Promotion panel!
Harry Collet x costar!redaer (4k)
@missconduct1676 -> By any chance is it possible to have Harry and Co Star Reader attend a convention for guest appearances? Perhaps the two do a panel to promote the show? The interviewer asks them typical question like: What was your reaction when you were casted? Who did you tell first about booking the role? What was it like first day on set? How did you feel when you first got into costume, hair and makeup? Then onto more personal questions seeing as the two play lovers in the show. Questions like: How did you two prepare for your roles as lovers? How did you two build up chemistry? How does it feel to grow up together on the show?
MATERIALIST
“Wait, are you actually wearing that jacket, or are you just trying to steal the spotlight before we even step out there?”
Harry didn’t look up from his phone, though his mouth twitched into a familiar, quiet smirk. He was leaning against the backstage dressing room table, one high-top propped against the frame, casually tossing a piece of dried mango into his mouth.
“First of all, this jacket is classic,” he said, finally looking up through the mirror. “Second of all, if anyone’s taking the room today, it’s you. Look at you”
“Don't dodge the question Collett, you’re definitely trying to out dress me”
You walked over and tugged at the lapel of his leather jacket, catching the faint scent of his cologne - low-key earthy, and entirely comforting, without missing a beat, Harry tossed his phone onto the table and hooked an arm around your waist pulling you close, he rested his chin on your shoulder for a brief, quiet second before looking back up.
“Never” he murmured, his tone dropping into something far warmer than his usual banter, “you look amazing” he sighed “ready for this?”
“Honestly? A little weirded out” you admitted, resting a hand against his chest, “we’ve done press before, but this is the first proper panel since… well, they know we’re together off-screen too” you bit your lip nervously “what if they ask us weird questions, have you seen what happened with the guys from winx club? That got weird real quick”
Harry let out a quiet laugh, the sound instantly cutting through the nervous edge in your chestt as he pressed a quick kiss to your temple, his thumb brushing against your wrist, “hey. It’s just us up there, same as always. We sit down, answer some questions, try not to spoil season three, thats easy”
“Easy for you, saying this as if you’re not the one who nearly leaked episode one in London”
“That was one time” Harry defended himself, a genuine grin breaking through, “and the question was tricky”
A knock at the door cut him off, a runner stepped in, holding a walkie-talkie, “Hey, five minutes to stage for Harry and Y/N, room’s packed”
“Right, thanks” Harry called back, he turned back to you, his eyes steady, “Ready?”
“Let’s just get it over with” you teased.
“Fair” he chuckled, lacing his fingers through yours, “let’s go”
The noise hit like a physical wave the second you stepped through the heavy curtain.
Thousands of people were shouting, waving flags, and holding up signs, the floor of the convention hall literally vibrated, you waved, keeping your smile natural as Harry led you out toward the seats, he gave your hand a quick, reassuring squeeze before letting go so you could both sit in the armchair setups under the bright stage lights.
The moderator waited for the noise to settle before lifting her mic.
“Welcome, everyone!” she shouted over the lingering cheers, “please give it up for house of the Dragon’s favorite couple”
The room blew up again, Harry leaned into his mic, raising an eyebrow, “so how’s it going, London?”
The crowd went wild as you laughed, adjusting your mic, “Hi, everyone, seeing this many people in one room is still bizarre”
“Right?” the host said, turning to you both, “we are so hyped to have you here, the dynamic between your characters has been a massive talking point online, but before we get into the heavy stuff, let's take it back to the start”
She looked at you first, “what was your reaction when you actually booked the job?”
“Honestly? total shock,” you said, “I think I just stared at my agent for about thirty seconds, my brain kind of rejected the information, you’re like, what the actual fuck, It didn't actually hit me until the first table read”
“What about you, Harry?” the host asked, “who did you tell first?”
Harry leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “well my mum, immediately, I think I was in the kitchen when the call came through, I hung up and just froze, she was making tea, looked at me, and asked if someone had died. I just told her… mom I got the role and she nearly dropped the mug, total chaos”
The audience laughed.
“And that first day on set?” the host pushed, “what was that like?”
“Intimidating very very intimidating” you said glancing at Harry who nodded, “you step onto these massive physical sets and realize how huge the machine is, real stone, real fires, a lot of extras, my hands were shaking so much during my first take that I had to tuck them into the pockets of the dress”
“Yeah, same but with our the dress” Harry agreed laughing, “my first day was in the courtyard, I was trying to look brooding and important, but internally I was sweating, then you get thrown into the hair and makeup trailer an hour go get the stupid wig from season one” he groaned.
“Right, the transformation” the host noted, “how did it feel seeing yourselves in full gear for the first time?”
“It shifts your mindset” Harry said, “you put on the leather doublet, they pin the wig and suddenly you’re into medieval times, you look in the mirror and go, ‘Okay, cool I can get the plague now.’ It changes how you act completely”
“I honestly thought that I could make a lord fall in love with me” you added.
“Literally” Harry laughed. “Zero thoughts, just waiting for her coffee and a lord”
“I mean you are kind of a lord, no? I mean prince, lord, noble man I could conquer” you giggles as you looked at harry.
He looked at you, a soft glint appearing in his eyes “oh, and you did”
“Speaking of sitting together in the morning” the moderator said, her tone shifting slightly as the room quieted in anticipation, “let’s talk about what everyone’s been waiting for…”
A subtle wave of giggles ran through the front rows, harry caught your eye, offering a quick and amused glance.
“The connection between your characters is one of the most popular parts of the show,” the moderator continued, “classic slow burn, how did you two build that dynamic on screen?”
You shifted in your chair, “we spent a lot of time doing reads and rehearsals before we ever filmed together but I think everything came naturally, we were friends before we even started filming”
“Yeah,” Harry nodded leaning back, “we decided early on that our characters had to be each other’s safe space, Dragonstone is chaotic, so they had to feel grounded with each other, we talked a lot off-set about their backstory, some stuff that wasn't in the script, just to make the connection feel real by the time we shot”
“Was the chemistry instant?” the host asked.
Harry laughed, “honestly, it was just really easy, which was completely fine until we had to do serious scenes.”
The crowd cheered, and you shook your head laughing along.
“No, seriously do you know how hard she makes it to not laugh?” Harry pushed on, grinning, “we just got on immediately, same dry humor, we could be in the middle of this intense, dramatic moment, and the second they called cut, we’d start messing around”
“It made the work so much easier” you said looking at him, “because we trusted each other, we didn't have to force anything, the hardest part was keeping a straight face during heavy emotional scenes because we knew each other too well”
“There was one scene in season two” Harry added, looking at the audience, “very, very serious the director told us with the straightest face possible that we could not mess around, so I’m supposed to give this grounded, responsible heir to the throne speech, you get me. And right before ‘action,’ a fly landed right on my nose, and the light was dying, so I couldn't break. I had to look into her eyes while being cross-eyed, trying to ignore this fly.”
“And I was supposed to be dead silent letting him break down” you laughed, “but I was literally shaking trying not to laugh out loud, we lost twenty minutes trying to stop laughing”
The crowd cracked up.
“You two basically grew up on this set together” the host said softly with a knowing smile in her face, “looking back, how has that experience been, well professionally and personally?”
Harry’s tone shifted, losing the quirky tone for something quieter, “It’s been huge, this industry is weird and moves really fast, having someone next to you who’s navigating the exact same madness keeps you grounded, Watching y/n work and grow as an actress has been brilliant, we basically grew up on set we spent 5 years filming together, but off set, we just helped each other stay normal”
“100%” you agreed. “It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed on a project this big, having harry there from day one made everything so much manageable, It felt like having a constant anchor on set”
The host smiled, “and now, of course, we have to mention the real-life side of things,.”
The room perked up again, “for a while the fans were guessing…” the host said, “…then a few months ago, you officially confirmed you’re dating in real life, congrats by the way, how did that transition happen from friends to you know, something more?”
Harry looked at you, letting you take it if you wanted, you gave him a subtle head nod, letting him go ahead.
“It was just slow…” harry said simply, “we were best mates for a really long time, purely platonic, I mean eating cold catering and complaining about 5 AM pick-ups isn’t very romantic” he mentioned pursing his lips.
“Strictly platonic,” you added, “even though my mum asked me about him every time I went home to visit”
“Oh did she?” Harry asked, genuinely surprised, “smart woman, thats why I like her so much”, you rolled your eyes at his phrase.
“So who realized first?” the host pressed.
Harry raised a hand right away, “Me, oh yeah definitely me”
A collective laugh went through the crowd.
“It wasn't a dramatic movie moment to be honest” Harry explained, “we were filming in Wales, terrible weather by the way, and freezing rain, we were stuck in a tiny holding tent for hours waiting for a reset, everyone else was knocked out, and she was just sitting across from me wrapped in about what,four coats? trying to teach me some terrible card game, which I completely forgot how to play by now” He smiled at the memory. “I just looked over, saw her laughing at some terrible joke I’d made, and realized, ‘Ah, right. I’m fucked’ It hit me all at once, after that I tried to play it cool during romantic scenes, but that was pretty much impossible”
“You never told me it was Wales” you said, looking at him in disbelief.
“I couldn't say anything back then” Harry joked, “we had three weeks of shooting left, It would’ve been weird”
“I wouldn't have cared” you replied, bumping your shoulder against his, “I was already struggling to keep it professional anyway”
“Wait, so you both were hiding it?” the host asked, amused.
“Completely,” you confessed, “It’s scary when your scene partner is your best friend, you don't want to make things uncomfortable on set if it’s one-sided…so we just spent months pretending everything was totally normal while internally stressing out”
“We were terrible at hiding it, apparently” Harry chipped in. “the cast knew way before we actually said anything, Tom literally pulled me aside one afternoon and told me to get on with it because the tension was annoying everyone, everyone! I was stunned”
The audience broke into a laugh.
“So how did it actually happen?” the host asked.
“After the wrap party,” you mentioned, “end of season two, we were outside the hotel in London around two in the morning, just saying goodbye because we weren't going to see each other for a few months, you know summer break”
Harry picked up the story, his voice quiet. “I just realized if I didn't say it then, I was going to regret it my whole life, so I stopped overthinking, and just said, ‘Look, I’m pretty sure I’ve been in love with you for a year, and it’s ridiculous at this point.’”
“And your response?” the host asked you.
“I didn't say much…” you admitted giggling. “I just kissed him and said, ‘Took you long enough, Collett’”.
harry leaned over and knocked his shoulder against yours, the crowd reacting with another loud wave of applause “and now you’re public, doing press together…” the host said. “How’s that transition been?”
“Honestly fine” Harry said, “The fans have been decent about it, It’s actually nicer doing these press tours now because we don't have to act like we’re just very polite co-workers”
“Much less exhausting I must say” you agreed.
The panel shifted into fan questions shortly after, covering light topics like line memory, stunt mishaps, and costume blunders. Harry was sharp and easygoing the whole time, occasionally tossing in a joke or leaning over to whisper something off-mic to make you laugh. When the moderator finally wrapped things up, you both stood, waved to the crowd, and made your way offstage behind the curtain, the deafening noise of the hall faded into a low hum the second the thick fabric fell shut behind you. The quiet backstage hallway felt cool and empty.
Harry stepped into the space next to you, pulling you slightly to the side near the break room doors, he reached out, wrapping an arm loosely around your waist to pull you close, leaning his forehead against yours.
“That went surprisingly well” he muttered, a small smile on his face.
“not bad” you agreed, putting your hands against his jacket, “though telling several thousand people about Tom was a choice.”
“It was relevant to the story darling” Harry chuckled softly, his eyes staying on yours, “and as much as it pains me, he was right anyway”
“About what?”
“About getting on with it” He leaned down and pressed a short, soft kiss to your lips, quiet, simple, and entirely away from the cameras, just yours to see and feel. When he pulled back, his hand stayed on your waist, his thumb lightly tracing the hem of your top. The faint hum of the convention hall buzzed in the distance, but back here in the dim backstage corridor, it felt miles away.
“ Im starving” Harry said suddenly, the quiet romance instantly giving way to his usual pragmatic self, “are you starving? Because if I have to look at another piece of dried fruit or lukewarm catering sandwiches, I’m going to lose my mind”
You laughed, resting your forehead against his chest for a second. “I could eat an entire pizza right now”
“Say no more then” Harry unclipped his body mic and handed it to a waiting sound tech with a quick, appreciative nod, he grabbed your coat from the break room rack, draped it over your shoulders and took your hand, leading you toward the back exit where a tinted van was idling. “Jhon’s or proper wood-fired? I’m feeling proper wood-fired”
“Wood-fired, extra cheese” you specified, sliding into the back seat of the car.
Harry climbed in right after you, slamming the door shut with a satisfying thud that cut off the lingering noise of the venue completely, he sank into the leather seat letting out a long, dramatic exhale that made his shoulders drop two inches.
“God” he muttered, running a hand through his messy curls, “panels are brilliant, but my head is literally ringing”.
“You did great…” you said, leaning your head against his shoulder. “Very charming, a little bit of oversharing...”
“I didn't overshare” Harry protested, though he immediately wrapped his arm around you and pulled you sideways so you were comfortable, “the people want authenticity, love”
“You told them my mum was shipping us before we were even a thing”
“And she was…” Harry grinned down at you, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I’m definitely putting her in my speech if we ever win a couple award, ‘Special thanks to y/n’s mum for seeing the vision’”
“Ugh don't give feed her ego, she’ll never let me hear the end of it”
The car glided through London’s late afternoon traffic, the rain just beginning to smudge the windows into long streaks of yellow and red light, It was quiet in the back seat, just the soft hum of the heater and the low ambient chatter of the radio. After weeks of high energy promotion, long interviews, and constant fan interactions, these quiet pockets of time together were the only moments that felt entirely real. When you reached the quiet pizzeria tucked away on a side street in Soho, Harry shoved a beanie over his head, pulled his jacket collar up, and hopped out to open your door, he kept a steady grip on your hand as you both slipped inside, securing a small, dark booth tucked into the back corner away from the main windows. Within twenty minutes, a steaming pizza and two drinks were on the table.
“Right” Harry said, tearing off a massive slice, “No talk about season three, no talk about dragon CGI, no talk about press schedules, oh and talking my posture is completely forbidden, deal?”
“Deal” you agreed, giggling before taking a bite, “Just completely normal human talk, got it”
“Proper normal” he nodded, pointing a crust at you, “so… what are we watching tonight? Because if you suggest that dark crime documentary again, I’m going to have nightmares”
“It was very fulfilling for you information”
“It was terrifying dear” harry corrected, chewing with a deadpan expression “I feel like watching something stupid, a cartoon movie, oh or a terrible reality show where people marry strangers” he mentioned while rising his eyebrows.
“You hate realities” you said mocking him “what are you on about?”
“I hate it until episode three and then I’m emotionally invested and crying on the sofa because Dave didn't pick Emily” he admitted without a shred of shame, you shook your head, smiling into your drink. Looking at him sitting across from you, arguing passionately about trashy telly while wiping pizza sauce off his thumb, it was hard to reconcile this boy with the solemn, brooding prince millions of people watched on screen every week, but you guess that was the best part of it all, he was still just Harry, the boy who made you laugh until your ribs hurt in freezing holding tents.
“What are you looking at, do I have something in my face?” Harry asked, catching your gaze with a suspicious smile.
“Oh nothing” you said softly, “just glad we got through today”, Harry’s expression softened. He reached across the small table, his fingers finding yours beside the napkin dispenser. He squeezed your hand, his thumb gently rubbing over your knuckles.
“Me too…” he said, his voice dropping into that familiar, quiet warmth, “doing all of this… it’s brilliant, but doing it with you? It’s the only reason I stay partially sane”
“Don't get mushy now, Collett…” you teased gently, though your chest felt light and full, “you promised normal talk, remember?”
“Right, sorry,” he smirked, sliding another slice onto his plate, “so…back to Dave and Emily, I’m telling yo Dave’s red flags were visible from space”
lmao not me changing how they realised they were in love and how they confesssss, not sorry. 😭
also apologies bc this has been unfinished in my drafts since the start of july 💔
