in all timelines

He found Potter standing awkwardly in the hallway, hands fiddling with his sleeves. Oh, Merlin.

“Stop looking like a lost child in my hallway,” he offhandedly said, hanging up his coat with a quick spell then walking past him to enter the living room.

“Prat,” Potter replied as he followed.

“Git.”

Draco caught Potter’s eyes and, a second later, they were both grinning at each other. Everything felt normal again, just for a moment.

“What do you want, then?” Draco asked, cutting to the chase.

“Do I have to want something?” Potter frowned, plopping down onto the sofa and kicking his feet up.

Draco shoved Potter’s feet back down to the floor. “Why else would you be here, bothering me?”

“Do I not look gay enough?!”

Potter laughed too loudly. Under the table, Draco kicked his shin.

“I don’t know why you’re laughing, you didn’t realise I’m gay and you’ve known me for years!” Draco put his palm to his forehead. “This is a disaster, do I really look straight?”

“Need me to hold your hand?”

Draco glared at him. He didn’t know if that was to offer emotional support for being perceived straight or to make him look gayer.

“There, there, I’m sure you’ll get over this devastating discovery,” Potter said sarcastically.

“I hate you,” he hissed back. “I’m a disappointment.”

Potter laughed more, moving his hand forward. “Offer is there.”

Draco smacked Potter’s hand away, yet he was unable to hold back his grin. “Ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath.

“Do you need some dessert to cope with his revelation?”

Walking backwards to keep in front of the memory and not allow it to walk through Draco was a challenge, he had to be careful not trip on random roots or uneven ground whilst also keeping his eyes glued on stupid Potter’s stupid non-face. The growing headache wasn’t helping matters.

“Malfoy,” Potter hissed, suddenly at his side and yanking him away from his position in front of the young Potter. “Are you mad? I just watched you almost fall over ten times!”

Draco winced at Potter’s shouting – his head did not need any added aggravations. “You just don’t get it.”

“Then tell me! I can’t get it if you refuse to share your wisdom!”

“It’s my memory!” Draco yelled back. He could hear his young voice shouting in the distance too. Some things don’t change. “You shouldn’t be seeing something different to me. And for your concern over me falling over, I doubt I can injure myself here.”

As young Draco got further away, the area surrounding them began to blur and fade as they were no longer a part of the memory. Neither of them cared, though.

“Do you want to test that? Fuck fixing this curse, let’s see if injuries can occur within memories!” Potter gave him a pathetic shove, Draco was only forced to take one step backwards to steady himself.

“Well, if you are volunteering.”