the past few days.”
“That's news. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
“Ha ha.” Potter deadpanned. “It doesn't jab quite the same after hearing it from you for ten years.”
“Worth a try.” Draco shrugged. “What conclusions did you reach, oh Chosen One?”
“I meant what I said at the club.” When Draco scowled, Potter quickly backtracked. “Not all of it! I don't actually believe you ruined my life… I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself, it seems. I mean that I want you. God, Draco, I want you so bad it's making me feel insane.”
“How nice.” Draco sneered and realized that Potter used his name. His traitorous heart started beating faster. “Will you bring me to the Burrow and tell everyone I'm your partner? Are you brave enough for that?”
“Eventually,” Potter muttered, not sounding convincing at all. “This isn't a great time, you know.”
“Right, of course, the right time might never come. I deserve to be loved, Potter. I want to be cherished by my lover rather than just desired. I've done horrible things, but it doesn't mean I will allow someone to treat me like a shameful secret. I can't imagine you risking your beloved saviour status for me,” Draco scoffed.
“I don't care about my status.”
“Yes, you do!” He screeched, involuntarily clenching his fists. “Why the hell did you reject me in the first place then?! You said it openly, no one would accept us together.”
“That's what I was afraid of, but you can’t tell me you didn't think the same thing!”
“Then you should have fought for us! You’re the one who could have convinced the world I’m worthy of you,” he yelled, feeling truly pathetic.
“I know! But you let me go so quickly,” Potter said and looked away. “When I said we should stop seeing each other, you just agreed. As if all you wanted was to shag me and move on.”
“This isn't true at all, you idiot. I fancied you! You're the one who said you were going back to Ginny!”
“I wasn't sure about it yet! You could have convinced me, I was kind of hoping for another speech on following your heart or something. If you had cried at least a little, we would have been married before Zabini,” Potter let out a mirthless chuckle. “But you just said sure thing. Obviously, I assumed you were an evil git who didn't care about me that much after all.”
“Well, I assumed the same thing after you completely dismissed our friendship! I'm sorry you failed at whatever emotional manipulation you were trying to do there. I wasn't about to humiliate myself any further. You already thought… What was it? That I was a poncy slag for wanting to take your prick?” Draco thought of his parents somewhere nearby and cringed, hoping they couldn't hear him.
“I was just saying anything that came to mind because I was bloody furious! I will happily take your prick instead!” Potter yelled and probably thought about it too, wincing slightly. “Though I'd rather not let you anywhere near my poncy arse when you're this mad at me.”
“Bloody nutter. It's still your fault! You can't expect me to beg for you when you tell me you don't want to ever see me again. I have some dignity left, you know!” Draco deflated a bit, leaning on the railing.
“Yeah, I know! I told you, I was stupid. Anyway, I had to tell Ginny the whole story, so I've already heard all the possible insults directed my way. Let it out if you must.”
“She has every right to call you names after you wasted two years of her life.”
“True. She wasn't even upset about that, what bothered her was how much more interest I've shown in you than her. She feels cheated on and she's still more pissed off on your behalf, so I'm starting to realize how greatly I fucked up.”
“At least you know.” Draco rolled his eyes.
“I will apologize every day if you let me.” Potter took a step closer with a hopeful look.
“I’d rather not see you every day,” Draco said and felt a twisted sort of satisfaction when Potter's face fell. “Or at all.”
“No, Draco, please hear me out. I will make it up to you. I will do anything.” The man approached the steps but didn’t dare get on them. Draco placed his hand on his wand as a warning.
“Then leave.”
“Why can't you give me a chance? Just one! I swear you won't regret it. Please.”
“You have done nothing but prove you're a horrible boyfriend. You neglected Ginny, got involved with another person… And let's just say now that I have experience with Theo, I realize you weren't actually good in bed.” Draco gave him an almost maniac smile. Watching the pain in Potter's eyes gave him a wretched sense of glee. “There’s not one good reason why I should want to date you.”
“Don't you still have feelings for me?” Potter asked in a weak whisper.
“So what? I'm truly unfortunate to fancy a prat like you. I don't care how much you love me either, Potter. Having mutual feelings doesn't mean we have to date, what are we, second years? It's not going to work between us. Get over it.”
“I won't give up,” he said with sudden determination returning to his voice.
“You should. It's nearing dinner time, so you'd better go. Imposing on my parents would be uncouth." Draco waved his hand and the door behind Potter slammed open.
“I can leave now, but I cannot let you go, Draco. I will make you trust me again.”
“We’ll see about that.” Draco snorted and gave Potter an indulgent smile. “Goodbye, Chosen One.”
Notes:
yay it's time for harry to start begging. how easily should draco give in?
Chapter 6
Notes:
kept you guys waiting again... I should probably start writing shorter chapters but they end up almost 10k words recently hah the chapter count might be higher than I predicted too
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“You two will make me lose all hair before thirty,” Ron lamented. “I'm going to have a big, bald head, and Hermione will leave me.”
“There are potions for that. How do you think us Malfoys fight against the receding hairline gene?” Draco took a sip of coffee, leisurely sitting on a park bench. Ron paced in circles in front of him.
“You've always been a huge wanker,” Ron muttered, completely ignoring his words. “I should be loyal to Harry. It's so hard to be on his side now though.”
“He's made some bad choices, hasn't he?” Draco closed his eyes and leaned his head back, basking in the sun.
“It’s like all he has inside his head is a hamster wheel.” Ron finally stopped in place and tugged on his hair in despair. “But there's not even a hamster running on it!”
Draco chuckled, almost spilling some coffee from the cup, and stood up with difficulty. He stretched his back and began mentally preparing himself for what was about to come.
“Very fitting description. Let's go, you can insult him on the way, it’s music to my ears.”
“Hermione should be waiting by the entrance of the park,” Ron said and started leading the way at a nervously fast pace. Draco tried to keep up, still taking sips. They reached the exit pretty quickly and indeed, Hermione stood there with her arms crossed.
“Hello, boys.” She gave them both a cursory glance. “What a weird day, isn't it?”
Ron walked up to her and kissed her, while Draco waved at her with a slightly forced smile.
“Good to see you… Hermione,” he said. It felt unnatural to call her anything other than Granger, but he obviously could no longer do that. Though they weren't exactly friends, it would be weird to say Ron and Granger, so Hermione it was.
“I've never thought there would be a time when I spend my afternoons shopping with Draco Malfoy,” she mumbled as if still in disbelief. “Am I really your only friend who knows muggle stuff?”
“Muggleborns don’t exactly flock to me, you know.”
“Don't you have muggle friends?” Ron asked.
“I try to pretend I know how to use a phone when I'm in front of them, obviously. They will think I'm a caveman otherwise.”
“A fair amount of people don't know how to use cellphones, Draco.” Hermione tried reassuring him.
“But not rich people,” he grumbled while the other two rolled their eyes.
Hermione side-alonged them once they hid in a dark corner. They landed in an alley somewhere in London, and obediently followed the girl.
“That's where my dad bought his phone last year. It works well enough,” she said, looking around to find the shop. “Oh, over there.”
They crossed the street and entered the small store. Draco let Hermione do the talking, and soon he had three phones presented on the counter before him. He could hardly tell what the difference between them was supposed to be, so he blindly chose the silver one and turned it around in his hand. It had a nice shine to it, and the buttons seemed easy to use. It was a flip phone, so it made a cool click when he closed it. That was the extent of what he could say about it, and one look at Ron told him the other man was similarly confused. He didn’t really care about the extra functions the cashier listed off; Marlena was the only person he wanted to call now anyway. Hermione encouraged him to buy it so he did, only later calculating in his head how much the price would be in galleons.
“I feel ripped off,” he mumbled to himself as he trailed behind the other two on the street, inspecting his new purchase.
“It’s fine, you’re rich,” Hermine replied and Ron scoffed. “You could tag along with us to go shopping, by the way. We have to buy Harry a gift, his birthday is this week.”
“I’m not buying him anything,” Draco immediately warned. “I’m not coming to the party either.”
“There’s no party. He doesn’t even want to come for a simple dinner at my house,” Ron complained.
“His breakup with Ginny is still fairly recent. I’m sure he thinks it would be far too awkward for everyone,” Hermione said and led them into an alley from which they apparated closer to a shopping mall. Draco wasn’t a frequent visitor but he liked how many stores were in such close distance. He didn’t have any plans anyway. He might as well accompany them.
“Too bad. Well, I suppose we will have a party soon either way. Astoria is throwing a small gala on Sunday. She's fundraising for her charity and you're obviously invited. Get something nice to wear, if you don't have anything,” Draco informed them, though he was sure they'd received invitations. “I’m looking at you, Ronald.”
They popped into a book store for a moment, but even Hermione had trouble coming up with a book Potter might have wanted to read. Next, they looked into a clothing store, where Draco happily looked through short-sleeved shirts for himself while Ron racked his brains about what to get Potter. They visited two more until he finally picked a nice, dark blue jacket. Draco looked it all over and approved of the choice, so Ron bought it with a sigh of relief.
“It gets harder to come up with original gifts after knowing someone for over a decade,” he whined, packing it into a bag. “There is a limit to how many quidditch-themed items someone should own.”
“Harry did mention his old jacket is already pretty worn down, he will appreciate it.” Hermione headed out to continue her own search for a gift, so Draco joined her.
They strolled for a bit, Draco kept looking at the displays until something caught his eye. He paused for a split second, but quickly realized his mistake and kept walking. The other two both managed to buy something in the end, while the thought of the tie he’d seen in that display kept nagging Draco. He let out a discreet sigh and stopped them.
“Hey, can you wait for a moment? I want to go to the toilet,” he said, trying his best to sound convincing. Neither thought much of it, Ron nodded and waved him away, immediately going back to telling Hermione a story from work.
Draco hastily returned to the shop they’d passed a while ago, and there it was. One of the mannequins had a three piece suit on along with a green tie. The shade was different from the Slytherin ties, resembling something else entirely. His first thought was it seemed familiar, and then he realized it looked pretty similar to Potter’s eyes. He debated on this for a moment, standing in front of the shop with growing awkwardness. Fuck it, he thought, entering and walking up to the register. The gift could simply be anonymous. Surely dozens of people send gifts to the Chosen One.
He felt guilty like a thief when he got back to Ron and Hermione. They paid him no mind and soon he deduced from the looks shared between them that he was imposing. Draco told them he had to go, and Ron pulled him aside to whisper he was taking the girl out on a date. He gave the nervous ginger his most reassuring smile and quickly fled the scene. He was certain the ring would remain in Ron’s pocket that evening anyway.
Draco decided to take a walk home. He was halfway to his old flat when he realized he didn’t live there anymore, and almost turned around on the spot. Theo was home, he realized, but so was Marlena. He could probably visit her without getting noticed by his ex.
He did exactly that. The girl almost jumped when she opened the door. She ushered him inside and instantly piled numerous questions on him. He explained everything that has happened recently and she listened patiently, occasionally throwing in some comments. She seemed to be more on his side in the breakup, especially since Theo almost entirely stopped talking to her. After obtaining her number, Draco had to promise he would call her every Friday. She also insisted they should continue the tradition and go clubbing that week.
Draco did not need much convincing, hence he ended up waiting for her near the club entrance on the next Friday night. The man Marlena had met weeks earlier was there too, though she refused to tell whether they were dating. She made some more friends in Draco’s absence, so two other girls joined them. They were around their age, in matching sparkly dresses, and already drunk enough to start wobbling in their high heels.
After four shots Draco started enjoying the extra company. Music sucked that night, but he spun one of the giggling girls on the dance floor anyway. Lucy kept clinging to him and her best friend Jenna whenever she got unstable on her feet, and once he told her he was gay, she only got more comfortable falling into his arms. He couldn’t help but laugh whenever he caught envious looks from other men who watched him dance with the two girls. Their trio spent all the time together until they finally caught Marlena kissing her mysterious man in the corner. They yelled and giggled and Draco started feeling more alive again.
“She abandoned you for a bloke, Dray!” Nothing seemed to convince the girl it was not Draco's name. “I can be your new best friend!”
“I can be your girlfriend,” Jenna added. “Why are pretty boys like you always gay?” She faked sobbing, wiping her eyes in an exaggerated motion.
“No clue. I bet a pretty girl like you would be far less trouble than the men I usually get involved with.” He winked at her. Lucy pushed her away and grabbed Draco’s arm.
“Tell us about them!”
“Yeah, let’s go outside for a smoke and a chat,” Marlena’s not-boyfriend suggested and the group tumbled out of the club into the chilly summer air.
“I will tell you guys about Theo!” Marlena volunteered, burrowing into the man’s arms to escape the wind. “He’s my neighbour, used to live with Draco. He’s so bitchy now! Doesn’t even say good morning first when we meet on the stairs.”
“He’s not the friendliest person,” Draco agreed, taking each of the two girls under one arm. “We broke up a few weeks ago because he didn’t want to be with me long-term. This is the first time I’ve felt truly better since then.”
“Don’t be sad because of such a sodding wanker! How could he not want to see that gorgeous face every day!” Jenna yelled right into his ear, gesturing wildly at Draco’s head. The three girls began hurling obscenities at the luckily absent Theo, while Draco shared some cigarettes with the man and chuckled whenever they got particularly creative.
“What about the new guy?” Marlena suddenly recalled, stumbling in her excitement. He caught her with some difficulty.
“What guy?!” Lucy yelled and Draco had no choice but to briefly summarize the situation with Potter.
“We’re not together. He’s like the most desirable man ever and everyone wants him, but for some reason he claims to want me.” He sighed. “We have a very unpleasant and complicated past, we were sleeping together for a while but he broke it off. He’s been a massive prat ever since and now he’s asking me out! I don’t fucking get this wanker.”
“Is he hot?”
“Oh, yes. I mean, he used to have the charm of a scruffy kitten with fleas, now he’s– What the hell?!” Draco was lazily looking around when he saw a familiar face flash between some of the other people gathered outside the club.
“What?”
“What happened?”
“Is that fucking… Am I bloody hallucinating?” He pointed at what seemed to be the place Potter stood. Just fucking smoking outside a muggle club, like it was something he normally did. It fucking wasn’t, Draco knew that because he knew Ronald, and the ginger was a tattlemouth. He would have complained if Potter got into any bad habits.
“Wait, that’s him, isn’t it?” Marlena asked in a stage whisper, and everyone turned to Draco for confirmation.
“I guess so.” The number of shots Draco took has been growing throughout the night so he truly wasn’t convinced. It became clear the man nearby was Potter in the flesh when their eyes met.
Draco almost recoiled, but Potter had no reaction at all. He stood motionlessly with hair tousled by the wind and a cigarette in his hand, while his friends talked to each other. He said something to them, still staring right at Draco without any expression on his face. He couldn’t see Potter’s eyes well from a distance, but he knew them like his own. They were clouded now, leisurely watching Draco’s every move, like he’d known he was there since the beginning and wouldn’t be going anywhere.
Draco’s skin prickled. He looked away first and ignored the group’s questions. He convinced everybody to get back inside, and carefully took in his surroundings. Potter was inside now too, nursing a drink and keeping his gaze locked on Draco the whole time. He had no idea how come he hadn’t noticed the man earlier. He didn’t stay much longer, slowly sobering up enough to apparate home. He gave all the girls cheek kisses, saved everybody’s numbers, and walked outside. Potter followed him.
He didn’t want to talk. Whatever Potter had to say, apologizing, threatening, or begging, Draco didn’t want to hear it. Once he reached a more deserted place, he turned around to face the approaching man. Looking right at him, he apparated straight home. The moment he felt the protective wards of Malfoy Manor wash over him, he breathed a sigh of relief. Successfully avoided confrontation with the Saviour for another day.
。。。。。
“You could give an interview, then everyone would know you're gay.”
“Nobody comes out in the papers willingly, Astoria. They’re usually outed by force.”
“Well, I still think you can publicly state you’re not bisexual.”
Draco rubbed his face with his hands and immediately regretted that. He fixed his eyebrows one more time, then went back to tying his dark purple tie. Astoria stood beside him, also checking herself out in the mirror. She wore a floor length gown in the exact same shade of purple, custom made for her by her parents. Oddly enough, they cared about the good publicity they got from supporting her charity, even though they didn’t usually support their daughter much. Bloody hypocrites.
“That might be the only way to stop the rumours from resurfacing. We look like a perfect couple, my dear,” he grumbled. “Please hurry up with finding a man.”
“I could say the same thing to you.” She shrugged, taking a spin to see her dress in full display. “Stop worrying so much, we are going to the gala as business partners, everyone knows that.”
“I got roped into this without my full consent.”
“Didn’t you say you would support me?” she asked, suddenly looking at him with a sullen expression. “Draco, how can you not help a tragically cursed, dying–”
“Alright, you have to stop saying that. I am supporting you right now. You are my beloved friend.” He smoothed his hair to lay more flat, leaning closer to the mirror. “I actually wore my hair slicked back to look more serious for you. I feel like a poor imitation of my twelve year old self.”
“You look dashing,” she comforted him. “You will no doubt be the most handsome man at the party, and we have quite a few celebrities on the guest list.”
“Including Potter,” he scoffed to himself, and finally took a step back to see himself fully. “Great. I suppose I won’t look any better. We can go downstairs, people should start flooing in any minute now.”
“Remember, be nice and don’t get drunk.”
“Of course, my dear.”
He sneakily took some whiskey when Astoria went to talk to her parents. He downed it quickly to escape the foul taste and instead took a champagne glass from the table. The Greengrass estate wouldn’t impress someone raised in the Malfoy Manor, but most wizarding houses still paled in comparison. The gala was held in the fairly large ballroom, though it was filled with tables now, meaning there wasn’t any space to dance. The event would be pretty simple as far as Draco knew, mostly intended for socializing and promoting Astoria’s organization. He could tell it would be a painfully boring ordeal.
The guest list included all sorts of people from quidditch stars to war heroes, through simple Ministry employees. Astoria wasn’t picky, she invited anyone she believed might be interested in the cause. Blaise and Pansy arrived early, so Draco immediately steered into their direction and intended to stay there for the rest of the night. Robards, Hermione, Oliver Wood, and Bartholomew from the Department of… Draco didn’t even know. They all started slowly pouring out of the fireplace and filling up the room. When the party officially began, Lord Greengrass welcomed everyone and left the stage to his daughter, who seemed perfectly in her element. Unfortunately for Draco, as her partner he had no choice but to abandon Blaise and the drinks table in favour of accompanying her instead. He spent most of the time simply standing at Astoria’s side and smiling at everybody, engaging in as little polite conversation as possible. He could do that, obviously, but this perfect pureblood act drained him of all energy. When the business part of the party was over, he left the girl with Daphne and Pansy, and ventured into the depths of the house alone. He remembered there was a small drawing room just on the other side of the corridor, so he happily walked inside and fell into the warm embrace of a velvet armchair. He let out a sigh of relief and closed his eyes, loosing up his tie to escape some of the heat from the lit fireplace.
He only planned to stay there for a few minutes to simply rest from the loud chattering and a swarming crowd. Because fate loved making his life harder, he barely got a minute or two for himself when the door creaked open. He opened an eye for a second before closing it again and groaning. He’d recognized the footsteps but one look confirmed it was the person he wanted to socialize with the least.
“I thought you liked this kind of stuff. How come you’re hiding?” Potter walked inside and leaned on a cabinet, putting his champagne glass away.
“I used to like it when I was twelve, but I can’t fathom why. What’s interesting about stuck up parties where you have to pretend in front of everyone? I really can’t be bothered to fake interest in the rise of the Niffler population in the south of Wales just to gain a potential good contact.”
Potter snorted quietly and Draco heard him come closer. “You talked to Lady Genevie too, I gather.”
“She will talk about those bloody Nifflers to anybody who will listen. I saw Hermione chatting with her before I left.” Draco opened his eyes to see the man standing by the fire now, watching him curiously. “The only reason I don’t hate such nauseating social gatherings is because they give me an opportunity to dress up.”
“I noticed. You look great, though I’m not sure what to think about the hair. It reminds me too much of what an annoying little prat you were when we first met.”
“Ugh, I know the feeling. It really irks me, but I believed my mother when she said it would make me look more respectable. Bad choice.” He stared at the motionless Potter for a moment before gesturing towards the other armchair. “Sit, will you? Don’t just stand there.”
“I wasn’t sure you wanted my company.”
“I’m leaving in a minute anyway.” Draco shrugged. To his surprise, Potter simply sprawled on the rug in front of the fire, right by his feet. He could take a good look at him now, and whatever he had to say next died in his throat. Potter noticed and glanced up at him with a crooked smile, pulling at his own tie slightly. It was green.
“At least I got a minute to say thank you. I like the birthday gift you got me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He defended himself.
“I know what your owl looks like, Draco,” Potter said. “But for the record, it did try to flee right after dropping the package off. You can’t be upset at it for revealing your secret. I like the tie, really.”
There was no point in digging his grave any deeper. Potter knew Draco was thinking about him enough to buy him stuff complementing his eyecolor. Whatever. It was mutual anyway. Draco took on the offensive instead and changed the topic.
“Well, I’m glad. Tell me, what were you doing at my favorite club on Friday?”
“I went with two Aurors who love to party. It’s a pretty cool place.” Potter’s answer was too elusive for Draco’s liking.
“You came there to see me, didn’t you? Why didn’t you just talk to me instead of staring at me like a creep?” Draco made himself more comfortable in the armchair, watching Potter squirm.
“You were having fun. I only wanted to make sure you’re safe when you’re alone.”
“I wasn’t alone.”
“Nott isn’t there to take care of you anymore,” Potter started, finally meeting his eyes. “Drunk muggle girls cannot help you. I know you would protect them first in case of danger, Draco, because that’s who you are now. I just need to know someone will put you first.”
“Sounds ridiculous when said by a notorious Gryffindor like you,” Draco snickered, but the genuine emotion on Potter’s face made him pause. “Yes, I would save all the muggle girls, because their life is worth more than mine ever will be.”
“That’s not true.” Potter grabbed his hand and squeezed it hard. “You have no idea how precious you are to me, Draco.”
“I don’t know.” Draco shrugged, looking at their joined hands with a faint sense of longing. Faint enough to let him keep his mind clear. “I’m being careful, Potter. There is no danger. If you want to go clubbing at the same time I do, I can’t stop you. Just be normal about it, please.”
They sat in silence for long minutes, only disturbed by the muffled noises of the party. Draco enjoyed the moment of peace by the warm fire, with the alcohol helping him relax a bit. Potter’s presence was not bothering him; it was calm and familiar. He was pleasant company as long as he kept his mouth shut.
He squeezed Draco's hand again and brought it up to his face. He placed it on his cheek and leaned into it, nuzzling his palm. Draco didn't snatch his hand back, but didn't caress Potter's face either. He still indulged in it, letting himself feel Harry's skin and allowing its warmth to spread to his heart just for a moment.
“I'm sorry,” Potter mumbled suddenly, pressing a kiss to Draco's palm. The touch of his lips brought back so many memories. So many of them were bad, Draco’s brain reminded him frantically.
“You keep saying that.”
“I told you I would say it all the time.” He peppered short kisses all over to the tips of Draco's fingers. He let them rest on his parted lips before giving them a cautious lick. Shivers went down Draco’s spine and he almost recoiled in shock. They locked eyes. Potter's twinkled playfully as he took Draco's fingers into his mouth.
“Stop it,” Draco whispered, breathless. Potter’s touch would come with a price, and Draco wasn’t sure his heart was strong enough to pay it.
“I can take care of you. I can keep you safe,” Potter whispered but moved away. “ I can make you feel so good, Draco, but only you let me.”
“I truly doubt that,” Draco replied. He got up from the chair, fixing his tie, and gave the man a challenging look. This had to stop. “Even if you can, it’s not like you’re the only one. Do you think I can’t find another man to satisfy me at this party?” He put on the well practiced smirk he’d worn for years. Potter seemed to wilt a bit when faced with indifference, no matter how forced it was. Draco was surprised he still fell for it. He had the proof of Draco’s weakness for him tied around his neck.
“I hope you don’t.”
“I don’t owe you that, Potter.” Draco headed towards the door, without glancing backwards. He did not want to see the man’s miserable look. He would not be swayed.
“I know,” came a weak response. He walked out and slammed the door behind him.
。。。。。
Astoria’s gala ended up in the papers which was exactly what she had wanted. Draco sent her his congratulations and promised to help with whatever else she needed. Unfortunately for her, the buzz only lasted for two days, because on Wednesday there was a special edition of Witch Weekly featuring the Chosen One. He found out about it from Hyacinth of all people, when she generously let him read what seemed to be an exclusive interview, and promptly made him spill coffee all over his desk. Harry Potter came out as bisexual.
He vanished the mess and skimmed through the whole page in utter disbelief. Sharing his personal life with others was so unlike Potter he thought the man must have been blackmailed at first, but it soon became clear it was done on his terms. The reason the beloved Saviour chose to tell everyone about his preferences was to show his support for a new bill about funding fertility potions for same sex couples. The Wizengamot seemed unsure about it. Opinions were divided on whether it was necessary, appropriate, and so on. One of the people pushing the most for the bill to be passed was Hermione, which wasn’t shocking, but it was not enough to make Potter out himself like that. Draco kept reading until he reached a paragraph that made him beg for the ground to swallow him whole.
“I have known how I feel about other men for several years now.”
“Why have you only decided to share it now, Mr Potter?”
“I was afraid how the public would react to such information, but I think it’s time for me to stop worrying about that. I don’t want to be held back by a stupid fear, and I don’t want to be cautious about revealing my future relationship. It’s best to warn everyone now.”
“Future relationship? Can we expect an announcement soon?”
“Er, I hope so. I’m still working on it. I just want him to know that if he agrees to be with me, I will not hide him from the world. I will proudly show everyone he’s the most precious person to me.”
Draco sank lower in his chair but did not escape the pointed look Theo sent him when he walked into their office a few minutes later. During lunch time he fled to get some food, and he bumped into some more colleagues. Philip nattered on and on about how pretentious the interview was because, in his words, we’re not prejudiced like muggles. Draco doubted that but politely nodded along, even though the man was proved wrong not more than five minutes later. The local canteen was full of people and they all talked about the same thing.
Everyone’s view of the situation appeared to be a little different, some expressed their support, others shamed Potter for discarding the perfect life he could have had with Ginny instead. But whether they loved him or believed him to be a pitiful freak of nature, they all speculated on who the mysterious love interest of the Chosen One was. Draco had never finished eating so fast before.
When he came back home that day, he got a frantic firecall from Ron, who seemed to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
“He cannot be serious,” Ron whined. “He came out to my mother today too. He told her he’s in love with you!”
“Oh my god. Does she hate me now?” Draco felt a pang of anxiety at the prospect of the Weasley matron's scorn.
“No, but she whacked him across the head with a newspaper. He was lucky she wasn’t holding a pan.” Ron rolled his eyes and hesitated. “Did you… give him hope or something?”
“I’m pretty sure the last time we spoke I told him I will date whoever I want. I don’t think it was in any way implied that I wanted to date him.”
“This is getting hysterical,” another voice piped up. After a short delay Draco realized it was Ginny. “I’m torn between still feeling betrayed and laughing my arse off. Harry is such a great source of entertainment.”
“Maybe to you! I feel like I’m juggling knives here. How do I even function with those two as my friends? Harry is losing the very last of his marbles as we speak and Draco… He… What are you even doing?”
“Right now? I was about to read something. Not that I'm not happy to hear your voice, Ronald.”
“Ugh. I'm about to pull out some firewhiskey on a Wednesday afternoon.”
“Mum might need some too,” the girl added.
“This situation is not entirely horrible,” Ron concluded after a long sigh. “Harry is preparing everyone for the news of your relationship. Dating a man is one thing, dating a Malfoy is another.”
“And someone dumping your daughter for a Malfoy man makes this a whole new thing.”
Draco listened to them talk and try to convince themselves Potter did not just commit a major fuck up. It was a crazy thing to do. Absolutely delusional. Alas, a small part of Draco's mind whispered it was also somewhat… sweet. He wasn't sure how to feel about it himself, but it didn’t matter as long as it wasn't his mum the idiot confided his feelings in. The thought instantly made him a bit nervous; Potter absolutely would do something like that. He had to tell mother to avoid the man at all costs.
。。。。。
It was finally the day of the dreaded visit to aunt Andromeda's house. Well, Narcissa seemed to dread it, meanwhile Draco tried his best to make sure his mother wouldn't apparate elsewhere at the last minute. He coaxed her into a less formal dress, put a flower bouquet in her hands, and sent her on her way. He grabbed the pie he'd baked plus a gift for Teddy, then followed her. Once they were both at the door, they exchanged a nervous look and knocked.
Draco imagined this scene going many ways, but what he did not expect was for Andromeda to open the door and immediately pull his mother into a hug. The two women remained in this slightly awkward embrace for a moment, before Andromeda looked at him and hugged him too. She welcomed them inside her home, far more humble than their manor but with a warm atmosphere to it. She led them to the bright drawing room and hastily brought them some tea.
“It's going well. Don't be nervous, mother,” Draco whispered to Narcissa when the woman disappeared into the kitchen.
“That's only because we haven't started talking,” she replied, so he reached over to her and grabbed her hand. They sat on the sofa in a tense silence before quick footsteps echoed in another part of the house.
Teddy barged into the room and came to a sudden halt after seeing the two guests.
“Draco?” he asked, taking a cautious step closer.
“I'm glad you remember me.” Draco smiled at the boy and held out a hand, becoming him closer. “Hello, Teddy. This is my mum, your aunt Narcissa.”
Teddy was a brave child, so walked up closer after only a moment of consideration. “Hello, auntie,” he said politely, and turned his attention back to Draco. “Do you want to play with me?”
Draco would never say no, which is why he ended up on the carpet and surrounded by a whole collection of animal figurines. He occasionally piped into the casual conversation of the two sisters, whenever Andromeda asked him about his life, work, and such. The topics stayed on the safe side, never breaching the past, the war, or Andromeda's deceased family. Teddy was a pleasant topic, so the little boy happily basked in their attention and told everybody about his toys.
“Can you do some magic for me?” he asked Draco and when he got a positive answer, he picked up a pony. “He's so boring! I don't like brown.”
Draco obediently turned the little toy several different colours until Teddy decided on blue. Then, he had to transfigure it into a unicorn, and later add some wings too. Once the boy was satisfied, he showed it to his grandma.
“Granny, look! Draco did magic!”
“I can see that, Teddy. Good job, Draco,” she sent them both a polite smile. “How about you boys go see Teddy's room? Just don't turn everything blue.”
“Sure. Come on, Teddy. Will you show me the way?” Draco could tell they were being dismissed. He felt a bit annoyed at being treated like a toddler, but the women definitely needed a moment for private conversation.
The room was already pretty blue, Draco noted, just like Teddy's hair seemed to be most of the time. It flashed all sorts of colours, seemingly out of his control. Teddy showed him his tiny cars and children's books he couldn't really read yet. He had both muggle and wizarding toys, some similar to the ones Draco had played with too. They spent over fifteen minutes cooped up in his room before Teddy insisted on going back downstairs. Draco failed to keep up and instantly felt a flash of panic when the boy disappeared behind a door ahead of him and let out a loud squeal.
“Teddy, are you okay?” He ran into the corridor after him only to stop abruptly when he faced the boy snuggled up in the embrace of none other than Harry Potter. “What the…”
“Careful there, Draco,” Potter smiled and ruffled Teddy's hair. “I saw your mum in the drawing room so I decided to look for you.”
“Well, how's the situation?” Draco glanced behind Potter where the closed doors were.
“They're just talking. I couldn't really tell how they were feeling thanks to the pureblood masks, but it seemed civil enough.” Harry set Teddy down on the floor and let the boy run into the kitchen. They were left alone in the dim corridor, and Potter took a step closer, successfully cutting off Draco's escape route.
“What are you doing here?” Draco asked first.
“I visit Teddy at least twice a week now that I'm unemployed.” Potter shrugged.
“So surely you knew I would be here today.” Draco glared at him and the man smiled sheepishly. “This is important to me, and especially important to my mother. Don't ruin anything.”
“I knew it was important, that's why I wanted to come,” Potter explained, taking another step and caging Draco between himself and the wall.
“Do you think your presence might be some sort of damage control?”
“Not really. I just want to be here for you.”
“Ask if I want your company next time,” Draco mumbled and rolled his eyes, leaning on the wall to make some room between them. “Anyway, what sort of episode are you having? Who the hell comes out in the papers?”
Potter actually laughed. “Being the beloved hero was getting pretty boring. Back in school the public's opinion on me seemed to change every other week, but it's been pretty consistent after the war. Now once again I don't know whether to expect fan letters or death threats. Also, you have no idea how many women sent me their nude pictures to convince me into being straight.”
“And that's funny to you,” Draco deadpanned.
“Not really.” Potter’s smile faded a bit. “I’m just so relieved I finally did it. It feels good to have that weight taken off my shoulders.”
Draco hummed in agreement, watching Potter’s face closely. They both seemed to get lost in thought for a moment, standing together silently until Teddy emerged from the kitchen. The boy ran up to them with a bottle of juice in hand and Potter swiftly picked him up.
“It’s apples. My favourite,” Teddy said, giving it to Draco. “Try it!”
Draco exchanged a hesitant look with Potter but politely took a sip. Teddy smiled at him and reached out his little hand to beckon him closer. Draco petted his hair and watched with fascination as it slowly turned platinum blonde, just like Draco’s own. It took him a while to notice under the dim light that Teddy’s eyes were green.
When Potter took the opportunity to place his free hand on Draco’s back, he didn’t even try to shake him off, too in awe. The child chirped about his favourite juice without a care in the world, giggling to himself, simply happy to be there. He almost looked like he could be theirs.
“Draco.” He snapped out of it when he heard his mother’s voice. Narcissa stood in the doorway, watching them with an unreadable expression, but her shaky voice betrayed her true feelings. “We should go now.”
He quickly said his goodbyes and promised Teddy they would see each other soon, even though he couldn’t promise him that. Andromeda’s face was equally as stony as her sister’s.
They left the house in haste, and Draco began feeling a restless anxiety bubbling under his skin. With every minute his mother remained silent, he grew more nervous. Once they reached the Manor, she made her way to the drinks cabinet and poured herself a generous glass of wine.
“She did not forgive me,” she started in a weak whisper. “She will not forbid you from seeing her grandson, but your father and I are not welcome in her home. At least not right now.”
Draco’s heart sank. “How come? I thought you wanted to reconcile…”
“There are some things that can’t be forgiven easily. I do not blame her.” Narcissa took a swig of the wine and leaned her head back on the plush armchair. “Go to your room, Draco. I want to be alone.”
“Yes, mother,” he muttered under his breath and turned on his heel. As he dragged himself upstairs, he couldn’t help but feel a deep ache in his chest. He’d failed.
。。。。。
“Potter. Of course, it's him. Well, son, you couldn’t do better. Association with him will be good for us all, and it's not exactly a secret that you're smitten with the lad. The matter of heirs worries me, but our family has mingled with half-bloods before, and mixing with Potter can hardly be a stain in the family tree these days. You just need to choose which one of you will do the carrying.”
“I’m not dating Harry Potter.” Draco felt a bit of his soul fleeing his body when his father suddenly opened his mouth during breakfast.
“What? You said you were seeing him!”
“I said I'm seeing him a lot! As in often! Not that I'm– Merlin, father, why would you even think so? And why were you so pleased with that?!”
“Now, darling, no need to get defensive.” Narcissa gave him a placating smile which she then hid behind her teacup. “You do know we heard your fight a while ago. He claims to have feelings for you, of romantic nature, I imagine.”
“Yes, and for some reason he chooses to express them through stalking me,” Draco huffed. “I see him everywhere! Sometimes he doesn’t even approach me, just stares at me like a…” He couldn’t think of an appropriate word to say in front of his parents.
“If you truly disapprove of him, I can set up another meeting with a potential courting partner for you. It was not easy to find eligible bachelors inclined towards men,” Narcissa said, visibly proud of herself for managing to complete such a burdensome task. She looked at him expectantly, as if he was supposed to be thankful for yet another arranged date.
“Thanks, mother. I think I can handle this myself.”
The opportunity presented itself very soon after that, because he made the mistake of politely continuing conversation with Philip from the Department of Magical Transportation instead of getting back to work. He still had some time left of his lunch break, so he simply stayed listening to the man talk about his weekend plans.
“Other than that I will be free this week,” Philip said and Draco nodded, sipping on his tea. “So if you’d like to…”
“Huh?” Draco asked during what wasn’t his brightest moment.
“You're not engaged, right?” Philip asked to be certain.
“No.”
“But you're also not dating Nott?” He seemed to suddenly become unsure.
“We broke up for many other reasons.”
“Oh, okay. Good.” He took in a deep breath and braced himself. “Would you like to go for a pint then?”
Draco gave him a mute stare for approximately five seconds before it dawned upon him what the question actually implied.
“You want to go on a date? With me?”
“Why so surprised?” Philip grinned. “Have you seen a mirror recently? Who wouldn’t want to take you on a date?”
Everybody who knew anything about him, Draco thought. He was a good-looking person in his own opinion, but what bothered most people was his famously unpleasant personality. Philip was a few years older, so he most likely didn’t remember Draco from school, which did explain a lot. The bloke had no idea it took witnessing the horrors of war for Draco to grow a spine and become a decent person. He was in for a nasty surprise.
Decent didn’t exactly mean good, so Draco agreed. A bad idea, certainly, but it could potentially deter his stupid brain from thinking about Potter for a minute. Philip was annoying and a pretentious half-blood trying to boost his status, not to mention shallow, but he had some good qualities. He worked hard, and he looked nice. Since he was an office worker, his muscles weren’t worth mentioning, but Draco could already get his fill of looking at buff men in the Auror Department every day. He had light brown hair with a slight wave to it, a bit similar to Theo, he realized. His face was harsh and angular, giving it a brash look, but he could never look as wild and arrogant yet effortless as Potter did. Damn it, this plan was already failing, Draco thought and began considering simply obliviating himself.
The date they settled for was beer after work, because it seemed casual enough to minimise the potential discomfort. Draco would love to be taken out on a proper candle-lit dinner, but perhaps by someone less obnoxious. No, he was being unnecessarily mean. There wasn't actually anything wrong with Philip, he just wasn't… well… who Draco wanted. Oh, he was such a miserable cunt, wasn't he?
He put on some jeans, short-sleeved shirt, and a light jacket on top of it, because they were grabbing beer at a muggle pub. He would not be going out of his way to style himself for something so mundane. It was hardly even a date, or so he'd thought until Philip met him outside and immediately went for a hug. Draco patted him on the back a bit stiffly and walked inside trying to keep his most neutral face on. Philip held the door for him, of course.
They ordered and sat at a table close to the bar with their pints. The awkwardness began to slowly settle in. Philip took it upon himself to lead the conversation.
“So you used to play Seeker?” he asked at some point later in the night.
“Yeah. Poorly, I'm afraid, but my usual opponent was… Nevermind. Did you play?”
“Ravenclaw's worst keeper,” Philip pointed at himself with a sheepish smile. “They only let me stay on the team for a year.”
“Oh,” Draco laughed in a way he wasn't too offensive. Philip chuckled at himself too. “That's a shame. Do you support any teams?”
“Puddlemere,” he said and took a sip. “You?”
“Anyone who's not Chudley Cannons,” Draco replied.
“Why's that?”
“Ugh, my friend Ron loves those losers.”
“Ron? You mean Weasley?” Philip asked with disbelief painted on his face. “You're actually friends with Ron Weasley, the war hero, Harry Potter's best friend?”
“Yeah! I forget he's famous sometimes.” Draco laughed. “He was just an annoying little fucker at school to me. We work together now.”
“I know, I see him at the Ministry sometimes but I don't really dare to just… walk up to him. How did you become friends?”
So Draco spent the remaining part of his date talking with a handsome man about Ronald fucking Weasley. He made a mental note to firecall the wanker later.
When Philip asked if Draco wanted to go on a second date, he hesitated. Ultimately, he decided there was no point in doing that. It probably wasn't fair.
“Oh, well. I tried,” Philip sighed. “I get you're not ready for another relationship yet, Nott is a pretty fresh wound.”
With a great feeling of shame Draco realized Theo hadn't crossed his mind this whole time.
“Right. I'm sorry.” He got up from his chair.
“No, it's fine. I don't mind a causal relationship, by the way. If you want to just meet, you know… for a single night, then I'm interested.”
“I don't know, I don't really do things like these.” He turned towards the door and froze. This could not be real. “You know what, whatever. You only live once. I'll think about it.”
Philp was pleased enough with the answer and said his goodbyes by kissing Draco on the cheek. He tried his hardest to look extremely happy with this outcome, just to show the sodding prat who watched them that he liked it.
Potter lounged on a barstool with a beer in his hand, looking over at them with a stony expression. He might have put some charm on himself, because Draco seemed to be the only one whose attention was drawn to him. Once Philip left, Draco sent the man a heated glare and exited the pub.
He stepped outside, waiting, and sure enough – Potter walked out right after him. Draco felt a wave of irritation flash through him and instinctively clenched his fists.
“Why the hell are you here? I get the club, I can excuse my aunt's house, but I fucking see you in the corner of my eye when I'm at the supermarket!”
Potter flinched away at his outburst and meekly lowered his head. He seemed too convinced he was doing nothing wrong to actually appear apologetic. Draco wanted to punch him in the face, even knowing a fist fight between them could only end with his own loss.
“I'm sorry. I get so restless when I don't see you.”
“That's not normal!” Draco almost started tearing his hair out. “If you get so anxious just call me on my bloody muggle phone like a normal person! What's up with you and stalking?”
“I used to be able to see you on the map whenever I wanted, now it's… a lot less convenient, but even more important.” Potter mumbled quietly and hesitated a second before speaking again. “You're not dangerous to others, but you're in danger yourself, Draco.”
“What are you talking about?” The irritation receded and slowly turned into an unsettling fear. The look on Potter's face made it clear he wasn't just making excuses for once. Draco knew that look too well.
“I shouldn't be telling you this. It's an ongoing investigation, but I suppose it's not my case anymore,” Potter mumbled and leaned on the dirty pub wall with a sigh. “Two ex-Death Eaters were murdered. The first one didn't raise much suspicion, but exactly a year later the next one dropped dead. They escaped punishment like you did. Aurors have no idea who's doing this, it could be both vigilantes of the light, and scorned servants of Voldemort.”
“Let me guess, another year has passed. It's time for the next victim,” Draco whispered, his body suddenly turning cold. He wrapped his jacket around himself. “But it's not like you're sure it will be me.”
“I can't be sure,” Potter agreed. “I also can't calm down. I'm starting to feel paranoid.”
“Well, thanks, now I will be paranoid too.”
“Just… Could you limit your nighttime trips for now? Don't wander in dark alleys alone,” Potter asked with a faint pleading smile.
“Okay. I will be careful, so you should stop following me around. I swear I will report you. Go to that blasted Mind Healer, Potter.” Draco sent him a half-hearted glare. “But thanks for warning me,” he added and turned around before Potter could say anything else. He still felt the man's eyes on his back as he walked into a shadowed corner and disapparated.
。。。。。
The next day Theo and Ron came back from a successful mission. To celebrate the dismantling of yet another curse-ridden house, they brought some pastries into the office. Ron lounged on the extra chair like he owned it and made sure to thoroughly interrogate Draco about the date with Philip.
“You should be bothering your own team,” Draco complained, biting into a donut with strawberry filling. “Go back to your office.”
“You should be telling us why you went on a date with that bloke.”
“You don't even like him,” Theo mumbled, looking rather sullen.
“I don't,” Draco agreed. “I said yes because… I don't know, he asked nicely.”
“It's that easy to take you out, really?” Ron gave him a sceptical once-over. “Go out with me then, please.”
“No way, I'm scared of Hermione.” Draco took another bite. “Also, I don't want red-headed kids.”
“You always manage to discriminate against people somehow. You can't complain about my blood so you insult my hair instead.”
“I'm brilliant at that, my father taught me.” He munched on the donut. “Anyway, you know I don't care about blood status anymore. To be honest, I would rather have a squib child than a ginger one.”
Ron let out an exaggerated sigh and leaned back in the chair. “Why do you hate me?”
“I do not, you should know that. You were subjected to my hate before.”
“So will there be a second date?” Theo asked.
“I don’t think so. I just don’t really feel it. He was… I don’t know.”
“You shouldn’t meet him again if you’re not sure.” He said with conviction.
Ron nodded along, so Draco had to admit they were right. When they were finished eating, he also mentioned the whole thing Potter had told him about, but the esteemed Auror Weasley had no more information for him. He promised to look into it and find out if there is anything they could do to keep Draco safer. He agreed that wandering at night was not a great idea, so with great pain Draco swore to temporarily stop the clubbing. The girls will probably miss him, he thought.
Due to their slacking off, Draco and Theo had to stay at work late to finish some reports. Since it was Theo who had the honour to accompany Aurors that day, he had a lot more to do. Draco mostly stayed to keep him company. He chose to walk for a bit instead of taking a floo that day, since the weather was pretty nice. He had to admit he missed living in London.
The sky was darkening by the time they exited the Ministry. Theo led the way and Draco trailed behind him, enjoying the warm breeze. They didn’t talk much. Theo seemed to be in a bad mood, and Draco didn’t want to accidentally make it worse.
He took in his surroundings with a weird sense of nostalgia; he used to take that route every day. When he mindlessly followed a car with his eyes, he noticed a person walking a distance behind them. He cussed out loud, making Theo halt in surprise.
“My fucking god. Is he mental?” When the man tried turning around, Draco held him by the shoulder. “No, don’t let him know we saw him.”
“Potter?”
“I told him to stop following me around! He’s been like some creepy, self-proclaimed guardian angel ever since he decided I might get attacked, which, frankly, is a far fetched conclusion to make.”
“Hm. Are you sure he’s not simply obsessed with you?”
“He might be. I was hoping that seeing me dating other people will make him realize I’m not going to accept him.”
“He knows you and Philip won’t last.” Theo said, lost in thought. They stood on the emptying street in silence for a few seconds. Draco kicked a nearby rock in frustration.
“Fuck, I don’t know what to do. Should I just kiss you? That’s a lot more plausible.” The moment the words left his mouth, Draco regretted them. His stupid, stupid mouth worked faster than his brain sometimes. To his surprise, Theo only looked at him in full seriousness.
“You can.”
And because all Draco ever did was ruin everybody's life, he did.
He brought their faces close together, giving them both the last chance to back out. Theo placed a hand on Draco's jaw and held it firmly, rubbing it with his thumb. He glanced into Draco’s eyes briefly, and let out a shaky sigh. He leaned in and kissed him, caressing his face. Their lips moved together with such familiarity, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Draco gripped Theo’s shirt in his palms, and opened his mouth, letting their breaths mingle. He only reflected himself a moment later and turned his head to the side. Theo let him go. He made some space between them, taking a step away.
“Sorry. I couldn't help myself.”.
“It's fine. I get it.”
They stood facing each other in silence for a few seconds before Theo spoke.
“I still haven't washed the sheets,” he whispered. “Even though they already stopped smelling like you.”
Draco suddenly felt a heavy weight inside his chest seeing the dejected, broken look in Theo’s eyes.
“Theo… People say you shouldn't get back with your ex lovers for a reason,” Draco said softly, with great sadness washing over him. “You know why we decided to split up.”
“I was wrong. I don't know why I thought I could live without you,” Theo confessed, squeezing his eyes shut. Tears clung to his trembling lashes. “What if I proposed to you right now, Draco?”
Draco’s heart stopped for a moment. He knew what he should say, but it could be so easy to forgive. To forget those lonely weeks and simply take Theo’s hand.
“I’m sorry, you're too late.” Draco inhaled, forcing his voice to remain steady. “There would be a lot more left to fix in our relationship. Marriage would be like slapping a bandaid on a broken bone.”
“Can't we try?” Theo pleaded, but then he gave him a resigned smile. He sighed, shaking his head in defeat. “There's still Potter, isn't there?”
“Yes, there is.”
“I cannot see you at work every day, then come back to an empty house. I see you everywhere I look, but you're no longer there,” he continued, and then he let out a self-deprecating laugh. “The bed feels too big, I even miss your bony elbows digging into my back.”
“Theo…”
“I miss you so much.” Theo suddenly fell down to his knees in front of Draco, right onto the dirty pavement, with desperation so unlike him. “Please come back to me,” he begged for the first time in his life.
Draco froze. He didn’t know what to do, how to feel, and his eyes filled with tears. What he’d wanted for so long was in an arm’s reach, but his conscience didn’t allow him to grab it anymore. He helplessly glanced into the direction where Potter stood. He must have watched them for a long time, alone in the dark. Once Theo kneeled, the silhouette slowly turned around. Potter finally walked away.
Notes:
lmao writing draco now is basically just: "I hate potter," draco said, but he actually loved him with every fiber of his beeing. he would not date him though.
idk how about you guys but I'm actually feeling pretty bad for theo. harry is trying to redeem himself but for now theo would be my personal pick lol
Chapter 7
Notes:
TW: blood, body mutilation, minor character death, brief descriptions of violence
tried to keep it brief because none of you guys signed up for the violence tag. it's angst time I fear, but we're close to a happy ending
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Greg was dead.
The third victim was not Draco, but Gregory Goyle. He died early in the morning, while going to work. He didn't have many friends; Draco, Blaise, and Theo haven't spoken to him that often, and Vince had been dead for years. Draco found out through a mission report Ron silently slid across his desk.
“I'm sorry,” he said. “If it's any consolation, he didn't suffer. Avada to the chest.”
It was surreal. The two boys who followed him everywhere for years were both dead. They didn't even get to grow old. They would remain boys forever.
Draco sat in mute shock for his entire shift. Hyacinth expressed her condolences, Theo didn't come to work. Perhaps, it should be somewhat of a relief – Draco was safe. Although honestly, he would rather have Potter handcuffed to him at all times than a dead friend.
The next day when he came into the office, Theo's desk was cleaned up. The man sat on top of it and looked up when Draco walked inside.
“Good, you're here.”
“What's going on?” Draco approached him, cautious.
“I got permission from the Minister to work at Gringotts. I'm going to be an actual Curse-breaker.” Theo gave him a faint smile. “I'm moving, too. Probably back to my family house, since I will be out of the country often anyway.”
“Oh,” was all Draco could squeeze through his clenched throat. “That's great. I'm happy for you,” he said eventually.
“Yeah. I've wanted to work there for a while. Sorry for leaving you like that, but I'm sure you'll find a replacement."
There seemed to be double meaning in his words that felt like a stab to the heart. It was the first time they've been alone since the night Theo proposed. Draco's answer was no.
He lied in his bed until morning after that, sleepless and wondering if he'd made a mistake. There never would be a perfect person, but Theo was close. They led a happy life together. Happy enough, he wanted to say, but that was the problem, wasn't it? It wasn't enough.
So when Theo walked up to the door, all Draco could do was give him his best smile and wish him well. They parted ways for good, he realized, and they would never be friends again.
He was losing people one by one, and it was far from over. Ron firecalled him late in the evening and spoke with a solemn look on his flaming face.
“Harry left the country.”
。。。。。
A week later he was still nowhere to be found. He asked Ron to give him some time alone, so it appeared he was not in danger. Now that Draco wasn't in danger either, he kept his promise and stayed away. There was one person who wouldn't understand that though, and instead feel abandoned by his godfather. Draco couldn't let that happen.
Andromeda opened the door with a small dose of surprise, but he was determined to give Teddy a great day out with his… uncle? Cousin, perhaps, but their age gap made it a bit weird. Draco didn’t mind being called by name by the little boy either way. Looking at him, he felt a faint sense of disappointment about the fact that he never got to play with his actual cousin, Nymphadora.
He decided to take Teddy to a muggle playground first. It was in the park he frequented on his runs and children seemed to love it. Teddy made some friends pretty quickly, using every single thing the playground offered. After the third time he ran up to the bench Draco was sitting on to get some water, panting, Draco decided it was enough for the day. They strolled through the park for a bit and later headed towards the coffee shop Draco knew was also selling really good ice cream.
“What flavours do you want?” he patiently asked the boy when he froze for a long moment in front of the cashier.
“Um… Strawberry, toffee, and lemon,” he mumbled, looking at Draco for confirmation. “Maybe mint chocolate?”
Draco smiled at him, realizing what the problem was. “You want them all, don’t you? I don’t think you can finish this much, Teddy. How about we take two each and share them?”
The boy nodded, and Draco took him to sit outside. The weather was surprisingly good, so he began considering where else they could possibly go.
“Have you been to the zoo, Teddy?”
“Not yet. Granny said I can go with Harry.”
“Hmm… Would you like to go now? Harry can take you again when he comes back.”
Teddy licked his strawberry ice cream and seemed to seriously consider it. “Harry won’t be sad, right? I want to go with him too.”
“No, I don’t think he’ll be.” Draco reassured him.
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“When will he come back?” Teddy kept pressing.
“I don’t know. I’m sure he will be back soon. He will miss you too much otherwise.” Draco smiled, trying to look his most genuine.
“I miss him,” the boy confessed, sinking in his chair. Draco pointed at the melting ice cream and Teddy quickly licked it off with a frown on his little face. It was a heartbreaking sight. Fuck you, Harry Potter, you better get back immediately, Draco thought. “Do you miss him too? Harry is your friend.”
The question caught Draco off guard. He wouldn’t say he missed the wanker, but his absence was… noticable. “A little, I suppose.”
“I hope he visits me soon.”
“He will.” Draco would track him down if he had to.
They took public transportation, because Teddy thought it was fun and Draco used it rarely enough to also consider it an attraction. They spent a long time in the zoo, strolling between the cages; the boy seemed to like elephants, lemurs, and parrots especially much.
They ended up on a bench in a secluded area to let Teddy’s legs rest a bit. Draco held his hand absentmindedly, watching the clouds swim in the sky. He only realized the child had been quiet for too long when small fingers traced a shape on his forearm.
“Do you have ouchie?”
“Ouchie?” he asked, looking down at the boy examining his skin. It looked normal at first glance, but Draco knew the area where the Dark Mark used to be wasn’t the same. “No, it’s just a scar. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“Why?”
Draco sighed, gently pulling his arm away. “There used to be a big, ugly picture there. It disappeared a few years ago. Your granny should explain it to you when you’re a little bit older.”
Teddy let it go eventually, but Draco kept glancing at the nasty reminder of his past. In the bright sunlight it was even more visible. Smooth outline with an unnatural shine to it, a bit raised like an ordinary scar. The sight of it made him sick to his stomach, and the memories it brought sent his heart racing with nerves. He remembered the day he took the Mark. It hurt, almost like being branded with iron. He was beyond grateful that the colour had faded from it, because he couldn’t imagine having to look at the ghastly skull every day. He would never be able to make it up to Teddy, what people with this Mark took from him. He would sure as hell try, though.
When it was time to head back, Teddy sent a single longing gaze at a massive stuffed elephant. Andromeda might not be happy to see the giant thing, but Draco decided to take that risk. Teddy walked out from the gift shop with the elephant, a new hat, and a lollipop in his hand.
“Thank you for letting me take him somewhere. I know it must be hard to trust me,” he whispered to Andromeda in the doorway, once the boy disappeared into the house.
“You’re not a bad child, Draco,” his aunt replied. “I’m not too worried. Thank you for taking care of him, he was getting lonely without Harry.”
“If you want me to babysit, you can firecall anytime.” Draco smiled at her, hoping he appeared trustworthy enough.
“I will.” She nodded. “But no more toys. They barely fit in Teddy’s room.”
。。。。。
Draco had never been so bored before. He had double the amount of work due to Theo’s absence, but it was nothing interesting. The more time passed since the war, the less Death Eater safehouses remained. It was mostly routine tasks, cursed objects, some old artifacts. Curse-breakers seemed to take care of most of it though, meaning Draco’s Consultant position was slowly losing significance. He began wondering if they would fire him eventually or make him stay to keep an eye on him.
He kept glancing at the empty desk in front of him until it became so unbearable that he had to turn his own desk around. Theo wasn’t there. Harry wasn’t there. His only source of entertainment was Ron, and it was hardly a consolation, since he was always busy as a Team Leader. Hyacinth seemed to no longer care what he was doing either; there were days when she only popped into the office for a perfunctory check and left.
It was a huge relief when his muggle phone rang for the first time. Marlena demanded to see him as soon as possible because, reportedly, he was needed for an intervention. He found out what it was about when he entered the shop to see Jenna in tears, with Lucy patting her on the back.
“She needs some sense knocked into her,” Marlena said out of their earshot. “She wants to get back together with her ex. He cheated on her! Three times!”
“Salazar…” he whispered under his breath. This would be a long evening.
“He apologized,” Jenna wailed. “Is it a crime to still love him?”
“No, it isn’t,” Lucy agreed, sending the others a knowing glance. “But it also isn’t very smart. I thought he was seeing another girl now?”
“He is! Why do you think I’m crying?”
This went on for another twenty minutes. No matter what arguments they threw at her, the girl responded the same way.
“He promised he would change.”
“Alright,” Draco said in defeat. “Has he done anything to let you know he is… you know, changing?”
Jenna remained silent for a moment. “I can wait for him.”
So that’s a no. This was a lost cause, he feared, but it also gave him a sharp sting of realization. If he had even half of Jenna’s patience, he would have been dating Harry Potter right now. He was changing. He quit living the life everyone expected of him, he decided to fight for what he wanted. Draco told him he wouldn’t live in secret, and Potter came out to the whole world. Draco told him to leave him alone, and Potter… left. He’s been gone for over two weeks now.
Draco shook his head to stop that train of thought. There was no use regretting it. He saw an opportunity to slightly change the topic and make Jenna’s sobbing stop.
“Actually, my ex proposed to me recently.”
The girls all squealed in shock and they had some relief from the crying, for the small price of Draco having to relive that tragic night. The memory of Theo begging on his knees in front of him made his eyes water, but he blinked the tears away. Theo was moving on, he would be fine.
When Draco returned home late that night Lippy informed him about a floo call he’d missed earlier. He firecalled Astoria to ask if there was anything wrong, and once she finally picked up, she hurriedly explained she was about to catch a portkey to Sweden. In a rush, she told him her sister asked to come visit for a while. Daphne found out she was pregnant. A rare case of good news, Draco thought a bit bitterly, but he was happy for his friends. He made a mental note to send Daphne an owl with congratulations.
What only occurred to him much later was that Astoria would be gone now too. For weeks, probably, or more if pregnancy was difficult. Obviously, that was a lot more important than hanging out with Draco, but he began feeling as if he had not a single person by side. Father barely counted, mother was preoccupied with his father, Theo was his ex now, Ron had Hermione and his whole team to worry about, Marlena had new friends and a boyfriend… Greg was dead, his mind supplied, but he and Greg abandoned each other a long time ago already. Just like he’s stopped talking to Blaise, Pansy, and many other of his old friends. The only person who claimed that his first priority was Draco was Harry, but he wasn’t there now, was he? And Draco wanted to doubt the man’s feelings, blame him for fucking off to somewhere, but he couldn’t. It was what he wished for, after all.
Days seemed to pass through his fingers, each was the same – boring and lonely. He tried, of course, to entertain himself. He read books until he passed out with the lights still on, took walks around the Manor, visited the muggle world, and worked. He worked as much as he could, but there seemed to be nothing to do all of a sudden. He took care of a curse or two, some days none, wrote a report, sent it to Gringotta along with the items. The rest of the time he sat in his empty office, listlessly skimming through magazines.
He baked more often, but his parents started to lose interest in such frequent desserts. With a faint feeling of humiliation, he began baking biscuits and bringing them to the Auror Headquarters to share with Ron’s team. Only two people accused him of poisoning them, so he counted that as a win. Anyway, that was a stupid accusation. If he wanted Aurors harmed, he simply wouldn’t do his job properly.
That reminded him of Auror Horn, who was bound to a bed in Saint Mungo’s. He visited her too, with fresh lemon muffins, which she seemed to appreciate after weeks of hospital food. She was fine now, thank Merlin, but still needed help with regaining mobility in her toes. Potter would be happy to know that. Maybe Ron would tell him.
Mostly, though, Draco kept to himself and stayed in his bedroom like an angsty teen. He wasn’t even sure why he did that. He just didn’t want to do anything.
“Draco, you haven’t left your room since you got back from work yesterday,” his mother chided through closed doors. With a sigh, he waved his wand and unlocked them to let her inside.
“I’m tired.”
“No, you’re isolating yourself again.”
“And who will you call this time? No one has time for me right now. I can deal with this alone.”
“Or you could also stop acting like you’re sixteen again and simply talk to me.” She frowned. “What is this about? Theodore?”
“No, he’s already… It’s in the past,” Draco mumbled into his pillow. Narcissa sat on the edge of the bed and gently ran her hand through his hair.
“If you say so. Is it Potter then?” She asked but decided it was the truth without waiting for an answer. “I was under the impression you refused his advances. What’s the problem, dear? Do you regret it?”
“I do not,” he replied stubbornly. “It was the right choice to make. We’re not good for each other. He’s hurt my feelings before, I was horrible to him, he was becoming obsessed with me in an unhealthy manner,” he listed off on his fingers, slowly becoming uncertain.
“But?” Narcissa probed.
“There’s no but!” He gave the last attempt at defending his point. “It was necessary. We absolutely shouldn’t have started dating when he asked.”
“But you miss him. You think you both shouldn’t have given up on each other so fast.” Narcissa smiled, still petting his head. “I agree. You’re so young, you can still grow and learn. If you marry now, it’s a perfect opportunity to grow together.”
“Or get a divorce,” Draco added grimly, burying himself in his duvet. “I don’t know, mother. I have some… feelings for him, but it doesn’t seem like enough.”
“It’s never enough,” she stated simply. “Love is a lot more than just feelings, dear, it’s the actions that show it. Actively choosing that person every day, just like I choose to take care of your father, no matter how different he’s becoming to the person I fell for.”
“I suppose you’re right,” he sighed. “I guess I need to decide… whether or not I’m willing to do this for Harry… Potter,” he corrected himself when the first name slipped past his mouth. It happened often recently.
“You should hurry,” she warned. “He already chose you, but he will falter if you don’t accept him back.”
“I know. He just needs to come back first.”
But Potter remained missing. A whole month passed without him showing his face, even to Ron and Hermione. He guessed they talked to him, but didn’t tell Draco any details. It was fine. He wasn’t part of their friend group after all.
。。。。。
Draco hadn’t been clubbing in weeks, still shaken after Greg. He met with Marlena for coffee one more time, and they phoned each other fairly often. That’s why when he got a text from her, he didn’t sense anything amiss. The content of it, however, was a tad concerning.
Can you visit me right now? As soon as you can.
Was what she sent. It was already dark outside, and he hesitated for a brief second. He asked if she needed help, or if she was in danger. He breathed a sigh of relief when she swiftly replied.
My boyfriend broke up with me.
He packed some stuff in his bag, threw on a jean jacket, and went to find his mother. She only gave him a short, disapproving glance when he told her he was going out. He chose to apparate right into the alley near their old building, where he and Theo used to go. In all their time doing this not one person spotted them, so he was confident all would go well.
He snapped into existence with a quiet crack and took a look around. All clear. He only took a few steps when a figure emerged from behind the corner.
“Fuck!” he yelled, trying to cover up that his hand instinctively went for his wand. “You scared me.”
Marlena’s now ex boyfriend gaped at him for a second and then huffed. “Sorry. I thought you might be here.”
“Marlena asked me to come over.”
“I bet she did,” he replied bitterly. “I don’t really like that, you know.”
“I assure you I’m gay. Nothing suspicious going on here.” Draco smiled at him, but was a bit wary about being too nice to him. He didn’t know why they broke up, so he could still turn out to be an asshole.
“I know you are.” The man took a few steps closer. “I was waiting for Nott to finally move out. I’ve wanted to do this for months.”
Draco furrowed his eyebrows, taking a cautious step back once he saw the expression shift on his face into something… concerning. Animalistic, almost.
“What are you talking about?” he asked with a forced laugh, trying to shift the situation around.
“I need you, Draco Malfoy.” The man smiled, approaching so close Draco had nowhere to run. He racked his brains to think of a way to fight back without using magic, but he knew his physical strength was not enough. When the man’s arms closed around him in a tight grip, he reached for his wand. He mentally prepared himself for a forceful kiss, but it never came. Instead, the world swirled around him. He was side-alonged.
“What the hell?” he muttered, instantly falling to the ground when the man let go of him. Chains suddenly emerged from the floor, wrapping around his legs.
“You’re going to be so useful to me.” His kidnapper’s smile only grew wider and Draco felt a chill run down his spine.
He glanced around. He was in a shabby, dim basement, with a single tiny window near the ceiling and floating candles. Black mold was covering the walls, peeking behind all the clutter. Broken chairs, gardening tools, and some more concerning objects like an axe and a saw. He felt like in a cheap horror movie, and tried reaching for his only weapon for the last time. The man snapped his hand and Draco’s wand was sent from his pocket across the room.
“What the hell?” he repeated himself. “You’re a wizard?” he asked with some lingering disbelief.
“Obviously.”
“Are you not scared of Aurors coming to get you?” Draco sneered.
“Oh, Malfoy. Even if you walk out of here alive, can you really identify me? What’s my name?”
“Of course, it’s…” But not a single name popped into his mind.
“Close your eyes and describe what I look like,” the man ordered next.
Draco followed the command reluctantly and the moment the man was gone from his view, it was like everything about him turned to a blur. He had… hair. Was it blond or brown? He might have had a beard. Glasses? No, probably not. He was just a man, nothing specific about him. Fear slowly seeped into Draco as he opened his eyes to see the man’s image clear out.
“You put a spell on me,” he stated with growing unease.
“Not just you. I’m not afraid of using my wand as it was intended.”
“Oh my god, Marlena.” His heart stopped for a moment. “What did you do to her?”
“Nothing happened to your precious muggle friend. Just some Imperius to make sure she sent you a message and stopped looking for you.” The man shrugged. “I actually quite liked her. She wasn’t a bad girlfriend.”
“Look, mate, I don’t know what me or my family did to you during the war…” Draco began.
“More like what you didn’t do,” he cut him off. “Do you really think I’m some devastated knight of the Light looking for revenge? That’s cute.”
“So you’re a Death Eater…”
“Yes, Malfoy, just like you were.” He gave him that eerie smile again. “You could have joined me willingly, but you chose to be a pathetic, useless, little bitch. Working for Aurors, no less. But fear not, our Lord will finally get some use out of you.”
“The Dark Lord has been long dead, in case you missed the memo.” Draco rolled his eyes, putting on some fake bravado. “Have you thought about retiring?”
“His body is dead, but the remnants of his magic are still out there.” The man crouched next to him on the dirty floor and yanked at his arm. “If I gather enough of it, I might be able to summon his spirit, and then no one will be able to kill him again.”
He looked at the Dark Mark scar with ravenous eyes, and Draco had an inkling where he planned to harvest the magic from.
“So what, you kill ex-Death Eaters for their Marks?”
“I don’t have to kill them. It’s simply easier that way, especially if I meet one who defected. We can still do this the nice way, Malfoy,” he offered.
“You killed Greg Goyle,” Draco suddenly realized and snatched his arm away. “Use Avada on me right now, because I have no intention of joining you. And if I live, I will find you.”
The man sighed like it was a great inconvenience. “He was making it hard. It was useless anyway, because I found out he never took the Dark Mark.”
“You’re insane.”
“No, but you might be. Draco, dear, it’s so sweet you think I will give you the most merciful, painless death of all.” He stood up and walked over to a nearby cluttered table. “You will be begging me for the Killing Curse. Let’s get to work now, shall we?”
He picked up a scalpel, scissors, and directed a candle to float right over Draco’s head. Draco shuffled away, but the chains didn’t even let him get near a wall. He was stuck in the middle of the room, trapped like the animals in the zoo he’d seen with Teddy.
“What are you going to do?” he asked when the man crouched near him again.
“I only need a piece of you, Malfoy.” He laughed, grabbing his arm, and it was all the warning Draco got before the blade cut into his skin.
He yelled out loud despite himself, but the man wasn’t bothered by the screams. With a steady hand, he dug deep, dragging the sharp knife in an oval shape. Draco couldn’t stop his cries when he saw the edge of his skin torn with blunt force. Once the man grabbed the scissors, his vision started going black. Still gritting his teeth, Draco passed out.
。。。。。
A piece of stale bread was thrown right in front of Draco’s face. He blinked, slowly regaining consciousness. He was lying on the floor like a dog, drenched in a pool of his own blood.
“Wasn’t so bad, was it?” He heard a mocking voice above him. “The surgery is over, and now you will have the privilege of witnessing how I drain the magic from your filthy flesh. Fun, right?”
Draco only mumbled in response. The Death Eater didn’t mind his less than chatty mood, humming to himself as he stirred something in a cauldron.
“I don’t quite know what to do with you now,” he wondered out loud. “Don’t worry, I will find a way to keep you useful. I suppose Nott Junior must have seen some sort of value in you. I haven’t had the chance to talk with him yet.”
“Stay away from him,” Draco managed to choke out, overwhelmed with the pain radiating from his arm.
“Even Harry Potter seems to like you quite a lot,” the man continued without acknowledging him. “Thank you for driving him away, by the way. It was so much easier for me to get you without him trailing behind you everywhere. Anyway, I don’t really see what’s so good about you. Do you take dick especially well? I’m a bit curious, but alas, I only like a nice, wet minge. You’re in luck.”
“Small mercies,” Draco muttered, trying to shift himself into a sitting position. “Will you be brewing this thing for much longer?”
“Seventy two hours. You were sleeping like a baby for two, so we’ve got seventy more to go. Better eat that bread.”
“No thanks,” Draco muttered, looking at the hard rock thing.
“Eat it, Malfoy.” The man sent him a single look before going back to slow stirring. “Unless you want me to shove it down your throat by force. I’m not letting you starve yourself to death. I told you, you’re not going out the easy way.”
“Great…” Draco picked it up and tried breaking off a piece. “You know, someone will look for me eventually. My mother is probably already getting worried.”
“No one will take your mother seriously.” The man suddenly turned around, fuming. “Don’t you see what we’ve been reduced to?! She’s a Black-Malfoy and yet nobody cares! Not one person from the authorities will care about you, Draco Malfoy. You can be the most distinguished pureblood, you can try to change and be good, but you’re nothing but dirt in the eyes of those muggle-loving scums. They will be happy you’re gone.”
“I work for the Ministry, they will notice my absence.”
“Most likely, yes. But do you think they will assume you’re the victim?” He gave Draco a pitying smile. “They will only look for you because they will think you are the danger. You got away from their tight leash and this will alarm them. You managed to make people forget your past, you forgot about it yourself, but the Mark I so benevolently removed from your arm will haunt you forever.”
“I don’t really feel it haunting me.”
“Oh, you are so deluded. Someone out there will probably try to connect you with the murders anyway. Did you like it in Azkaban?” Draco flinched at the prison’s name, which didn’t go unnoticed. “You didn’t. Too bad, you might end up there again, unless I succeed.”
“Do you think the Dark Lord respected purebloods? He treated my mother like a hostage in her own house, only using her as a leverage over my father. He spilled blood of many pureblooded Death Eaters in his service.”
“And you will be next, if you don’t use this chance to join me. He might still forgive your treason if you help bring him back to life.”
“I think I’d rather die.”
The man approached him slowly, towering over him.
“As you wish.”
The last thing Draco saw was the black sole of his boot.
。。。。。
He could barely move. He got some more bread, but his kidnapper’s favourite way of giving him water was a splash of Aguamenti to the face. The blood stopped flowing from his arm, yet he was still covered all over in the dried mess. There was no way to tell how many hours had passed, his mind faded in and out of consciousness, and the window must have been enchanted to always give light.
The man frequently left, kicked him on his way out, then came back to watch over the potion. He took pleasure in taunting Draco, cussing him out, but rarely put him through actual torture. In a way, Draco thought it was a relief. He tried his best to cheer himself up – mother would know he was missing, soon would be Monday, and Ron would know too. He was an Auror, had his own team, and most importantly, he was Draco’s friend. Right? He tried not letting the Death Eater’s words get to him, but they did plant a seed of doubt. Maybe people really wouldn’t care about him. Even though he changed, he was awful to Ron for years. People might think Draco had it coming.
At some point he concluded the seventy hours might be about to end. The man grew restless, pacing around the basement. He stopped talking and only got near Draco to kick him in the stomach. He used some spells on him too, despite clearly enjoying the physical pain he could bring with his own hands more. He slowly descended into madness, Draco noticed as his strength left him. By the end of it there was only Crucio.
Draco wasn’t exactly the pinnacle of bravery. He wasn’t strong or resilient, and his Slytherin instincts told him to agree to the man’s offer. He could even try to fake his agreement, and later trick him, but he probably wouldn’t be able to execute that. He felt sick just thinking about the rise of the Dark Lord; he would play no part in that. Either way, his family already trusted him once and paid a price.
He shut his mouth. Even as he was about to lose consciousness again from the pain, he stifled his screams to take away the man’s satisfaction. When the doors were busted open with a deafening bang, he was too delirious to do anything. He only opened his eyes when he heard a familiar voice.
“Harry,” he whispered under his breath. His heart jumped in his chest.
It was a quick fight that ended with the kidnapper on the floor, just like Draco. Harry pointed a wand at him and uttered a single word.
“Crucio.”
Draco startled at the sudden screams and scrambled up, standing with great difficulty. He had to grab Harry’s shoulders to avoid falling back down.
“Harry! Stop that!” When Harry snapped out of it and looked at him, Draco almost cried out with relief. “Are you dumb? If they check your wand they’re going to arrest you!”
“I used his.” Harry shrugged and cast a body-bind at the man. He cast another spell and Draco’s chains snapped open. “But I’m glad you worry about me.”
“Fuck,” Draco rasped, trudging over to the nearest wall and slumping down to the ground. “I’ve never been so happy to see your ugly mug.”
“I figured,” Harry responded, staring at the now knocked-out man with disdain.
“It's cold in here,” Draco glanced at his bloody arm and instantly felt a bit weak. “I'm getting dizzy. My wound opened up again.”
“You're probably bleeding out,” Harry informed him. He walked up closer, leaned on the wall and heavily slid down to the floor beside him. “Don't worry. Me too.”
They sat side by side, touching shoulders. Harry moved his jacket to reveal his bloody abdomen. Draco carefully lifted his soaked shirt to see the nasty gash.
“I didn’t notice he got you. It doesn't look good,” he muttered with a grim face. He pressed his hand down onto the wound to slow down the flow. “And that's definitely unsanitary.”
“Our blood mixing as we're dying on the dirty floor? Sounds pretty romantic to me.”
“How about you use that stupid mouth to say some healing spells instead,” Draco suggested, keeping his bloodied hands firmly on the cut. He was rapidly losing what was left of his strength; he had to put his whole body weight on top of Harry.
Magic tingled on his skin and the pain in his arm began to slowly recede. With joint effort they managed to heal Harry too, to an extent. They had no way to replenish the lost blood without any potions.
“The Aurors are on their way.” Harry tried comforting him.
“And you couldn’t have waited for back-up before rushing in?” Draco sent him a weak glare, before slumping a bit, resting his head on Harry’s shoulder. “How did you find me anyway?”
“I suspected a pureblood wizard wouldn’t remember to throw out your muggle phone. I tracked it.”
“Ugh, I love muggles so much.”
“Shouldn’t you be saying you love me? I don’t feel much gratitude from you right now.” Harry said jokingly.
Draco felt so much gratitude in that moment he had no idea how to express it without slamming their mouths together. He couldn’t do that, so he scoffed instead.
“Thank you. Living up to your Saviour reputation, I see.”
Aurors poured into the room then, Ron shouted commands at his team that quickly surrounded the kidnapper. He waved the Healers in, and three of them approached Harry and Draco.
“You will be fine. We’ll get you transported to Saint Mungo’s now, yeah?” Ron reassured them as the Healers fussed over them.
“Sure.” Draco heard Harry say as he obediently swallowed whatever potion the brunette Healer poured down his throat. He tried saying something too, but the exhaustion began to overtake him. The potion made him sleepy and he decided there was no use fighting that. He passed out feeling safe for the first time in days.
。。。。。
He woke up at night. Light was shining from the hospital corridor, allowing him to see around his room. There were only two occupied beds inside, and he saw the unmistakable figure of Potter on the other one. He stifled his groan as he tried to sit up.
“You’re awake,” Harry whispered and sent him a smile he could barely make out in the dim lighting.
“Yeah. How are we?”
“I’m getting discharged in the morning. You have to stay for observation.”
“Awesome,” Draco whined quietly. “What about that potion?”
“Neutralized,” Harry replied with a shrug. “Anyway, Voldemort’s soul was not in a state that could be summoned, so the ritual was doomed to fail from the start.”
“That’s good. It doesn’t change the fact that this freak killed several people. Even if they weren’t… good people. Greg didn’t deserve this.”
“His name is Trevor.”
“Like… Longbottom’s toad?”
“Exaclty,” Harry chuckled. ”He’s related to Lestranges, but I’ve never met him before. Funnily enough, he barely counts as a pureblood, because his mother was considered a half-blood.”
“Must be why he never got introduced at the family dinners,” Draco smiled weakly. “I hope they have the worst cell in Azkaban prepared for him.”
“Definitely. There will still be a trial for him first, you might be asked to speak.”
“I hate trials.”
“I know. I’ll be there too, if that’s any consolation. I might not be an Auror, but I’m also not exactly a regular citizen.” Harry got up from his bed and helped raise Draco’s up a bit. He fixed the pillows, and Draco sank into them with a sigh.
“They would take you back into their ranks, I’m sure. Are you planning to return to work?”
“Not really. I’ll get a job at some point, I think I’m just going to travel more first.” Harry sat back down on his bed, facing him.
“Where have you been for the past month?” Draco asked off-handedly, trying to mask his curiosity.
“France. There’s quite a lot to see there, even for someone not as cultured as you.” Harry smiled. “I also went to a Mind Healer, since everyone insisted. It was a pretty good choice, but I’m not done with therapy yet. We haven’t even finished getting through my childhood and I saw her twice a week.”
“I’m glad it’s working out for you.”
“Yeah. We also…” He looked away, tugging at his hair nervously. “Er, spoke about you. You were right.”
“About what?” Draco had a dreadful premonition swirling inside him all of a sudden.
“I should let you go. We’re clearly not that great for each other so we should both probably just… move on.”
No, Draco thought and sat up straight in a panic.
“Harry…”
“It’s nice to hear you say my name.” Harry stood up and headed for the door. “I will let the Healers know you woke up.” He left, giving him another smile. Only now did Draco realise how fake it was.
Mother was right, he realized with a sinking heart, and closed his eyes. They had to fix this before it was too late.
Notes:
my apologies to greg. plot got out of hand. also damn I keep making life worse for my boy draco but trust me harry is suffering too, you just don't get his pov. you'll see more of it next chaper + it probably won't be the last one after all
Chapter 8
Notes:
it was supposed to be the final chapter but I had to split it in half after all. you can expect the last one soon babes
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The trial was unpleasant. Harry and Ron were both there, and it was probably the only reason why Draco didn't spiral into a panic attack at the sight of the Wizengamot in front of him. It reminded him too much of the time he was the one facing the judge.
Trevor, since that was apparently his name, would be locked up twenty five long years. When he glanced at Harry once the sentence was announced, he saw a flash of righteous anger on his face, as if he was convinced it wouldn't be enough. Draco himself didn't have much of an opinion. He knew that even with all the new measures implemented post-war, Azkaban was a place one would suffer like nowhere else. Death haunted its walls.
Hermione joined them outside and the four of them headed out to take a walk through the muggle streets. Ron and Harry discussed the trial with passion ahead of them, while Hermione fell into a steady pace beside Draco.
“Are you alright?" she asked, giving him a brief look. “The boys told me you were in a bad state.”
“It wasn't that bad.” Draco rolled up his sleeve and showed her his bare forearm. “The Healers said I won't even have a scar.”
“Well, maybe not a physical one.” She stopped to examine it. “You may look alright, but you were kidnapped, Draco. I think it's no shame to admit you aren't perfectly fine.”
“I am fine,” he insisted. “I've seen Cruciatus from both ends of the wand before. A little bit of torture isn't enough to break me, and it was only three days anyway. Thank you for worrying, but I'm really not worth your compassion, nor do I need it.”
Hermione only sighed and didn't seem to have anything else left to say. She disagreed with him, he knew, and in a way it was nice. It was a relief to see others actually considered him a friend despite the things he'd done. If someone who had bullied him in the past was tortured now, he probably wouldn't care as much. Perhaps that was the difference between him and the bunch of merciful Gryffindors – they were better at learning to forgive.
“Keep up!” Ron yelled a few steps away from them. “We're going out for a pint.”
He should learn that too. It was stupid to hold a grudge against Harry. The only way forward was to put their whole past behind, Draco realized. It would be hard. He could put his pride aside, though that alone was a challenge, but it was Harry who had to be willing to forget a lot more. Trevor’s words rang in his head.
His mood remained grim through the first two beers and only the buzz of alcohol in his head seemed to finally lighten it up. They sat at a table near the window; Draco leaned on the ratty pillows behind his back and glanced outside every few minutes. Harry was sitting beside him while the couple lounged on the opposite sofa.
“We're going on a little trip next weekend,” Ron said and gave them a meaningful wink. The girl sipped her beer and remained completely oblivious.
“Oh my god!” Draco exclaimed once he got the hint but quickly calmed himself down. Ron kicked him under the table and sent him a warning glare that flew completely over Draco’s head. “That's great. Where are you going?”
“There is a conference in Prague I want to attend,” Hermione said with a shrug. “Not sure why Ron wants to tag along, but I suppose we haven't been anywhere together in a while.”
“It's a nice city,” Draco nodded. “What do you mean why? Don't you see how romantic a stroll on Charles Bridge could be? He wants to spend time with you, Hermione. Have mercy on the poor man and forget about work for a minute.”
The girl seemed to consider this for a moment, while Draco received another kick. His muddled brain belatedly registered it was a reminder to drop the topic. Harry came to his rescue.
“I didn't expect you to know anything about muggle architecture.”
“I am very well-versed in art history, Harry.” Draco caught Ron and Hermione exchanging a look at the use of a first name. “It's naive of you to assume it's all muggle.”
“And it's ignorant of you to assume artists needed magic to create,” Hermione piped up, all talk about romance forgotten.
“I'm not saying muggles can't be good at art. It's just logical that many of the old masters had to use spells. Look at Bernini and tell me he was a muggle man.”
Their argument grew heated until the girl promised to search for proof that Bernini was, in fact, a muggle. Draco stubbornly refused to accept such a possibility. Ron and Harry began completely ignoring them at some point and started their own conversation which revolved mostly around quidditch. They could hardly get any more boring. Draco strongly believed there was nothing else left to say about the sport that the two haven’t discussed in the past ten years.
Still, they stayed almost until closing time. Ron and Hermione left together. Harry wanted to tag along, but Ron sent Draco a meaningful glance. Draco grinned and tugged on the oblivious Harry's sleeve.
“Let them go first,” he whispered.
“Okay…” Harry said, blinking a couple times. The couple disapparated, leaving them alone on the street outside the bar.
“You live nearby, don't you?” Draco asked casually, because alcohol did make his mouth too loose sometimes. “Can I walk with you?”
“Er, sure,” Harry said with some hesitation. He led the way and Draco trailed along, trying to start a conversation.
“I miss living in London. There are so many things to do, so many people… There's nothing in my bloody village.”
“Your manor is quite secluded,” Harry agreed, still unsure what was going on. Draco took advantage of his confusion and just kept talking.
“You know, I think I have some right to your house. Not that I intend to get into a legal dispute with you. Just saying.” He sent Harry a playful smirk. “My name is on the family tapestry. You could invite me to see it when you have a free afternoon.”
“I'm unemployed. I always have free afternoons,” Harry said, gaping at him in utter lack of comprehension. “Why would you want to come to my house?”
“Can't we hang out?” Draco shrugged.
“No, I'm pretty sure you said we can't.”
“I take it back. Some… revelations were made.” He waved his hand around carelessly.
“Revelations.”
“Yeah.”
“How drunk are you?” Harry asked skeptically, furrowing his eyebrows.
Draco feared one more beer would make him tell Harry there was a quick and efficient way to add Harry's name to the Black family tapestry. Fortunately, he understood an off-hand proposal to his ex-nemesis would not be welcome.
“Not that drunk.”
Harry did not appear convincenced. He walked with Draco for the next ten minutes, patiently listening to him list all the reasons why the Manor was horrible. Mother's new furniture sucked, Draco's whole room was renovated in a way he didn't like, it hasn't felt like home in ages… Only when they reached Harry's street did he choose to ask a question.
“I thought you might move back in with Nott. Didn't you get back together with him?”
It had been nagging at Harry for a while, Draco realized after a single look at him. His shoulders were tense and he stared firmly ahead, even when Draco slowed down to a stop.
“Ron didn't tell you?” he asked carefully.
“All he said was that Nott was hired by Gringotts.”
“Well,” Draco sighed, leaning on Harry for support. “It's been his dream for years, but I'm sure he applied now mostly to escape from me. It would be difficult for us to work together after I rejected his proposal.”
“He proposed to you?” Harry finally looked at him and didn’t shrug him off. “And you said no?”
“Exactly. I always thought I would say yes to him, but it was clear he only did it as a last resort. Marriage isn’t for everybody, so I saw no point in forcing him into it. Well, anyway, it was an awful end to our relationship,” Draco rambled, taking a few steps away.
Harry hummed and started walking again with a somber expression on his face. He approached his house slowly and Draco followed.
“Hm. It would have been easier for me to move on if you were dating someone,” he admitted. “Either way, I'm glad you're fine now,” Harry said and turned around to give Draco a strained smile. There was no hope in his eyes, Draco thought as he walked away later to apparate home. He had to give Harry some hope back. How the hell was he supposed to do that?
。。。。。
Andromeda finally called him and asked to babysit Teddy. With the help of some magic, he baked animal-shaped biscuits. He put on his most colourful shirt and the only above the knee trousers he had. With sequins, because Marlena said they were stylish. He'd wear a honking clown nose if he had one; anything to entertain the child. He didn't tell his mother where he was going, but by the nostalgic look in her eyes Draco knew she'd guessed anyway.
He apparated and approached the doorstep. Once he knocked, the door opened and Andromeda's surprised face peeked out.
“Draco? Why haven't you used the floo?”
“I wasn't sure I could just… barge in.”
“Come inside, I need to finish getting ready,” she muttered. “I left food in the fridge. No sugar past dinner. Teddy needs to be in bed by nine at the latest,” she listed off.
“No problem.”
“You won't be alone with him so don't worry about it.” She put on her coat and checked herself in the mirror. “Harry should be here within an hour.”
“Oh. I didn't know he'd babysit too.” Draco laughed nervously.
“He wanted to visit. I told him he might as well come today,” Andromeda said offhandedly. She grabbed her purse, gave Draco a perfunctory hug and left.
He walked to Teddy's room, where the boy was sprawled on the rug and playing. He almost flew into Draco's arms when he entered the room.
“Hello, Tedward. What shall we do today, kind sir?” he asked the boy with a smile, spinning him around in the air.
“Puzzles!”
“Sure. Are you hungry? I baked something for you.”
They played for a while before going back to the drawing room. Draco gave the boy some biscuits on a plate and a glass of juice. Teddy talked about his first impression of muggle kindergarten, leaving crumbles all over himself.
“So you like school?” He vanished the mess away.
“Yeah! I have three new friends!” Teddy went on to describe his friends, two of which were twins but were reportedly very different. They chatted leisurely until the fireplace suddenly flared up. Harry fell out in a cloud of ash, coughing violently. He wiped his glasses clean and scanned the room.
“Andromeda?”
“She left,” Draco piped up. “Hi, Harry.”
“You’re here?” Harry stood still, gaping at Draco who lounged on the sofa like he owned it.
“Harry!” Teddy squealed and ran up to the man. Harry almost tipped over when the child jumped to his stomach.
“Ah, Teddy!” he huffed with a laugh. “Did you miss me?”
“Uh huh. Come on, Draco made biscuits.” Teddy grabbed his hand and led him to the coffee table. “Giraffe tastes the best.”
Harry took a seat next to Draco reluctantly and grabbed a somewhat disfigured giraffe. He smiled at the boy and once he got too busy with eating to pay attention, Harry turned to Draco with furrowed eyebrows.
“What are you doing here?” he asked in a hushed whisper.
“Andromeda asked me to come.”
“She asked me too!”
They stared at each other incredulously for a moment. Draco had a sudden thought that the woman had done it on purpose. Was she trying to play matchmaker?
“Well, it's not like we can't both stay,” he said finally. Harry hummed in response and grabbed an elephant.
“These are really good,” he praised with his mouth full. “Teddy, how about we play with your cars?”
The boy brought over several toys. The three of them ended up on the floor, surrounded by a number of tiny cars. They managed to transfigure an old box into a swirly ramp that made the cars launch into the air. Every time one flew across the room, the child burst out laughing.
They watched a cartoon later while Harry prepared food. The sky had already turned dark, but Teddy refused to go to bed. He sat between them on the sofa and practiced his metamorphmagus abilities. So far he could only make himself look like his godfather.
“Come on, Teddy. You can do it,” Draco said with a smile, gently urging the child. “Wouldn't you rather have hair like me?”
“It's very smooth,” Teddy agreed, but looked at Harry with some hesitance.
“I don't mind.” Harry nodded at him.
Teddy put on a very serious expression that looked almost comical on his baby face. After a minute of intense focus, he managed to make his dark, unruly hair smooth out into shiny waves. It looked almost like Draco's except for the colour. Instead, his eyes were rapidly turning into the signature pale grey of Black family.
“He looks a bit like Sirius now,” Harry noted and patted the boy's head.
“I suppose.” Draco shrugged. “It's as if Nymphadaora’s genes won. Black does seem to be his original hair colour.”
“So it didn't work.” Teddy looked between them and sighed dejectedly, then tried again. Slowly, the black turned into dark blond. “It's hard to make it do what I want,” he complained with a sad pout.
“You will learn to control it soon,” Harry reassured him. Teddy leaned into his embrace and his eyes were green again in a flash.
“Too bad,” Draco smiled and looked between them. “But Harry's eyes are much prettier anyway.”
“You think?” Harry chuckled mirthlessly.
“Obviously.” Draco saw Teddy yawn and gently pried him out of Harry's arms. “Are you sleepy? Come on, baby. Let's get you to bed.”
“I'm not a baby,” Teddy mumbled through another yawn but obediently let himself be picked up. “I don't have to sleep.”
“Anybody would be tired after that much magic.” Harry also stood up and coaxed him. “We will read you a story, how about that?”
In joint effort, they got Teddy to lie in his bed and tucked him in. Harry did the reading, while Draco kept lightly petting the boy's hair. It did turn the Malfoy platinum blonde after all. Once he was asleep, they exited the room and awkwardly hovered in the corridor.
“I can handle this from now,” Harry said finally with a stiff smile. “Andromeda should be back in a few hours, so I will probably kip on her sofa. Thanks for today.”
“Oh.” Draco stared at him for a second while processing the obvious hint. Harry politely kicked him out, and he couldn't think of an excuse good enough to stay. “Right, if you're sure. I will floo home.”
“Yeah. Thanks again. I'll see you soon.”
。。。。。
Ron finally grew enough balls to propose. Hermione accepted, obviously, because those two fools were perfect for each other. Draco never doubted that for a second.
The news of their engagement hasn't yet become common knowledge; the announcement would be made at a small get-together at the Burrow. Draco was somewhat hesitant to go, but Ron insisted. Hermione's birthday has already passed, so there would be no repeat of the last time. That was a relief, because the previous proposal famously didn't end well.
He put on charcoal trousers and a burgundy jumper that always looked a bit too Gryffindorish for his liking. He emerged from the fireplace and greeted everybody one by one. The whole bunch of Weasleys, obviously, Ron’s closest mates, Hermione's favourite coworkers. He'd seen most of them before, even if they‘d barely talked.
He naturally gravitated towards the kitchen where Molly Weasley was, despite being slightly nervous about facing her. After what Harry had told her about leaving Ginny, hostility would be understandable.
“Draco? How nice of you to visit,” she said and Draco had to avoid a plate flying right at his head that suggested otherwise. “How have you been? I heard about the kidnapping, that's horrible.”
They talked about it for a while, then moved to less depressing topics. Draco was beginning to relax when the woman suddenly brought up Harry.
“You know, I was hoping that his choice to break off the engagement was a moment of confusion. I wanted Harry to be part of the family,” she said softly. “Not that I don't consider him my child. He seems to exclude himself on purpose sometimes, as if he didn't feel like one of us. I reckon marrying Ginny would allow him to truly experience having a family for the first time.”
Draco hummed in agreement. “He wanted that too. To fit in, I mean.”
“I thought about it all for a long time. I'm glad he chose to follow his heart in the end.” The woman sent two more plates out of the kitchen. “It's just very unfortunate everybody got hurt in the process. I'm assuming you don't return his feelings, do you?”
“Me? Oh, I… Well, I suppose I do.” Draco felt his cheeks heat up. He nervously glanced around the kitchen for something he could take care of. “But it's not that simple. In fact, it got awfully complicated.”
“Love will always win. You shouldn't stand in its way,” Mrs Weasley said with solemn air. “Also, have you seen Harry anywhere? Why don't you check on him?”
Draco took that as his cue to leave. He bumped into Ron in the other room, but he didn't know where Harry was either. Go fetch him from the Grimmauld Place, was all Ron said before rushing off to greet someone else. Draco stood in front of the fireplace for a good minute, hesitating. Eventually, he took a deep breath to steady himself and walked through it.
The place kind of suggested it, but he still didn't expect the place to be quite so grim. Dark and dusty, with wallpapers so old they probably witnessed Walburga Black crawling, it didn't look like somewhere Harry would live at all. At the second glance, perhaps it wasn't so dirty. He imagined Harry didn't care whether the decorative cutlery was perfectly polished. Some items looked undeniably new but they somewhat drowned among the… gothic aesthetic. And the beer cans.
Once his eyes got used to the garish sight, he finally noticed the homeowner himself. He was sprawled on the sofa, dozing off. When Draco approached, he moved and a can rattled, falling to the ground.
“Hey, I know it's perfect weather for a nap, but you're late to the party.”
“Draco?” Harry asked groggily and rubbed his eyes. “I don't wanna wake up,” he mumbled.
“I'm happy to hear you dream about me,” Draco said with a teasing smile. “Unfortunately, you're awake and late to the Granger-Weasley party.”
Harry tensed for a second before sitting upright in a flash.
“Fuck! I only meant to lie down for five minutes!” He hastily patted out the wrinkles in his shirt.
“It's fine. It hasn't officially started yet.” Draco reassured him and walked deeper into the room to explore.
“Why are you here?” Harry asked once he gathered enough of his wits to realize what was off about the situation.
“Ron asked me to come fetch you.”
“Right. How do you like the house?” he said sarcastically when Draco started picking stuff off the shelves. “Will you try to legally take it from me after all?”
“No. I suppose it has… potential, but right now it doesn't have much charm.”
“Let me know before you visit next time, I'll make sure to clean first,” Harry deadpanned and approached the fireplace. “Okay, I'm ready. Let's go.”
They stumbled back into the Burrow's living room to see it packed full of people. Draco ended up sitting between Longbottom and Ginny, making dinner a rather awkward ordeal. Still, the food was great and there were plenty of drinks available. Once Ron and Hermione announced they would be getting married, the atmosphere turned even more lively. He chatted with Bill for a while, played a round of chess with a girl from Hermione's department, and eventually walked outside where some people played music. Two couples began dancing casually, inviting others to join in. Draco sat in a chair near a tree, nursing a glass of beer and watching the commotion with barely concealed disinterest.
“Not enjoying the party? I thought you'd be showing off your dancing moves.”
He raised his head when Ginny walked up to him. She brought a chair over and sat down.
“It's nice. I knew about Ron proposing so there was no element of surprise, I suppose. It's a shame Charlie's not here, he's my second favourite Weasley after your mum.”
“Ron's not your favourite?” she asked with a laugh. She must have had a few glasses already.
“Not even in the top three.”
“By the way,” the girl lowered her voice, ”how are things between you and Harry?”
“There's no me and Harry. Although, I'm not adamant that it stays this way anymore.” Draco sighed.
“You changed your mind? What happened to staying single?”
“Time heals wounds or whatever. Perhaps I'm already forgetting what it felt like when he broke my heart and humiliated me.” He shrugged. “God, I miss the wanker. He doesn't hold my past over me so maybe I should do the same and believe he won't do this again.”
“Yeah, I don't think he will. It's not like Harry's evil.” She hummed to herself and nodded her head with the music. “I would still get my revenge, if I were you.”
“I thought hurting him would give me satisfaction,” Draco said, looking into the distance thoughtfully. “It did at first, you know, watching his heart fall just like mine did. I wanted to tell him awful things, let him watch me choose another person, show him he's worthless to me…”
“But he isn't.” Ginny concluded simply.
“Yeah. There are many things I thought I might do, some as extreme as luring him to see me shag somebody else. I did realize there would be no coming back from that, though, only a vicious cycle of hurting one another.”
“Wow, look how far you've come. Your younger self would have unleashed hell upon him.” She chuckled.
“Absolutely,” Draco agreed. He took a generous sip of his beer.
“Well, you have my blessings if you want to date him. I'm better off without him.” She shrugged.
“Cheers.”
They sat together for a moment before Ginny put her glass down and looked at the impromptu dancefloor expectantly.
“Do you fancy a dance? Just watch your feet, there's a lot of grass.”
Draco sighed but got up from the chair and helped the girl up too.
“Fine. Might as well have some fun.”
“Any opportunity to drink is fun.” She grabbed his arm and led him between the other drunkenly swaying pairs. “My brother is getting married! We have to celebrate.”
“Finally a couple we can all agree is perfect for each other,” he muttered and swirled Ginny around.
“It really sounds like an insult coming from you.”
They danced together for a few songs, drawing in curious looks from everyone who knew the extra layers of history between them. Ron and Hermione joined too; Draco took the opportunity to switch partners and spin Hermione around.
“The effect would be better if you were wearing a dress,” he complained. “You have to dance with me at your wedding.”
“I will,” she reassured him. “I'll even let you help me pick the dress.”
“Oh my god. Can I be one of your bridesmaids?” Draco whined playfully, putting on a pleading look.
“I'm sure Ron will find a role for you.”
“Harry already took the best man position.” He sighed and instinctively searched for the man with his eyes. Hermione noticed it and sent him a teasing smile.
“Draco, why don't you dance with Harry instead? I'm afraid he might feel left out.”
Harry was sitting in the same spot Draco had been at earlier. He had an empty glass in his hand and a vacant look on his face. Draco had only drunk a little, but he had enough confidence to walk up to him anyway. He hardly had anything to lose.
Harry glanced up at him and groaned. He gestured to the chair beside him.
“Hello, handsome. How come you're all alone?” Draco fell into the seat with a sigh of relief. “I got bloody tired. Hermione's worried you might be feeling left out, so after I get some rest we can go dance. If you'd like.”
“No thanks.” Harry filled his glass with Aguamenti and passed it to Draco. “I can't dance and I don't like parties. You know that.”
“Oh my god,” Draco rolled his eyes and took a sip. “It's a joyous occasion. Where's your joy?”
“I am overjoyed,” Harry said with a straight face. “I've simply had a rough couple of days. Weeks, really.”
“I'm sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?”
When Draco reached over and lightly grabbed Harry's arm, the man turned his head towards him, cautious. Draco didn't budge and patted him gently.
“I doubt it.” Harry gave him a cold, unreadable look and Draco was instantly reminded of the past. He took his hand back.
“Well, sit here and sulk if you want to.” He bristled and got up. “Shall I bring you anything to drink?” he asked after a moment. Second chances, right? He would try to make Harry happy whether the prat wanted it or not.
Harry frowned and considered him for a short while. Eventually, his demeanor softened.
“Butterbeer?” He gave him a slightly stiff smile.
“Sure. Coming right up.”
。。。。。
The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the street. Draco stood outside the Weasley shop in Diagon Alley. It was closing time and it was no longer bustling, but several passerbys gave him curious looks. He shifted on his feet nervously and glanced at his watch. Harry should be finishing up already. The brilliant idea to wait for Harry after his shift came to him as soon as Ron told him about their new arrangement. George was sick and stuck in bed for the week, and since Harry was famously unemployed, he would be the one to keep the shop open. He'd worked there for some afternoons before, Draco’d heard but has never visited the shop himself before. Even now, he waited outside with some uncertainty. George never fully accepted him.
Harry tumbled out, fiddled with the keys while his bag slipped off his shoulder. He audibly sighed, dropped it onto the ground and analyzed the bunch of keys in his hand. Draco approached and picked it up.
“Need any help?” Draco asked. Harry almost jumped in place and swirled around.
“You scared me.” He let Draco help him put the bag back on. “It's been a long day. I don't think working at a shop full time is a career I'd like to consider.”
“I bet the sales go up when you're the one behind the counter.”
“Yes, they do. I'm like a tourist attraction.” Harry managed to close the shop and stood in front of Draco. “Why are you here?”
“Same reason as the rest of your fans. I just wanted to see you.” Draco smiled and watched the man's expression turn oddly sour.
“Alright. You can walk with me for a moment, I guess.”
“Gladly.”
Draco was ready to brace himself and just start talking. He told Harry he almost got blasted by a curse at work, that Ron asked him to pick out a suit for the wedding, and that he took interest in decorating cakes. He nattered on and on, while Harry only replied with hums and nods. He could no longer fight the awkwardness in the air.
“What is wrong with you?” he asked eventually, stopping abruptly. Some people nearby glanced at them, but he paid it no mind.
“Nothing. What's wrong with you?” Harry countered with a grim look.
“What?” Draco frowned.
“Would either of you gentlemen like to get pregnant?”
Harry and Draco both whipped their heads around at probably the most random question you could hear on the street. A blonde girl approached them with a beaming smile and a load of pamphlets in her hands.
“Wizengamot finally passed the bill about magical pregnancy. We're informing more people about it and encouraging same-sex couples to consider it,” she continued, pointing to her obnoxiously yellow shirt with the name of a charity in bold letters. “I can answer any of your questions, so don't be afraid to ask if you have any doubts!”
“Do you think that was the best conversation starter?” Draco raised an eyebrow.
“It grabbed your attention, didn't it?” She gave them a sly smirk.
“Okay. Do we look like either of us is wishing to get pregnant?”
“Maybe not to a random passerby, but I know about you.” Her voice turned into a stage whisper. “I was two years below you. You weren't exactly the most secretive about your relationship.”
“What are you talking about?” Draco huffed. They exchanged a look and Harry blanched.
“All my friends noticed too! Personally, I was hoping you would end up with Ginny Weasley, after all.” The girl glanced at Draco. “No offence, Malfoy. I'm just not into the bad boy type. You did change my mind later, though!”
“Right.”
“Oh, Harry. When you mentioned that lover in the last interview we immediately knew it was about Malfoy. That's so sweet. So, which one of you would rather be carrying?”
“That's not a discussion we've had. We're not even–” Harry began but ended up just shaking his head with a sigh. “Whatever. Draco?”
“Sure. I guess I'll get pregnant,” Draco replied in a deadpan voice.
“I knew it.” The girl smiled knowingly and left them with a couple of pamphlets. They watched her retreating back in silence for a moment before Harry groaned.
“What was that? How could she possibly know about us in eighth year? We had the map!”
“You were too preoccupied to always pay attention to it.” Draco started slowly walking again, away from the grinning girl and rude stares. “I won't lie, the idea of some Hufflepuff girls discussing which one of us takes it up the arse terrifies me.”
“Can you believe I spent years going mad thinking someone might discover us while we were already the number one gossip in the bloody Hufflepuff common room?”
“I'm surprised none of them went to the Prophet with it, it's not like they're above publishing hearsay.” Draco snorted. “Did you know? Reportedly, I was a bad boy.”
“You were the worst boy, Draco. That's hardly any news.”
“You don't like this type either?”
“No, I don't think I ever gave you the impression that I do. As you know, we weren't exactly the best mates until you dropped that attitude.” Harry rolled his eyes.
“True. Well, if you ever want to experience romancing a bad boy, do let me know, I'll see what I can do.”
“You love annoying me, don't you?” Harry has been leading them to an apparition point and seemed inclined to leave without another word. Draco stood in his way to stop him.
“Are you upset with me?” He decided to be bold. If that girl could be so shockingly blunt, then so could he. “What did I do?”
Harry gazed at him for a long, silent moment. Then, he grabbed Draco's arm and side-alonged him without a word.
They landed on barren fields with nothing but dry weeds on it and a forest on the horizon. There was a muddy road nearby and two houses in the distance; not a soul in sight.
“Where have you taken us?” Draco asked. The wind picked up, tugging at his clothes and hair harshly. The weather was completely different – the sky was full of dark clouds quickly swimming by. A storm was brewing.
“Nowhere. We're nowhere, Draco.” Harry grabbed both his arms. “No one is around but us.”
“I suppose that's true. Why, then?” He gave the man a wary look.
“I want us to forget about the world. I don't know what you're trying to do these days, but I can't take it anymore. Let's just have an honest conversation. If there was no one around, I never would have hesitated to be with you,” Harry confessed and it sounded genuine. “I regret it. I know you probably don't want to hear me explain myself again, because we both know I screwed up. One day I thought to myself, why would anyone care though? Is it wrong to love you? And I wish I'd realized it earlier.”
“Harry, I cannot blame you for hesitating to be with a Death Eater. At best, I can blame you for hurting my feelings and I most certainly deserved that.”
“You didn't. Why are you so self-deprecating all of a sudden?” Harry frowned, holding his arms tighter. They both shivered in the wind. “I don't understand you. I've been trying to push you away, because I can't deal with you… acting like this… without falling deeper for you.”
Draco chewed on his lip, gazing at the fields above Harry's shoulder. He squeezed some words out with difficulty.
“I'm trying to… I don't know. I'm sorry. I'm trying to change your mind but it seems like you're already moving on, and I'm starting to think you probably should. I can't be the best person for you.”
“So? You're the person I want, Draco.” Harry looked so worn out. “You told me to leave you alone so I did. What do you want from me now?”
“I missed you,” Draco said simply. “It's so stupid of me. I pushed you away and now I selfishly want you back. That's enough reason for you to dump me here.”
“I will decide on that,” Harry muttered and his eyes searched all over Draco's face.
“This is our last chance, Harry.” Draco let out a weary sigh. His heart hammered in his chest, but it needed to be said anyway. “Neither of us have forever. Either we try being together or we leave each other alone for good.”
For a terrifying second he was afraid Harry would choose the latter, but he gave him a faint smile.
“You have your sins, I have mine. We can work it out, but I need to know if you will accept me despite it all. I accept you, Draco.”
The wind made Harry's hair fly in all directions, giving Draco a clear view of the scar on his forehead that damned him in so many ways. He only glanced at it briefly, focusing on the green eyes instead. He saw eagerness and uncertainty in them. Harry was scared, his hands squeezed him too tight, but he still asked like the brave man he was. Draco could only think of one answer.
“I will.”
“You need to tell me if this is your final decision.”
“It is.” This battle was already lost; he could never escape Harry. He no longer wanted to. He gave the man a weak smile back.
Harry exhaled in relief, immediately pulling Draco into a tight hug. He smashed their lips together for a brief second in a rushed kiss, then buried his face in Draco's neck, trembling slightly.
“I was so sure you'd reject me,” he whispered and Draco hugged him back, seeking his warmth. His eyes started stinging a little. “I didn't want to move on, but you gave me no choice. I tried, but then you started talking to me whenever you could and flirting with me, and I thought you were messing with me,” he rambled.
“I'm sorry. I didn't want you to leave again and forget about me.”
“I wouldn't.” Harry leaned away enough to look him in the eyes. Draco blinked a few times to chase the tears away. “I will court you properly, I'll even ask your parents for permission.”
“Alright.” Draco snickered, sniffling wetly. “No kissing allowed then.”
“Why?” Harry muttered but didn't protest when Draco turned his head away.
“My father will tell you the rules of courting a Malfoy.” He smirked and wiped his face. “The problem is, I bet he doesn't remember any, so he will make some up on the spot to cover it up.”
“Can't we go with the Black family rules instead?"
“If you want to give me a vial of your blood for ancient rituals, then sure.”
Harry dropped his head onto Draco's shoulder in defeat. Draco felt the cold breeze violently hit his back, but Harry kept him warm. He held him for a while, brushing his fingers through the man's unruly hair.
“Maybe we really should take it slow,” Harry wondered out loud. “We've known each other for so long, but have we ever actually tried to be friends? I want to know you the best in the world, Draco. I want to know your soul.”
“And I want to know yours,” Draco pressed a kiss to his temple. “Let's have a fresh start. My name is Draco, I was a Slytherin, I like baking, and I hope your mother's genes won't make our kids ginger.”
“That's not really how genes work. Don't worry about it,” Harry mumbled. “Er, you know what my name is, I'm a Gryffindor, I killed a bloke, and I play seeker.”
“Please don't introduce yourself like that to my parents.”
“Must I really do that?” he whined. “Okay, let's get this over with.” His hold on Draco tightened and before he had the chance to protest, Harry apparated them to Wiltshire.
If it wasn't for Harry holding him up, Draco would have fallen on his arse. He looked around in mute shock and took a step away.
“What the hell? Right now?” he yelled as the gate to his property swung open. “We've been dating for five minutes! What happened to taking it slow?”
“It was starting to rain there, and I want to give your parents time to adjust to the idea anyway,” Harry said with faux confidence and marched through the gate. “It's fine to call you my boyfriend, right? Can we move fast enough to skip right to the title?”
“Yes, sure, I suppose we can,” Draco said and frantically followed him. “You're just going to walk inside? Oh my god. Lippy!”
The elf popped into existence on the path to the Manor door and gaped at the guest for a moment. Her ears flopped wildly as if she didn't know what to do.
“Good evening, Master!” She greeted and then squealed with barely suppressed excitement, “It's Harry Potter!”
“Hello, nice to see you again.” Harry smiled at her while Draco stepped in front of him.
“Lippy, please tell my parents we have a visitor. Prepare some of my pastries and wine for my mother in the main sitting room.” He glanced back at Harry and sighed. “She's going to need that.”
Lippy immediately got to work while they strolled through the garden. Draco explained his mother planted so many kinds of flowers to make sure at least one of them was blooming at all times. He didn't really care about that and neither did Harry, but his useless talking seemed to call the man down. Harry was probably high on adrenaline like on Liquid Luck and trying to use it to his advantage. For all his fake bravado, when Draco glanced down, his hand was shaking. He grabbed it and squeezed Harry's fingers.
“Why are you nervous? You don't even like them.”
“Yeah, but I can't exactly tell them to sod off anymore.”
The Manor doors creaked ominously. They walked inside and Draco felt Harry jerk slightly. His stomach squeezed at the memory of the last time they were in the atrium together, but it was fine. They would be mature about it.
Lucius was sitting at the table, his wheelchair hidden from view. Narcissa walked inside right when they did and looked Harry up and down. They let go of each other on instinct.
“Hello, Mr Potter. How incredibly kind of you to visit,” she said, waving a hand to make them approach closer. Draco took the lead and sat at the table. Harry sat next to him and stumbled through his greetings.
“Er, I also apologize for intruding,” he said eventually, scratching his neck awkwardly.
“Draco's guests are always welcome.” Narcissa took the glass Lippy had brought and took a generous sip. Draco hid his smile behind his hand and braced himself for a very unpleasant conversation. “Speaking of, I get the impression you have news for me.”
“Yes, mother. Harry wishes to court me.”
You could only see Narcissa lose her composure for a second or so. She put the wine glass down gently. Before she could talk, Lucius yelled out.
“Harry Potter?!”
“That would be me,” Harry piped up weakly.
“I dislike you. I can't quite recall why, but I believe you're not the right person for my son,” Lucius sat up straight, looking his most intimidating.
“But father,” Draco whispered, “you already approved of him earlier." He pouted and sent Lucius a pleading look.
“Have I?” Lucius scratched his beard in thought. “In that case, I won't take my words back. You have my blessings.”
Draco smiled sweetly and pushed the plate of pastries closer to him. Narcissa cleared her throat.
“Not so fast, darling. Allow me to ask some questions first. Mr Potter, do you truly intend to marry our Draco?”
“Uh, if he agrees to marry me, sure.” Harry shifted in his seat. Draco sighed and grabbed his hand under the table, sending his mother a warning look. She ignored him and continued with the interrogation.
“I need you to understand the gravity of your decision. You may not appreciate Draco's pureblood status, good upbringing, and impeccable manners, but there are others who do. I assure you that I have several suitors lined up for Draco, should you change your mind.” Her cold eyes scanned Harry for a reaction. “This includes the son of the Spanish Minister, and let's just say they don't shy away from nepotism over there. Draco can get far in life, with or without you.”
“I don't doubt that.”
“We can discuss dowry, merging of property, and other such matters at a later date. Traditionally, it shall be decided on by one's parents. If you wish, I can contact Molly Weasley and have that discussion with her. I believe she has enough knowledge in this area.”
“Sure,” Harry said with visible reluctance and exchanged glances with Draco. Draco shrugged. The image of his mother having any discussion with Mrs Weasley was simply too funny.
“What matters to me the most is how you treat Draco. I know you boys have a long and complicated history, but I do not want to see my son sad because of you, Mr Potter.” Narcissa raised an eyebrow, challenging Harry to say something. He only nodded meekly.
“I don't want to see him sad either, Mrs Malfoy.”
“Alright,” she said finally. “I trust my son will make a good decision.”
The air in the room turned lighter. Draco heard Harry take a deep breath.
“Mother, I intend to give my relationship with Harry a chance. If we find it too hard and it doesn't work out between us, I will accept the Spanish suitor.” He winked at his mother and almost laughed when Harry's head whipped in his direction.
“Then so be it. Let's eat.”
Thus Harry was forced to stay for dinner and endure long, bland conversations. Narcissa subtly steered the topic in a way that got the most information out of him, which didn't go unnoticed. Harry remained polite through it all and answered truthfully, so it went better than Draco had expected. Still, the moment his parents put the cutlery down, he found an excuse to drag Harry outside into the atrium.
“Sorry you had to stay for so long with them.”
“It's fine. Your mother obviously cares about you quite a lot.” Harry shrugged but his face suddenly twisted in a sneer. “Enough to give you a good life even through… questionable means.”
“You know there's no Spanish suitor, right?” The corner of Draco's lips twitched.
“Are you certain?”
“She's just trying to scare you.”
“It's working. I'm terrified.” Harry leaned on the wall.
“Well, you can escape her for now.” With Draco's words the doors opened. “You don't have to come to my mother's tea parties.”
“How about we meet elsewhere?” Harry suggested and closed the distance between them in a few quick steps. “I will wait for you after work and we can take a stroll in muggle London.”
“Fine with me. Tomorrow?” Draco let the man's arms wrap around his waist casually.
“Okay,” Harry said and his eyes dropped to Draco's lips. “Is there really no kissing allowed?”
Draco moved until their noses were close enough to touch. When Harry moved too, he turned his head and smiled playfully. “Not allowed. Definitely not in this house.”
“Must you torment me?” Harry whispered dejectedly but stepped away. “Great. I'll see you tomorrow then… I can't believe we're dating,” he added.
“Neither can I,” Draco replied, smiling.
“You’re really my boyfriend? Just like that?”
“Yes, Harry, I am.” He chuckled. “See you tomorrow.”
He watched Harry leave until his silhouette disappeared in the garden. He stood by the door for a long time after that, lost in thought. His mother quietly came up behind him.
“So you've decided to choose him,” she stated simply.
“It won’t be easy for us… We're not soulmates, mom. Not at all.”
“You probably aren't,” she agreed, “but I'm glad either way. He is, in fact, your best suitor.”
Notes:
I have a feeling some of you might not be happy about draco's decision lmao. but it really was the last chance to turn things around before harry moved on. he will prove himself as a great bf the next chapter, hopefully
Chapter 9
Notes:
I'm FREE omg this took several months. I'm moving continents tomorrow and my laptop broke last night so I barely managed to finish this but yay! I hope you like it and thank you for reading
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Several weeks passed. Summer turned into the signature, crappy British weather. No sun, just rain and fog. Draco lived through it every year but it never ceased to displease him.
They've established a routine with Harry. Almost every day, Draco would exit the Ministry normally instead of using the floo. Harry would wait for him outside, and together they would take a walk through muggle London.
They frequented a coffee shop near Draco's old flat, but other than that took to exploring new places. Harry seemed to enjoy discovering new restaurants and trying new flavours, and Draco found it endearing. They went clubbing on some weekends or hung out with either Draco's or Harry's friends. When the weather was particularly bad, they went straight to Grimmauld Place. Even then, they kept some distance between them.
After nearly a month of dating, or courting how Narcissa insisted they called it, they still didn't kiss. Not that Draco didn't want to – it started off partially as a joke on his part, but they came to a mutual decision.
“No, I get it,” Harry had said. “Last time we started our relationship all wrong. It might be good to focus on feelings instead.”
Draco regretted it only a little bit. He's had some frustrating wanking sessions since then.
Overall, it was going… well. There were subjects neither of them was brave enough to broach yet, but they also didn't fight. He counted that as a win.
The Daily Prophet caught on pretty quickly. The dreaded morning finally came. Draco was on his way to the office like any other day, but people couldn't seem to stop staring at him. Philip greeted him in the lift, yet his face had a noticeably sour expression. Draco could only hope the paper refrained from calling him a harlot this time. He felt some relief when Hyacinth shook his hand with excitement and congratulated him. It couldn't be that bad.
He sat down at his desk and folded out the newspaper. He was almost slapped in the face with a massive picture of himself and Harry taken by some sneaky paparazzi.
THE BOY WHO LIVED TO LOVE THE ENEMY: HARRY POTTER'S SHOCKING ROMANCE WITH DRACO MALFOY
The title wasn't too bad, Draco thought. He didn't appreciate the enemy comment, but it was still more flattering than the last time he’d made the news.
The photo itself was also pretty tame. The two of them were standing outside a shop on a dim evening. Harry's hand was on his back but then moved up to fix Draco's hair. Harry brushed away some strands from Draco's face and lingered hesitantly; Draco then moved his head and leaned into his palm. Harry must have said something embarrassingly romantic, because Draco in the picture gave him a smile so sweet it made him pause. He stared at the photo until it looped a few times and felt his cheeks heat up. He had no idea he could look so… loving.
The article introduced them briefly, as if there was anyone who didn't know who Harry Potter was. It mentioned why exactly Draco could be called an enemy, which was, again, completely unnecessary. Whatever. Draco read on, reaching the speculating part.
Not long ago we mourned the loss of the nation's couple, Harry and Ginevra Weasley. It appears that our Saviour finished the grieving period and moved on to find another lover. We cannot begrudge him that; he certainly deserves love after everything he's gone through.
Draco snickered. The Prophet never failed at backhanded compliments and jabs full of thinly veiled judgement.
Some readers might remember an interview in which Harry revealed he had a special someone. He had seemed nervous at the time, but it looks like he succeeded and got his sweetheart’s attention. Congratulations, Harry! Let's hope you chose wisely.
Draco scoffed and had a sudden urge to toss the paper away.
Draco Malfoy has received redemption in the eyes of many; it's safe to assume he turned over a new leaf. Despite his criminal past, he is now a Ministry employee with impeccable performance, a big supporter of various charities, and also recently single. Something about him must have charmed Harry Potter, as the two have been spotted together almost every day for the past few weeks. We apologize for not providing more interesting pictures, but you have to believe us—the way they act suggests their feelings go way deeper than those of simple friends.
Not too bad. He felt some satisfaction knowing the paparazzi relentlessly followed them everywhere but couldn't take a single scandalous picture. The article's narration could have been entirely different if they were caught snogging at the club. Not that they did snog. Fuck.
Perhaps it would be easier if they had never been intimate at all, but Draco could still recall what Harry's skin felt like. It's already become a foggy memory though; he would really like to refresh it. It was Theo whom Draco remembered best, and things between them were long over.
He shook his head and placed the newspaper on his desk. This wasn't the right time to be thinking about kissing your boyfriend. There wasn't much else said in the article that mattered, mostly speculations.
He emerged from the Ministry and was greeted by rain and freezing wind. He spotted Harry nearby, standing safely under an umbrella. Once he saw Draco, he approached quickly and held his hand.
“The weather isn't great for a walk today. Shall we apparate to my place?” he asked through chattering teeth.
“You didn't have to wait for me,” Draco frowned and gripped him tighter. “You knew I was coming anyway.” Together they apparated in front of Grimmauld Place.
“Fuck. It's freezing,” Harry complained and wiped his glasses once they were inside. Draco sighed and tapped them with his wand.
“And it will only get worse. Next time just stay at home, I will take the floo.”
Harry hummed in agreement and disappeared into the kitchen. Draco left his bag on the couch and followed him.
“Have you seen the article?”
“Haven't read it yet. Did it say anything bad about you?” Harry looked into a pot.
“Not really. They seem to be wishing us luck.”
“Good, I don't really care then. I want everyone to know you're mine.”
“How romantic. “ Draco snickered.
“Looks like Kreacher made dinner while I was gone. I think it's baked pasta… He even grated cheese on top.” Harry scoffed. “He's really outdoing himself whenever you visit.”
“He likes me.” Draco shrugged and grabbed two plates from the cabinet. Harry served them both a generous portion.
They moved to the dining room and the elf soon popped in to bring them tea. Harry rolled his eyes but thanked him. Draco told some stories from work but eventually noticed Harry was almost squirming in his seat. He was being unusually silent too. Draco had a bad premonition and it was confirmed pretty quickly, because once they were done eating, Harry downed his tea and spoke up.
“You know, before we started dating I planned another trip…”
“You can't leave.” Draco was alarmed in an instant. “I won't let you disappear for another month. Don't even think about it.”
“I won't,” Harry reassured him quickly. He reached over the table and grabbed his hand. “Draco, I won't leave you.”
“Okay,” Draco said, his suspicions not yet dispersed. “Tell me more about this trip then.”
“I'm going to Italy for a week. I already booked the hotel and went to the Portkey Office.” Harry squeezed his hand and cleared his throat. “The question is, would you like to come with me? You're allowed to leave the country now, aren't you?”
“Yeah, I can go. In theory. The Ministry might not let me take leave off work.” Draco needed a few seconds to fully process the question. “You want me to go to Italy with you? Really?”
“Yes, well, it's just a week.” Harry smiled nervously. “It's fine if you don't want to go. I can cancel it, too, if you'd rather I stayed here.”
“No, it's fine. Of course you can go! I'll ask if I can take a few days off. I would love to accompany you, Harry.” Draco squeezed his hand back and watched the man's face light up.
。。。。。
They went to Rome together. How amazing it is to feel the sun again, was Draco's first impression. As they walked through the city he recalled some places distantly. He'd been there once, many years ago. He happily helped Harry plan the trip and took on the role of a tour guide.
He intended to fully relax during the week and forget about all his troubles. His calm demeanor was put to the test already at the hotel.
“Harry,” he said and gave the man an unimpressed glare. “Why is there only one bed?”
“I planned to go alone,” Harry scratched his head, bashful. “They wouldn't let me change it. Don't worry, I won't touch you.”
That was the problem. Draco really wanted to be touched.
“Okay. It's fine.”
They were wizards, his mind supplied. Making another bed would take less than a minute, but he selfishly kept that thought to himself. Harry probably wouldn't catch on anyway.
During the first day they took a walk to the most tourist-packed spots. Harry quite liked Fontana di Trevi, but complained when Draco dragged him around to see all the local churches and monuments.
“How much longer do we have to walk?” he asked when they were climbing a steep street.
“Just a few minutes. Endure it, Harry, you're going to see baroque excellency.” Draco happily showed him San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, which Harry did not at all appreciate. Draco treated him to some gelato, but the man refused to see another thing that day.
They visited the Colosseum next, which Harry seemed to like the most, so Draco chose not to comment it was a place bathed in blood. He also insisted they see inside the Vatican, and Draco was the one reluctant for once.
“Maybe we'll see the Pope too,” Harry mused while they stood in the horrifyingly long queue.
“Neither of us is Catholic.” Draco rolled his eyes.
“So? He's an important figure.” Harry shrugged. “Besides, we go inside churches all the time.”
“Because of their historical value.”
His skepticism dispersed when he got a tour of the museum there. They spent a few hours on the grounds that Harry insisted were sacred and forbade Draco from using magic on.
“I have manners, I won't do it,” Draco muttered. “But it's a tad chilly here. I could use a warning charm.”
Harry took the jacket off his back and handed it to Draco.
“Will that be enough?”
“Yes, thank you.” Draco squashed the urge to give him a kiss and instead briefly touched his hand instead. “That's way better. What if they have some wards that will alarm them when someone uses magic? We'd be arrested by some secret Vatican police.”
Harry told him to stop with the conspiracy theories. They managed to get through the day without getting arrested, and the day after that. Throughout the trip they ate the amount of pizza Draco firmly believed no human should, coupled with tiramisu for dessert. However, that was what Harry wanted, and Draco did whatever Harry wanted to do. It worked the other way around as well; even if he wasn't happy about it, Harry agreed to whatever Draco planned. What was it people said? Happy wife, happy life? But it seemed they both considered the other one the wife.
Draco thought it was almost comical, actually. How did the two of them end up in a fairly healthy relationship was beyond him. He'd expected they would fight over every little thing, but they didn't. There were times when they had some petty squabbles or insulted each other almost on instincts, but neither took it seriously. He partially attributed it to the fact that they haven't faced a serious challenge yet, but still – it was surprisingly easy.
On their last evening in Rome, they found a fancy place to eat dinner. Draco insisted he would pay, since he was the one earning a salary now. Harry was visibly feeling out of place at first, but Draco reassured him his shirt was nice enough.
“There's still wine left.” Draco lifted the bottle. “Would you like some?”
Harry silently slid his glass closer on the table. Draco refilled it and passed it back.
“Thanks.” Harry sat back in his seat and looked at him wordlessly.
“What are you thinking about, Harry?” Draco asked casually, swirling the wine in his own glass.
“Why can't you call me something nicer? Didn't you always use a pet name with Nott?”
“What do you want me to use?” Draco frowned, caught off guard.
“Baby?” Harry suggested with a tentative smile.
“Too plebeian.” Draco shook his head, hoping he didn't look as embarrassed as he felt.
“I am plebeian.”
“Okay. Dear?” He rubbed his temple.
“All middle aged ladies call me dear,” Harry protested.
“I'm not calling you sweetheart or something like that.” Draco took a sip and looked away. He huffed in defeat before stuttering out, “Love?”
Harry didn't look in the slightest bit abashed. A wide grin lit up his face.
“That's perfect, baby. You know why?” He leaned over the table until their faces were close together. Draco stopped breathing when Harry's lips almost brushed his ear. “Because I love you.”
“You…” Draco bit his lip, praying his face wasn't red. He let out a breath with a small shudder and put some distance between them. “And I love you,” he whispered finally. Harry's green eyes grew even brighter.
“I'm happy to hear that.” Harry whispered. “Shall we return to the hotel?”
They walked outside into the sunlit streets unhurriedly. During the darkest times of war, Draco never expected such an outcome for himself. Even afterwards, sometimes he thought he didn't deserve happiness. How could he, when he already got luckier than most people on both sides of it? But there he was now, strolling through Rome, tipsy, and with Harry's hand in his. He let their hands swing between them, even though it felt a little silly. He simply let himself be happy.
They returned to the hotel and took turns to shower. Draco walked out of the bathroom to finish doing his hair and let Harry go in, like they did every night. He brushed through his damp hair and glanced at the bed. They had no problem sleeping side by side, although Harry didn't keep his word and did hug Draco while unconscious a few times. Draco obviously didn't mind. He began thinking about the agreement between them. After almost two months, would it be moving too fast? When they've known each other since they were kids, and Draco never wanted to be apart again? It was too late to fear he would one day regret it. His heart has already been Harry's for a long time.
He sprawled on the sheets in thought and waited until Harry emerged from the bathroom. He watched the man for a moment in silence. Harry turned the main lights off, only leaving their bedside lamps. He brushed his unruly hair, put away his watch, and stuck his wand under the pillow. When he was almost ready, Draco bit his lips and hesitated.
“It's our last night here,” he said casually.
“It is.” Harry nodded, folding his clothes.
“Come here, love,” Draco squeezed out finally. “Lie down with me.”
Harry dropped the shirt he was folding onto the chair and turned around abruptly. “Oh. Sure, in a second.” He stared at Draco with visible uncertainty. He continued fussing over the shirt for a while, then poured himself a glass of water. “Would you like me to get you anything?”
“No, thanks. I only want you,” Draco said, feeling himself turn red. He barely managed to squash the urge to roll over and scream into his pillow.
Harry placed down the glass and looked at him again. “Really? Are you sure?”
Draco nodded, not sure he could speak without sounding utterly pathetic. Harry approached the bed in a few quick strides and leaned over him. Draco tugged on his pajama shirt, making Harry lose balance and stumble in.
“I think we've waited enough,” he suggested, searching for an answer in Harry's widened eyes.
“Yeah. Definitely.” Harry hovered above him. Draco saw him gulp. “So… what do we do now?”
“Well, Harry…” Draco smiled at him and reached out to wrap his arms around his neck. “For starters, I would really like you to kiss me.”
He didn't have to ask twice. Harry tossed his glasses away and pressed their lips together, and it almost immediately turned into a heated, open-mouthed kiss. Draco readily let Harry's tongue inside, and whenever he grew more aggressive, Draco gave back just as much. He sucked on Harry's bottom lip, biting it, and harshly tugging on his hair. It only escalated, giving them both a sense of urgency, until Draco was trembling with need. When Harry's body pressed down on him in a sudden shift of an angle, he couldn't help the whine that escaped him. He gasped for air weakly when Harry placed a kiss on his throat.
“I love you,” Harry whispered against his skin. “I love you, I love you.”
“You can't just… say that.” Draco whispered and his face heated up even more.
“Am I making you nervous?” He felt Harry chuckle, his breath hitting Draco's jaw. “I can tell you that every day. I love you, Draco. Don't you know?”
Draco shivered and placed his hand on Harry's back. He hooked a leg over his thighs, pressing Harry down on him until there was no space left between them.
“I know,” he mumbled, craning his neck to the side. Harry immediately took the chance to kiss him there. “I love you too.”
He felt Harry's teeth pinch his skin lightly at his words. He held his breath, welcoming the brief stinging pain. Harry sucked at it, then moving down his throat, still biting gently. Draco dreaded checking the mirror in the morning.
“You will leave marks.”
“Yeah. I hope you don't mind. I'm obsessed with you, baby.”
“I know that too,” Draco chuckled, moving his hand lower to slide it under Harry's shirt. “You're lucky I find stalking rather flattering.”
“I'm so jealous that Nott got to touch you,” Harry continued, “the way even I haven't yet. I'm so mad he got to take you first.”
“You had your chance,” Draco reminded him and caressed him soothingly when Harry's muscles seemed to stiffen.
“I never should have let you go. I can't believe I had you and was stupid enough to lose you.”
“Just don't make the same mistake again, love.” Draco turned his head so that they could look each other in the eyes. He smiled and placed a palm on Harry's cheek. “Also, you know what's stupid? Making me wait here with my dick hard.”
Harry chuckled breathlessly and gave Draco another kiss. “You're right. I'll take care of it.”
True to his word, Harry lifted himself up a bit to unbutton Draco's pajamas. He moved down from his throat and slowly kissed his chest all the way to the navel. Harry took his time; he licked and bit the skin, then sucked on his nipples for a moment, before finally helping Draco out of the clothes. They unceremoniously landed on the floor.
Draco had no intention to be the only one naked. He was less careful with it and almost ripped Harry's shirt right off. His shaky hands tugged on the fabric clumsily; his magic must have come to send help, because everything Harry had on suddenly vanished. Draco nearly salivated at the sight.
“Fuck, how do you look so good?” he asked, running his fingers down Harry's chest. It was sweaty and slightly hairy, but with sizable pectorals and more muscle on the stomach than he had expected. He couldn't help himself. He pushed Harry to make him lie down and greedily licked his abs.
“I try to exercise…” Harry’s breath hitched when Draco pressed one hand to his upper thigh. “To keep in shape.”
Draco moved it higher and grasped Harry’s erection in his palm. He felt his own dick twitch.
“Fuck,” he cursed again, itching to grab it and give himself some relief. “Fuck, Harry, you have to put this thing inside me tonight.”
“I will,” Harry promised and shifted to get Draco under him once more. He seated himself between Draco's open legs and watched him for a while.
“Harry, now.”
“I'm just admiring you.” Harry grinned and plunged his hand under the pillow to search for his wand. Once he took it out, he waved it around Draco's stomach and muttered a few spells. “You should be loose enough, but let me check.”
He easily slipped two fingers inside Draco, making him let out a stifled moan. He bent his knuckles, pumped them in and out, going as deep as he could to explore all crevices. Draco lay on his back with one leg hooked on Harry and just tried to keep his knees from shaking.
“I've had enough of my own fingers these past few months. Put it in already,” he whined and lifted his hips off the bed.
Harry shifted to sit back on his knees and put the tip of his cock in Draco's lubed up hole. Little by little, he pushed himself inside.
“How is it?” he asked when he bottomed out.
“Big,” Draco squeezed out, gasping. Harry leaned over him, suddenly pressing on his pelvis and reaching even deeper inside him. His eyes almost rolled back in his head. He spoke with some difficulty. “But I already knew that. I want to know whether you can put your equipment to use.”
“I’ll show you.” Harry began lightly grinding his hips without taking his cock out. “The things I want to do to you, Draco… I want to kiss every inch of your skin, eat you out, leave you full of my marks and my cum.”
“We won't be able to do all the things I want to do tonight, Harry.” Draco tightened his muscles, making Harry hiss in pleasure. “And I'm not letting you out of bed anytime soon.”
Harry began moving at last. Draco shuddered with every thrust, so turned on he felt on the edge of an orgasm almost immediately. Moans spilled past his lips every time Harry's cock rubbed on his prostate.
“Am I being too harsh?” Harry asked when Draco cried out loud.
“Fuck, don't stop,” Draco’s eyes watered from frustration. “Deeper, come on! Just fuck me!”
Encouraged, Harry pulled him into a mating press and slammed hard into him. Draco was sure half the hotel could hear him scream.
“Is that good?”
“Yes! Keep doing that, fuck, I will go crazy if I don't come,” Draco mumbled, almost incoherent, and grabbed whatever part of Harry he could reach. With the other hand he tugged at his own dick frantically.
Harry pounded into him until they were both covered in sweat, moaning openly whenever Draco squeezed him. Finally, finally, Draco spilled all over his stomach, coming so hard for a moment he could barely breathe. He felt Harry shudder, thighs shaking, and finish deep inside him with a groan.
Harry released his hold on Draco's legs and collapsed on top of him. He waved a hand to vanish the mess.
“I don't think I've ever come so hard in my life,” he muttered, burying his face in Draco's neck.
“Me too. And it will only get better,” Draco reassured him with a smirk. “Also, we're not done yet. I want to suck you off, then I want you to suck me off, and then we'll see.”
“Sure, baby, but give me a minute.”
“No rush, we have time. Check out is only at eleven in the morning.”
。。。。。
Narcissa was not happy. In fact, Draco hasn't seen her that displeased in ages. He decided to stand his ground anyway.
“Let him go, Cissy,” Lucius said. He was so full of leisure that Draco sometimes thought the illness had to be a blessing. “He's a big boy.”
“I do not want to see a repeat of the whole fiasco with Theodore.”
“Mother, Harry is not Theo.”
“Our son will not find a man more noble than Potter,” Lucius added.
“Well, then he should prove it! How can I allow you to live with him before marriage?”
“Are you going to ban me from using our family money again?” Draco asked, letting out a weary sigh.
“No. Of course not, but darling, you have to remember premarital cohabitation is almost unheard of in our circles.”
“I already did it once.”
“And you came back crying.”
Draco rubbed his temples and sank deeper into the armchair. There was no use reasoning with her.
“My bags are packed. I'm not asking for permission, I only want you to support me.”
“I know that,” Narcissa said, sighing in defeat. “I'm afraid you'll get hurt. I'd rather have you by my side.”
“It's too late, mother. Whether I live here or not, Harry is the one for me.” Draco bit his lip and added, “Either we stay together for life, or he hurts me and I won't ever love again.”
Narcissa gave him a disapproving look.
“Don't be ridiculous, my dear. I won't stop you, but your Harry should know I won't believe his intentions are sincere until you get a ring.”
“I assure you, mother, it's not a passing fancy for either of us.”
“Such things should be in writing and sealed with a vow.” It almost looked like she was about to pout.
She was being stubborn just for the sake of it, he realized. He put on a placating smile.
“I will be fine. I will visit you often. You really don't have to worry, mother.”
Narcissa stopped protesting eventually, but Draco noticed her eyes had a suspicious shine to them. Obviously, she didn't let a single tear fall down her face. He felt bad nonetheless, especially when he had his packed trunk shrunk into his pocket, ready to go.
“At least take Lippy with you,” she suggested and the elf popped up beside her.
“You can stay, Lippy,” Draco said, watching the elf’s big eyes blink up at him cautiously. “Please help my parents when I'm not here. If Harry and I ever need extra hands, I will let you know.”
“Are you sure, dear?” Narcissa held his shoulder gently. “You can't overwork yourself.”
“Mother, when I was with Theo I had next to nothing but still survived. Really, I will be fine.”
“I don't know how I could have let you leave like that back then,” Narcissa whispered, almost to herself. “I truly apologize. Please remember to call at least once a week, Draco.”
“I will. Take care of yourself, mother.”
He said goodbye to his parents and walked into the fire. Harry was waiting for him on the other side. He grinned and opened his arms for Draco to fall into. Draco relaxed in his embrace, letting out a deep sigh.
“Hi,” Harry whispered in his ear. “Where do you have your stuff?”
Draco leaned away a bit to see him better and almost got blinded by how bright Harry's smile was.
“In my pocket.” He couldn't help but snicker. “You're really happy about this whole cohabitation thing, aren't you?”
“I am,” Harry admitted openly. “Come on, baby. I'll help you unpack.”
Draco got his own room. After living in his old flat he came to the conclusion it was a necessity. Being stuck with your partner at all times wasn't… bad, but it had its cons. He also had enough clothes to fill two closets, then books and other stuff he liked, which wouldn't fit otherwise. He found he got a private bathroom too, though Harry wasn't sure if the room had been there before. Overall, Draco decided that even if he slept with Harry every night, it would still be nice to have some space to call his own.
Harry dutifully helped him unpack all his belongings from the trunk, but claimed they had to sleep together. Reportedly, that was because Draco's new sheets haven't been washed yet, but he didn't believe it for a second. Kreacher made sure everything was spotless for his arrival.
“I don't get why he likes you so much,” Harry complained during dinner. “And the bathroom! I swear, I have never seen it in my life.”
“Perhaps the house simply gave it to me as a gift.” Draco shrugged and took another bite.
“I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“Why, have you never experienced anything odd here? It's a magical household, Harry.”
“Nothing like this!” Harry bristled. “Why does it like you more than me? It's my house.”
“You don't treat it well enough.”
“I bet it's just relieved to see a pureblood move back in. With Black family ancestry, no less,” he scoffed.
“That's possible.” Draco hummed in between bites. “You also have to admit you haven't been taking too much care of it.”
“Well, it's all yours. Renovate it as you like.”
Draco did exactly that. Some stubborn items that never quite let Harry move them suddenly didn't mind Draco chucking them away. The wallpaper had to go. Musty curtains, faded paintings, and garish carpets were all disposed of. Whatever Mrs Weasley hadn't done years ago, Draco did now, adding his own touch to the place. The house began looking somewhat brighter and more habitable. It was a slow process; even with the help of magic it took almost three weeks before Draco could say it was finished. However, once he did, he could finally call a place his home again.
Together with Harry, they chose to decorate one vacant room for Teddy. Andromeda would probably agree to let him come over for a few days during summer vacation. Harry's bedroom remained untouched, but Draco’s had a change of color scheme. It was green now. Not quite the Slytherin shade.
Draco lay down on the sofa in the drawing room and stretched his limbs. He sighed in relief when something in his back cracked.
“It's pretty comfortable,” he commented. Harry walked up closer and shamelessly lay down on top of him. Draco huffed when he got pressed by his weight but didn't protest.
“It really is,” Harry said smugly, letting his hands roam around. “And we didn't even have to buy a new one.”
“It’s the beauty of transfiguration.”
“Yeah. You're pretty good at it.”
“I'm good at many things.”
“You are.” He chuckled and gave Draco a short peck. “Thank you for bringing some life into my house… though your presence alone would have been enough.”
“I'm happy to hear that, love.” Draco freed his hands to wrap them around Harry's back. “However, there's no way I'd live here if we hadn't renovated the place.”
“I know, you snob.” Harry rolled his eyes. “But I love that about you. I love you.”
“Why do you keep saying that?” Draco winced, but he moved his hands to caress Harry gently.
“I like saying it. I hope you never doubt it.”
“I'm not used to saying it back.” He twisted Harry's shirt in his fingers. He lowered his eyes, fighting the sudden guilt.
“Don’t worry, baby. It's enough that you show it with your actions, but if I ever want to hear you say it, I don't mind pestering you a little.”
“I will learn,” Draco promised. “You need to remember I love you too.”
His cheeks were tinted slightly pink, but fortunately Harry didn't get to see that. He lowered his face and pressed their lips together in a languid kiss. Draco's hands sneaked under Harry's shirt, softly rubbing his lower back, the dimples there and the base of his spine. Harry arched slightly and slid his own hands into whatever little space was between them. Draco opened his mouth, allowing the man to explore it more. Their tongues twisted together in slow, lazy motions. There was no need to hurry. They had all the time in the world.
。。。。。
Hermione and Ron decided to get married a few months later, in the spring. Draco ended up being more involved than he could have expected. He helped Hermione search for the dress, which meant he also spent lots of time with her mother, friends, Ginny, and Luna Lovegood of all people. He'd thought the process would be far smoother, since the girl was known for her logical mind. It turned out when faced with the stress of her big day, she was like any other bride, excited but paralyzingly nervous. They'd spent half an hour in the shop debating whether or not the dress needed ruffles, though Draco could tell by the spark in her eyes she definitely wanted ruffles. After a little push, she did finally get the dress.
Ron was another story entirely. His only demand was for the suit to not be hideous. Draco was greatly disappointed that they couldn't get traditional robes, but the whole event was supposed to be strictly muggle. He was almost affronted on the Weasleys behalf, however he begrudgingly admitted it would be a shame if Hermione's aunts passed out at the sight of a levitating plate.
Draco had little knowledge of muggle weddings. He consulted with Marlena, Jenna, and Lucy, then made the effort to search for a suitable shop using an internet browser. He dragged the equally disinterested groom and best man for the fitting, but their tastes didn't exactly match. Ron refused to wear anything flashy, and actually gagged at the green suit Draco presented to him. Draco chose to buy it for himself, because it was emerald and velvet, not to mention very classy. Ron agreed to try on a midnight blue, almost black jacket and pants. The vest had thin stripes in lighter shade, and the whole getup coupled with a white shirt looked pretty good on him. He begrudgingly admitted it was more flattering than if he'd simply worn all black.
“It makes you almost nice to look at, Weasel,” Draco said, snickering.
“As long as Hermione doesn't run from the altar.” Ron didn't even react to the name. He attentively watched himself in the floor-length mirror as the tailor adjusted his bowtie.
“Don't worry, you look great.” Harry tried his best to be supportive.
“Dashing, even,” Draco piped up again. He couldn't help but smile smugly when Ron's miserable expression showed signs of turning angry.
“Sod off.”
“Hey, she sees you looking worse every day,” he continued and laughed when he received a glare through the mirror.
“Baby, stop antagonizing him,” Harry whispered, chastising him.
“It's better than seeing him mope around for no reason,” Draco whispered back. “The wanker is getting married! Why is he whining?”
In the end they did manage to help Ron cheer up and left the shop fairly satisfied. Wedding planning was left entirely up to the women, much to Draco's dismay. He had no say in the tablecloth colour and the like, but not everything had to be about him. Mrs Weasley and Mrs Granger would definitely decorate the venue well enough.
It did end up having a warm sort of vibe, with lots of flowers freshly picked from a meadow somewhere. The atmosphere wasn't overly formal, but also not casual enough that the suits looked out of place. The whole thing was so, so muggle that Draco felt like he was living through a culture shock. Watching Hermione's extended family dominate the dancefloor, dancing wildly whenever some questionable music came on was… an experience. He had a premonition that his mother wouldn't accept something like this during Draco's own wedding.
Normally, he would have been seated elsewhere, but being Harry's partner got him a spot near the newlyweds. He had a chance to talk with Hermione's dad, and appear in probably almost every picture. Later in the night he ventured out and met more people, even drinking with an elderly lady called Esther, whose relation to Hermione was somewhat unclear to him. He chatted with Ron's many siblings, then Finnegan and Thomas and so on, but through it all he kept an eye on Harry's whereabouts. When he saw his boyfriend dancing with one of Hermione's distant cousins, he frowned and made his way to the dancefloor.
“Would you like to dance with me, Longbottom?” he asked the bewildered man, who happened to be the closest person next to him. A more formal song began playing.
“Dance with you?” Longbottom repeated, unsure. “Me?”
“Just for a moment. I intend to switch partners with Harry.”
Longbottom glanced at the pair and some understanding dawned on him. He nodded, smirking lightly. Draco had a feeling it was a little bit mocking, and extremely uncanny on this bloke's face.
“I don't mind.”
Longbottom was a better dancer than he’d thought, and led him in a way that got Draco feeling like a bashful maiden. They slowly made their way towards Harry and the voluptuous woman. Once Harry spotted him, relief visibly washed over him. Longbottom did a smart maneuver and quickly stole the girl from Harry before she could have time to protest. Draco sent them both his most polite smile and fell into his boyfriend's open arms. He took the lead, swaying them gently.
“My god, how did you end up dancing?” Draco asked, snickering. “Did the girl's cleavage convince you?” He saw Harry wince.
“She didn't seem to register my refusal. Just dragged me here.”
“Are you sure you weren't trying to get my attention, huh? Make me jealous?” he joked.
“That wasn't my plan, but I'm happy with the outcome.” Harry smiled at him and suddenly Draco had an urge to kiss him on the mouth in front of everyone. “Were you jealous?”
“Like crazy.”
Harry laughed. “Baby, the only person more beautiful than you tonight is Hermione.”
“Wow, leaving out Ron like that…” Draco laughed. “Thank you, love. Shall we get a drink?”
Once the song ended, they swiftly escaped the dancefloor and headed toward the drinks table. Draco poured them both a glass of white wine, and they stood to the side, watching the other couples dance. Longbottom unfortunately couldn't keep the cousin occupied for much longer, and Draco saw her approach them through the crowd. He sighed and downed the rest of his glass.
“I'm glad I found you again, Harry!” The girl smiled sweetly. “Who's this?” She glanced at Draco. He waved a hand at her and subtly checked out her skimpy outfit.
“Draco, my partner.”
“Oh. Are you both police like Ronald?” she asked, oblivious. Draco couldn't help the mean smile that creeped onto his face.
“No, no. Romantic partners,” he clarified and watched with great satisfaction as her face fell.
“Oh! I see.” She looked at Harry with clear disappointment. “I couldn't tell.”
When she walked away reluctantly, Draco hummed to himself in thought. He turned to Harry, considering.
“She couldn't tell we're together.” He shook his head with an exaggerated sigh. “Should we make it obvious and scandalize some older ladies?”
Harry grinned and stepped closed. “Gladly.”
They kissed right there near the packed tables, in front of everyone. They kept it short and chaste, but a few people nearby caught sight of it, judging by a muted gasp on the left. It also caught the attention of their friends, and soon Finnegan walked up to them to chat. He claimed seeing them together was bloody weird but he also clapped Draco on the back in a simple display of support.
There was nothing but joy and love in the air that night. Draco saw Hermione and Ron twirl together in a clumsy dance, looking so fond of each other, and it almost made him envious. Then he looked at Harry beside him and realized there was no reason to be. His boyfriend smiled at him the same way Ron smiled at his wife.
。。。。。
Several more months passed. London was drowned in summer heat, and Draco as usual took cover from it in Grimmauld Place. Teddy had no school and stayed with him almost every day. They lounged on the sofa together, reading or playing, waiting for Harry to get back home. He was helping George with the shop again, even though he was also secretly looking for a job. Mostly to have an excuse to stop working there.
“Can I go play now? I finished the chapter.” Teddy looked at Draco with pleading eyes, holding the Young wixen’s first potions book in his hands.
“I will quiz you on it later,” Draco warned.
“I remember everything.” The boy put it away on the coffee table and glanced at him for approval. The book was very simple and half the chapter was pictures, but Draco didn't push.
“That's good. We can try to brew it together later.” Draco stood up to search for his wand and put a cooling charm on the boy. “You can go, but don't stay out in the sun too long.”
“Okay!”
Teddy thanked him by giving him a hug, which immediately softened Draco's heart. He bent down slightly and kissed the top of his head.
“My little baby,” Draco mumbled into Teddy's hair and squeezed him until he tried to wiggle out.
“I'm not little!” he protested.
“You're a big boy,” Harry said, walking inside the room just then. “So big that Draco can't lift you up anymore.” He laughed and opened his arms when Teddy ran towards him.
“We can't all be as strong as you, ex-Auror Potter.” Draco rolled his eyes when Harry made a show of throwing Teddy up in the air. They smiled at each amidst the child's giggles.
Teddy soon ran into the back garden, leaving them alone, and Harry swiftly took the opportunity to give Draco a long, slow kiss.
“Anything happened at home?” he asked when they separated.
“No, Teddy flooed in when I got back from work and we've been reading since then.” Draco shrugged. “Shall we take him to the beach on Saturday? The weather is unbearable.”
“Sure, unless Andromeda asks for him back.”
“Right… It feels like he's ours sometimes,” Draco said quietly, glancing in the garden's direction. “But I suppose that's not fair to his parents.”
“They wouldn't begrudge us that, Teddy needs someone to love him. I'm sure he misses them, even though he doesn't know them. He probably feels this… hollow gap, and if we can help him fill it in any way…” Harry trailed off. “I know I would have wanted that.”
Draco grabbed Harry's arms and rubbed them soothingly. They stood together in silence for a moment.
“We'll take care of him.”
“If we take him in, we can't abandon him later. This is for life, Draco.”
“Of course,” Draco agreed easily.
“Together.”
“Naturally,” he said without thinking and narrowed his eyes when Harry shifted awkwardly. “What?”
“Fuck. I had plans. I was supposed to take you to France.” Harry sighed and Draco grew more suspicious. “Too late now. Accio ring.”
Draco's heart skipped a beat when a small box flew right into Harry's outstretched hand. He watched with his jaw open in shock as the man kneeled.
“Oh my god, Harry,” he squeezed out and frantically grabbed him to help Harry get up to his feet. “Are you proposing right now?”
“Yeah. Please marry me.” It came out somewhat pathetic. Draco found it incredibly adorable.
Harry stood before him with trembling hands, holding the silver ring. Draco barely spared it a glance, staring into his wide green eyes. Watching the uncertainty in them, he wanted to end Harry's fear right away.
“We were supposed to take everything slow,” he said instead.
“I know. Is there a reason to wait, though?” Harry visibly gulped but didn't waver. “You're the one. I can't imagine leaving you, I can't imagine choosing someone else, I can't even imagine a life without you.”
Draco's heart hammered wildly, and his hand also shook when he went to grab the ring.
“You're the one for me too,” he replied in a cracking voice. “I can't imagine saying no. I will marry you, Harry.”
Harry barely waited for the ring to be on his finger before pulling him into a fervent kiss. They held each other so tight they could barely breathe.
“That's a relief because I really love you,” Harry muttered eventually once they parted. Draco smiled at him.
“Indeed. My mother will be overjoyed too.” His chest felt so full of warmth and love it could burst. “But you still have to take me to France. And treat me well, buy me things, and keep promises.”
“I will.” Harry kissed him again. “I will do anything, baby.”
“Take my surname?” Draco laughed.
“Almost anything.”
Around a year later the Prophet published yet another article about them.
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES FROM POTTER-MALFOY WEDDING: A HAPPY BEGINNING
Notes:
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