An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
corvuscrowned @corvuscrowned
Chapters: 4/4
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Characters: Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood
Additional Tags: Mutual Pining, Oblivious Harry Potter, Curse Breaker Draco Malfoy, Auror Harry Potter, Angst, Pining Draco Malfoy, Pining Harry Potter, Explicit Sexual Content, there was only one tent, Camping, Nature, Hiking, H/D Sudsfest 2021, Original Mythology, Getting Together, Friends to Lovers, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Falling In Love, Damaged Draco Malfoy, Hurt/Comfort, Bearded Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy is Bad at Feelings, Slow Burn, Happy Ending, Headaches & Migraines, broken magic, Smut, Anal Sex, two bros chillin in a magical hot spring six feet apart cuz they're not gay, Fanart, Digital Art
Desperate to find relief from worsening migraines and broken magic, Harry sets out to reach mystical hot springs that are said to grant healing and realignment.
The only problem? The springs lie deep within a cursed forest that lures hikers to their death by tempting them with their greatest desires.
So when Harry sees Draco Malfoy in the forest, he must be hallucinating.
Or: A hero’s journey but gay.
Draco snorts in surprise. He actually snorts. “Did you hit your head, Potter?”
“No, really,” Harry says. “It’s a little ridiculous sometimes.”
Draco frowns, leaning away from him. “Maybe we should get going.”
“Do you really want to?” Harry asks.
Draco studies him, realization brightening his eyes. “Harry...” he says. “Do you think you’re seeing things right now?”
Harry laughs. It’s a clever trick. If he didn’t know better, he might even fall for it.
Draco shuffles out from under the blanket and sits on his knees in front of Harry, locking him with a steely gaze. “Harry,” he says. “This is real. I’m real. We’re nearly out of the forest. You aren’t seeing things.” He shakes his head hopelessly. “We should go. Your mind is turning into soup.”
Harry laughs again, if only because it’s exceptionally accurate. He feels giddy, both exhausted from the trek and his injuries and comforted by the blanket and Draco’s cool, stabilizing gaze.
“Stay,” Harry says. He shrugs off the blanket and reaches for Draco’s arm.
Draco looks down at Harry’s hand like it’s burning into him, then he meets Harry’s gaze. “You are truly among the most idiotic men I’ve ever known,” he says. “Let’s go.”
But he doesn’t move. Neither of them move.
In a few minutes, Harry will be off again, on the trail alone. In an hour, if he’s lucky, he’ll be at the springs. In a week, he’ll be back in London, newly healed or more deeply broken.
But right now, for the first and likely the last time in his life, he has the opportunity to do this — even if it can never be real.
Harry reaches slowly for Draco’s face, cupping the smooth, soft skin of his cheek and jaw. Draco freezes, his eyes boring into Harry’s in wonder. Harry closes the distance between them and kisses him softly - just enough to get a taste of Draco’s warm lips, to breathe him in deep and then release.
Harry pulls back. Draco’s eyes flicker between his rapidly. He pulls in a quick breath and holds it.
Then Draco leans forward, reconnecting their lips. Harry sighs into his mouth as Draco pushes up on his knees, deepening the kiss, one hand gripping the nape of Harry’s neck. He’s halting at first, and then Harry pushes a hesitant tongue into his mouth. Draco’s fingers tighten against Harry’s neck. He nibbles on Harry’s lower lip.
Then, in a flash, he drops his hand and pulls away as if burned.
“Fuck,” he says, drawing a hand to his brow as he stares at the ground with alarm. “Fuck,” he repeats, and climbs to his feet.
“What is it?” Harry asks, pushing the blanket off. It’s a very confusing hallucination.
