#ginafics

This one is my first writing of 2018, and I know it might turn out to be so bad since I haven’t written anything for months. But this one comes from @staganddragon ‘s song “Like Hell” I know it might not do any justice to the song because ffs that song is just out of this world, hope she finds this readable because I adore everything about her.

The Eight Year is supposed to be different, isn’t it? It is different, probably, in some ways. Not in the way that Draco wants though, not at all in the way that matters. In the end it feels all the same as the last two years. His heavy sigh echoes inside the dark empty room. The coldness that creeps in between the cracks of the hard stone wall still covers the room in a suffocating ways. The night still feels as lonely. The silence feels heavier than ever. No one comes back for their NEWT, not when McGonagall said they could learn everything at home and just come to Hogwarts for the test, especially not when they’re the front line of Slytherin House. Pansy and Daphne comes back. Blaise also comes back. No one will see him in the same room as Draco to sleep though, not ever since Vincent. So Draco sleeps alone every night, wrapped in what he hopes to be a comforting blanket that provides warmth, and yet turns to be a suffocating sweat drenched duvet every dawn. He sighs once again before closing his eyes uneasily. It’s only two months after the semester starts anyway, right? There will be many times to make differences happened later on.

The Great Hall feels emptier than ever when Draco slides quietly into his seat in the end of the Slytherin table. He is the closest to the door, a simple precaution that he hates to make. School is supposed to be a safe place for students, right? He sighs softly when his former friends slide into their seats in the middle of the long table without even a glance to him. It’s okay. He’s okay. He knows it was just another precaution, maybe except for Blaise, even though he knows too well that he deserved that. The vile ink in his left arm says how much he deserves the cold treatment. He prefers silence when that means his friends are safe from death glares and occasional cutting hexes.

The sudden shadows that covered his half buttered toast makes him squirms a little in his seat. Draco doesn’t need to see who has decided to sit across him. Harry Potter has been sitting there ever since the first morning of the term. At first, he was confused, but he never chooses to ask. Potter parts with his trio at the big door and always sits right across Draco. This is probably the only thing that changes in his school life: a routine silent breakfast with the Chosen One. Draco wants to ask so many things to the boy, things that might go out of control if he starts voicing them.

What are you doing here?

How are you?

How are you handling things?

Do you want jellybeans with your peanut sandwich?

Why do you do this?

Are you alright?

I’m sorry.

“Morning, Potter.” Draco finally blurts out of nowhere because for fuck’s sake it has been two months of them sitting in silent every breakfast together. Apparently it shocks Potter more than it should as the butter covered knife in his right hand falls noisily on his plate. Draco can feel blood pooling on his cheeks and drops his eyes back to his toast, nibbling it nervously. He should not have said anything, shouldn’t he? He goes through another two minutes of painfully awkward silence before arranging his expression, brazing himself to look at the boy in front of him. “What?” he asks, a little defensively. The green eyes blink slowly while gauging Draco’s expression.

“Nothing.” Potter finally says slowly, cautiously. Draco finally goes back to his toast after a full minute of simply staring at the strange boy. “It just has been two months too late, hasn’t it?” he hears Potter mutters with a smile in his voice. Draco doesn’t understand how you put smiles into your voice, but he once again finds himself staring at Potter’s face –judging, of course, whether or not he’s laughing at Draco. It is probably ten seconds too long to judge someone, but he finally shrugs his shoulder nonchalantly.

“Better late than never.” He says softly, and once again is rewarded with a small smile and twinkling, tired eyes. But it’s genuine, Draco understands because this one is different. It’s different with the wide grin he offers Weasley everyday at dinner. It’s different with the small smile he always gives his friends every time he stands up first and exits the Great Hall at night. It’s different with the reassuring smile he gives Granger every time he says he’s okay. This one is finally genuine because the tired haze in his eyes clear for a second and the twinkles Draco hasn’t seen in a long time is presenting itself. And that’s why Draco greedily takes another twenty seconds of silent staring to store the expression into his memories.

“Better late than never.” Harry repeats the sentence softly before finally shoves his toast into his mouth to hide his growing smile.

It has been another two months until Draco finally can’t take being in his bed alone, so he goes down stair to the warmer common room with a blanket draped around his figure. The fire is emitting comforting warmth throughout the room, and he claims the spot right in front of the fireplace as a place to lie down. He is done with all the cold dark room and nightmares, curling up into a ball in front of the warm fire, wrapped in his thick duvet, and getting so comfortable and sleepy. It has been months since he has a good night sleep, so this one feels luxurious even though he’s on the floor. Well, that is until he senses someone taking a sit behind him. Draco doesn’t move, doesn’t even turn around to welcome the new figure. He’s tired, he’s warm, and he wants to sleep.

“Can’t sleep, either?” The new voice says. The sharp intake of breathe definitely doesn’t come from him. “I have never seen you down here.” Harry says softly.

“Had enough with the nightmares and the cold room.” Draco snuggles back into his warm duvet. “Apparently I’m an idiot for not going down here faster.” Potter doesn’t say anything else for quite some times. The silence gets heavier as seconds goes by and after ten seconds Draco’s chance to sleep is just basically gone. He is too attuned to this boy, has been for so long, and he hasn’t seen the end of this turbulent feelings. He fancies Harry Potter. That’s a fact he can’t evade forever. Sure, he hates him on many occasions, but that time has flown by, hasn’t it? Now what left are just small morning greetings, pleasant small chats about homework, and private smiles across The Great Hall, swapped cup of coffees and teas, and extra portion of sweet pumpkin pies. And how could Draco ever eradicate his ever growing feelings when he is too busy drowning in mesmerizing green eyes every breakfast time?

“Can I tell you things?” Draco finally blurts out, can’t take the heavy silent anymore. It’s two seconds too late when finally a small okay echoes around the room. Draco finally turns his body around to face Potter and looks at him in the eyes. The green eyes looks more orange as the light of the fire mirrors on them. The black nestle he called hair is messier than ever. “I’m sorry.” Draco shifts his eyes towards his fingers in the rug, swallowing a nerve and sitting up, before looking back at the person in front of him. “It might have been a lifetime too late, but I’m sorry. For the little things and the big ones. For every jabs and stinging hex. For every hurting words and physical pain I’ve caused you. I am sorry. For a simple Unforgivable and the grandeur tattoo. I know it might be a long shot to ask for a simple forgiveness, not that I deserve one, but I need you to know that I am sorry.”

Harry is at loss for words. He tries to answer, but nothing comes out from his mouth, so he shuts it again and frowns, trying to come up with something, anything. And yet, Draco smiles sadly for a few seconds before nodding and continuing.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to answer. Can I tell you another thing?” Harry simply nods at his request. This time Draco smiles genuinely. It’s small, private, just like what they are used to sharing at the breakfast table every morning. “I think Harry is just as great as Harry Potter.” Draco pauses as he remembers the small kid he met at Diagon Alley eight year ago, and then he nods as if what he just says is the basic fact of the world that everyone should know. “Yeah, definitely.” He grins. Draco actually grins so wide because right at that second he sees the lost and confused kid with the big beautiful green eyes once again staring at him. He smiles so large to cover the tears prickling on the corner of his eyes, until in the end they just fall anyway. He sniffs once before wiping the tears away, followed by a wet, embarrassed chuckle. “I’m sorry for making that Harry’s life a living hell. I just wanted to be friends with him, but he refused and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how else to catch his eyes.”

“Draco…” Harry’s voice sounds lost and confused in the warm room, slightly covered by another sharp intake of breath from the blond boy, as this is the first time that word is uttered from Harry’s lips.

“No, there are other things I want you to know.” Draco shakes his head to clear his slightly wet vision. “I need you to know that you had killed one person. That is the only guilt that you need to support on your shoulder. I say this because I know you have a damn hero complex, and you’ll feel guilty even though you only murdered a mad man who actually needed to be eradicated. The rest of them are not your fault. Don’t take away their sacrifice by acknowledging it as your fault.” Draco stops his words because Potter is staring at him in a weird way. Draco knows this might sound harsh, but he need to say this. He thinks Potter needs to hear this. “Harry, you killed Voldemort. Embrace that part of you. You’ll only live in this limbo of lies and suffer if you don’t.”

The silent that follows is deafening, but Draco can’t feel any regret. Draco needs to say this. Harry needs to hear this. The only sound comes from the fire licking away the woods in the hearth and the ticking of clock on the farthest wall until Harry suddenly stutters a question.

“W-why? Why are you saying… all of this?” Harry says confusedly. His green eyes are burning a hole in the rug as he hasn’t stopped staring at it for quite some times.

Your green eyes don’t match the haze of your burden and white lies. You’re too beautiful to be plunged into this misery and sugarcoated suffering. I love you. But I’m not enough, not yet. Draco smiles sadly as these thoughts slip into his mind, and yet that is the only truth he knows. Draco wrapped his body tighter with his duvet, as if it’s the only thing that can protect him from whatever after effect his actions will induce.

“Loving you is a living hell, but I want to do it well and I don’t know how. Maybe this is the other way to catch your eyes.” Draco says very softly, he can hear the distant sound of Hogwarts’ clock, chiming twelve times as the end of the day is nearing. He leans closer to Harry, stopping right before he can’t. “Abandon what you know, Harry. Do what you want. Be who you want.” He whispers as the green eyes only gets wider under the soft gaze of the grey orbs. Draco finally closes his eyes and leans so close until his lips plant a small feather light kiss on Harry’s cheek.

Instagram AU - Cedric Diggory (part 1/3)

See part 2/3 HERE.

See part 3/3 HERE.

In this AU, the HP universe is more modern (with social media, etc.). During the events in GoF, Harry beats Cedric to the Triwizard Cup, meaning Cedric lives and graduates Hogwarts. For four years, his Instagram is inactive as he juggles volunteering, travelling, a new relationship, his studies to become a lawyer at the Ministry of Magic, and personal internal struggles from fighting in the Battle of Hogwarts. He eventually reconnects with many of his old friends and schoolmates when his boyfriend convinces him that they should get back on social media as a way to normalize their lives. Here’s where Cedric left off when he disconnected from the world.

—Credit to @lvnderbrwn for the first template

Prompt: (Soulmate AU) Pain demands to be felt. Sometimes by more than one.

“Wow, look at you, Mr. Cranky. What’s up?” Blaise greets Draco too cheerfully in a gloomy London Monday morning.

“Shut it, Zabini. It’s too early to deal with your shits.” Draco snaps.

“Whoa, okay, something is clearly wrong. Wanna share?” Draco almost snaps for the second time in the morning, but the concern in Blaise’s eyes softens his cranky side.

“It’s nothing, just woke up this morning and sore all over the place.”

“Soulmate things?” Draco only nods. “I hate this thing you know, I mean one day we live for 21 years and the next second we’re being tied to this one particular person which is a pain in the ass because we have to share their pain.”

“Well, you have exactly 21 years to fool around. It’s your fault to waste it. And by the way, you don’t have to search for your soulmate, you know.”

“Yeah, well, I would give my life to stop worrying while waking up with cuts all over my body. Thank you very much.”

“Good luck finding that klutz of your life. I’ll wait for the invitation.” Draco finally can grin for the first time in that morning before taking his ordered coffee, and leave the small coffee shop.

*

Draco Malfoy always wonders about his soulmate. On the day he turned 21, there was suddenly bruises on his ribs. He couldn’t sleep that day, worrying whether the person he is being tied to will survive the day or not, as more bruises and cuts kept coming. He relaxed once he can feel the repeated stinging pain of needle on the corner of his eyebrow. That day never stops, and Draco never stops worrying, even after one year of that dreadful night.

Now that he’s 22, he already can control his emotions. Some days he’s worried sick inside his office as the pain just keeps resonating over and over, but some other days, like today, he only feels irritated as he woke up with tenderness all over his body. He sometimes feels grateful that his job won’t cause the person on his other end any more pain than they needs to endure, but most days he feels so irritated that he cuts himself on purpose to upset the other person. Being a healer is very safe when you know what you’re doing.

Sometimes he wonders what kind of job that his soulmate has, but nowadays he’s certain that it must be resonating with the word “Auror” or anything similar to that. Nothing can cause more pain than being in that bloody department of the ministry. Unfortunately not once he found the injured Auror that belongs to him. Not yet.

*

“Ow, fuck! Seriously, woman, blow your hot drinks before you drink it. You can at least have self preservation if not to save your soulmate tongue!” Pansy snaps to no one while drinking her ice Americano. Blaise laughs openly at that.

“It seems like I’m not the only one who has a klutz as my soulmate.”

“Yeah, she’s a klutz sometimes, not as bad as yours though.” Both Draco and Blaise stare at her in shock.

“Wh- What? She? Have you met her?” Draco asks incredulously.

“Well, no, but yesterday I felt a strong pain on my lower region, so I believe my soulmate is a she.”

“Are you sure? I mean they could get kicked in that area, or bump into something.” Pansy rolls her eyes.

“Draco, darling, I know what cramp pain feels like, so I strongly believe that she’s a girl.”

“Well, congratulation! You’re one step ahead to stop losing your mind out of worry.” Blaise says while hugging Pansy.

“Good on you, love—” Draco’s sentence is being cut by a painful blow on his stomach. Fuck. The next blow is so strong; it knocks him to his knees. His hand is tightly gripping the desk beside him while the other clutching his side stomach. The next wave of pain comes barreling through his body before his mind can catch up on how to breathe properly. He can feel the blood rushing out of his face, this pain is different. He doesn’t feel anything but pain before when this attack comes, but now he feels something else, something worse. Despair.

“Draco! Draco, can you hear me?!” Pansy’s panic voice break through his pain filled mind, but Draco can’t bring himself to answer her. He can clearly feel the despair on his soulmate bond. He can feel how the other person starts losing his will to live. No. Don’t. Please, I haven’t found you. You have to survive this one. He can hear his heavy breathing when the pain finally stops, or at least reduces to dull throbbing in his body. When he is finally aware of his surrounding, someone bursts through his office door. Pansy and Blaise, who are both kneeling beside Draco with concern eyes, suddenly glare to the nurse on the door.

“What do you want?” Pansy snaps.

“Healer Draco, there’s an emergency patient in an immediate need of surgery.” She speaks in rapid pace. Draco is still trying to catch his breathing.

“Where are the other healers? He can’t perform a surgery, right now.” Blaise asks politely.

“There are no other healers, please, he’ll die if you don’t operate him.”

“Pans, Blaise, it’s alright. I’m okay. I’ll be in the room in two minutes.” With that Draco stands up and goes to the operation room. The nurse is already there. “Just us two?”

“Just us two, the others are not available due to the recent attack on the ministry.” Draco steps into the light and freezes when he sees his patient’s face. Freckles with ginger hair. Ronald Weasley.

“Well, it really has been awhile, Weasley.” Draco performs the quite long surgery in just 4 hours, effectively removing the long painful metal from Ron’s shoulder and picking up all the scraps after he successfully undo the curse Ron has been shot with. The dull throbs never stop while he’s conducting the surgery, but nothing that he can ease with a small hiss or sharp intake of breath. Draco was just cleaning the blood on the Ron’s stitches when the surgery room’s door slams open with a force. Draco snaps at the nurse on the door, who turns out to be his apprentice/assistant. “Can’t you see that this surgery is not finished yet?! There are rules to follow, Rachel!”

“I’m sorry, Draco, I can do whatever you’re doing to that patient right now. This one is more important.” Rachel says in panic, and without permission she pulls a patient inside the surgery room. Draco’s heart drops to the floor when he sees the patient. Harry Potter is literally dripping blood to the floor. Bruises all over the place, but what concerns Draco is his split up chest that is oozing a scary amount of blood.

“Fuck, what happened to him?!”

“I don’t know, bloody Auror mission had gone wrong, probably? And this is not the worst of it.” With that Rachel show him the chunk of metal ripping through Potter’s thigh, deep enough to rip a tendon, deep enough to forbid him from running for the rest of his life. Draco sighs tiredly, why did Harry bloody Potter love to do something that will accelerate his own death? Merlin, help him.

“Uh- you, nurse over there, just bring Weasley to his room and clean him there. Rachel helps me with this one.” Draco says frantically. He cleans all the blood from Harry’s body while Rachel is already supplying the lifeless body with blood transfusion. Draco recognizes the curse from when he was forced to witness the Death Eater tortured their prisoner. It was a special signature curse from one of the Death Eater he hates the most, Dolohov. So, Harry has been dueling with Dolohov and what? Lose? A shudder rips through Draco’s spine. “How’s the other one?” Draco asks Rachel.

“The other one?”

“Yes, the other one he’s been fighting.” Draco snaps.

“Oh, yes, the other one is dead.” Oh, so he won. Thank Merlin, he won. Not in a very good shape though, he could die in a few minutes if Draco doesn’t act. Thank Merlin, Draco knows the counter curse. Draco points his wand on the open wound while muttering the incantation. His wand is rigid in his hand, his wand is not supposed to move or the incantation will fail. Apparently it’s an impossible task, because right when the spell works his chest fills with pain. Draco cries out while his knees buckle. Fuck. He tries once again with the same result. Fuck.

“Draco, what’s wrong?”

“I think you need to help me. Make sure that I don’t move, especially my wand, or else the spell won’t work.”

“Why are you in pain?”

“Apparently the counter curse hurts as much as the curse, so unless you’re doing the counter curse, I need you to help me stay still.”

“But –you’re not –but that means –your pain? –you and him?” Poor Rachel can’t even conjure a sentence.

“Yes, apparently fate has a weird way of playing with my life.” With that, Draco stands up with Rachel pointing her wand at Draco’s hand, casting spell so that his hand won’t move anywhere. After a few minutes with excruciating pain, Draco manages to close the wound on Harry’s chest.

“Alright, you have to bear the pain, Draco. I’m going to pull this metal out of his thigh.”

“Do it in one swift clean motion, or else you’ll rip whatever chance he has to run again.” Rachel points her wand at the large piece of metal. “On three. One. Two. Three.” Draco screams as the metal is being pulled out of Harry’s thigh. After that, they both finish their work on Harry Potter, releasing him to his room after his condition stabilizes in two hours.

*

Draco stays with Potter in his room after the bloody tiring surgery, catching up with the sleep he has lost over worrying for his bloody soulmate –Merlin, his soulmate is sodding Harry fucking Potter, how is that even possible? Now it’s clear why he never stops getting bruises and cut, but that can wait until later, right now a nap sounds really good.

*

Harry wakes up in a very familiar white room. Of course he’s in St. Mungo, he was barely alive when he managed to save Ron from Dolohov curse. He was very certain that he will not see another day, but here he is, lying soundlessly in a hospital bed. He feels another presence beside him, but he turns only to find a very familiar shade of blond. Malfoy. Malfoy looks so peaceful while sleeping, his head being supported by his hands on the bed, back rising slowly with each breath he takes. Somehow Malfoy looks breathtakingly innocent while sleeping, and that lures Harry in because the next thing he knows is he’s stroking the blond strands gently while willing for Malfoy to sleep a little longer.

That jinxes it though because now Malfoy is awake. Very much awake and very much confuse with Harry’s hand on his hair. Harry retracts his hand quickly, beyond embarrassed.

“How are you, Potter?” Draco asks professionally, so Harry sucks a deep breath to muster all his courage and apathy to answer him.

“Sore.” That makes Draco chuckles.

“Yeah, no wonder. The counter curse was suck, but the ripping a chunk of metal from your thigh part was a bitch.” Harry can only stares at Draco, he’s speaking in a very weird way. “Congratulation on killing Dolohov, though. Weasley is safe and sound, sleeping like a baby in the next room. Just friendly reminders though, the next time you’re getting beaten up, don’t start losing hope on living. The pain I can handle, the despair just simply makes me insane.” Draco smiles at him softly with concern in his grey orbs. “Your chest is fine, your thigh –not so much–”

“Malfoy.” Harry tries to cut his unnecessary professionalism.

“I’m afraid you have ripped your tendon, a physical therapy could–”

“Malfoy—”

“Help you to heal it faster, but—”

“Draco!” Harry finally snaps, Draco looks at Harry with annoyance.

“Stop interrupting me! You cannot run, Potter! You ripped your tendon. It will heal, but you cannot run until then. There I said my piece, stop interrupting me, Merlin. What do you want?”

“Are you saying what I think you are saying?”

“I’m not saying anything, what do you mean?”

“I’m saying about you can handle the pain. Are you saying that you’re my soulmate?” Harry asks exasperatedly. Draco’s face goes with recognition.

“Oh, that, yeah. I thought we already established that by what I’m saying. What you need prove?” Draco doesn’t wait for an answer; he just casually cuts his finger on the paper that he brought.

“Ow! Yeah, no, stop hurting yourself, I didn’t say I need any proof, you git!”

“What? It’s just a paper cut, you usually gives me new bruises for every week.” Draco says innocently which draws Harry more and more.

“Just come here, please.” Draco stands beside his bed, but Harry needs him closer, so he pulls Draco’s white coat collar down, effectively crushing their mouths together. Their kisses are gentle, and somehow fiercely sweet. “God, I never thought I’d live to see this day. I finally find you.” Harry says between kisses.

Thank Merlin, you survived. Thank you. I found you now.

Draco doesn’t exactly sure about what was going on at the moment, but honestly, he hasn’t really certain about anything in his life since the war ended, so this could just be another weird thing in that pile of uncertain moment. A few minutes ago, he was just lounging in his bed, trying to solve his Transfiguration homework, while managing to steer clear from the now combined common room for the entire Eight Year students. Suddenly, Harry Potter, who somehow managed to become his roommate at the start of the year, noisily barges into the room and slams the door closes, making Draco jumps in his bed. Draco keeps his silent but not averting his focus from the raging boy in front of him. Potter seems livid, even though Draco doesn’t understand why, it’s not everyday people can see the savior of wizarding world openly fuming in anger, especially after the war. After a few minutes with Potter only facing the wall wile trying to even his breathing, Draco finally decides that it doesn’t worth his time, so he tries focusing in his homework. Well, that turns out to be a futile idea because Potter suddenly decides to punch the wall with an angry shout, which once again makes Draco jumps.

“Screw this.” Draco mutters before putting his homework aside and tries to assess the situation with his whole focus. He draws blank on what could possibly makes Potter furious before dinner even starts, but there he stands, basically oozing negativity out of his pores. Draco rolls his eyes, this must be some Gryffindor’s sensitivity nonsense. He gets irritated when once again Potter just channels out his anger by yelling out in anger. “Dammit, Potter, stop it! What makes you so bothered before dinner even started?!”

“Shut it, Malfoy.” Harry only mutters without any resentment in his voice, his shoulders suddenly hunch, his posture slumps down in a matter of second. He suddenly just flops down in the middle of the room, curling up with knees on his chest, glasses thrown away, and face hidden behind his palms. Draco is stunned. Never once in a million year he imagines he’ll witness something this bizarre. Harry bloody Potter is openly having a mental breakdown in front of his one and only arch enemy. So yeah, Draco is pretty baffled right now because one, this is not something he ever expects to happen, and two, he’s not even good with emotions. What on Earth he must do now?! He can’t just ask Potter to stop being weak and face his problem head on, can he? No, of course not, he would get hex before he can utter a single a word, but he can’t just stay here and do nothing, or worse leave him to weep alone?! Wait. Wait a second, yes he can, where the bloody hell on earth do these thoughts of comforting Potter even come from? He’s Draco Malfoy, he’s the enemy of Harry Potter, of course he can just get up and leave, it will be the most logical thing to expect from him anyway.

Draco is halfway across the room when suddenly there’s a sob echoing around the room, a loud and clear sob followed by a small whimper, and Draco’s feet stop by their own accord. He looks back at the boy he always thinks as a hero, the strong powerful young wizard who managed to single handedly defeat the most evil wizard of all time now seems small, defeated, and broken. And somehow it doesn’t feel right for Draco to leave the room, Draco believes that if there’s one person who deserves happiness after the war ended, it’s Harry Potter, at least for managing to save wizardkind, because Draco is certain that Potter was not obliged to search and kill Voldemort, he could just leave and hide so that Voldemort didn’t kill him, but instead he faced the evil wizard head on. Draco is forever in debt with the boy, even if he won’t admit it openly, not leaving the boy alone at his lowest point is the least he could do to pay him back.

So, Draco turns around and hesitantly walks toward Potter, trying to see him from the eyes of one’s acquaintance instead of a predator. Potter hasn’t made anymore sound but Draco can see how his breathing is rapid and uneven, how his shoulders move in jerky motion, Draco can see that whatever this is about, it’s really affecting Potter in a way Draco has never seen. Merlin, Draco doesn’t know what to do. Does he have to touch, Potter? What if he violates Potter’s personal space? Does he just stay? How the bloody hell Potter can understand that Draco is here? He just needs the man to understand that he is not alone; that Draco is willing to be a company even though they never have the best of history; that if he wants to let it go, then he can because Draco is not going to judge him. Everyone knows that Draco is never good at social interaction, why do you think he always bullies Potter in his young age instead of gaining his attention in a normal way? Yeah, that part hasn’t changed; Draco still sucks at social interaction. So, he tries to remember what his mom used to do when he was young and upset. Draco smiles at the memory, Mother always hugs him, and that’s the sole reason that he sits down cautiously in front of Potter in a very close distance.

Draco hesitantly tries to tap Potter’s shoulder before putting his hand in it, he is not sure how Potter will react if Draco suddenly invades his personal space in this situation, so he makes sure to put a few moments before actually putting his hand on Potter’s shoulder, letting Potter flinches away, letting Potter reacts the way he needs to, but most importantly letting Potter knows that Draco is here and he’s gonna touch him in a few moment. Potter finally lifts his face to look at him, green eyes are welling with tears, the rims are red and swollen, cheeks wet with fallen tears –honestly, Potter looks like a mess, but his eyes look so confused and somehow that makes Draco smiles a little. He only opens his arms, inviting Potter in on his own accord. Potter only looks cautiously between Draco’s face and his open arms, he seems to try to understand what the hell does Draco thinks he’s doing, whether this is just a prank, whether the thing that’s happening in front of him is real, but after a few long minutes of self debate he finally scoots closer, letting himself inside the circle of Draco’s hands, putting some respective distance between them. Draco only wraps his arm around the broken boy, letting him hiding his face in Draco’s shoulder, one hand instinctively holding the back of Harry’s head gently, sliding between the strands of surprisingly soft dark locks, the other wraps itself around Harry’s figure, making him moves closer inside the embrace, shielding him from the rest of the world. A broken sob finally cuts the heavy silent, which makes Draco held the boy tighter.

“It’s okay…” Draco says softly, awkwardly, which draws another choking sound from Potter, Draco’s fingers stroke the black hair in what he hopes as a soothing motion. “No one else is here, just let it go.” Draco finally whispers genuinely. And only then, Harry actually breaks down in heart breaking sobs and tears. Draco doesn’t do anything else for the rest of the night besides settling Harry in his embrace, letting him lashes out all of his pent up emotions in the form of tears, tightening his embrace when needed, whispering nonsense that he thinks might help when the sobs turn to painful heaving, trying his hardest to convey the secure feelings he always gets whenever his mother hugs him, but most importantly staying even when dinner already started. At that moment, Draco understands one thing in his life, he will try his hardest to be less of the git that he was to Potter, he might not know the boy at all, but he knows the man in his embrace already has a hard life without Draco being an annoying little shit to him, this is the least he could do to repay his debt to Potter.

Dinner has already finished when Potter finally calms down, his breathing has evened out, his body is heavy in Draco’s arm, and even though he hasn’t lifted his face from Draco’s shoulder, Draco knows he must be exhausted. It’s okay though, at least some of the weight in his shoulder would be lifted after letting it all out. Draco doesn’t stop stroking Potter’s hair in a slow pace. After another long moments of silent, Harry finally speaks, his voice cracks in odd places and it feels like there’s a lump that hasn’t completely gone in his throat.

“I’m sorry…” Harry says with scratchy voice without lifting his face.

“Don’t apologize, you make no mistake.” Draco says softly beside the boy’s ear, this suddenly feels like the most normal thing he has ever done in his life. It somehow feels so right –to hold Potter in his embrace, to stroke his hair, to support him when he’s at his lowest point- but Circe, does that make Draco scared shitless.

“Don’t you dare pity me, Malfoy, I know you’re probably thinking along the lines of how the chosen one is all alone and broken.” Harry says with as much irritation he can muster in his voice. Draco doesn’t push him away, for once in his life, Draco doesn’t push Harry Potter away, and instead he tightens the arm around the boy’s figure. They can fight any other day, tonight just doesn’t seem right.

“I don’t think that you’re alone, Potter. You might be broken, but you’re never alone.”

“This day just felt lonely enough for me to have a bloody mental breakdown.” Harry scoffs, face still hiding in Draco’s shoulder, voice sounds so exhausted, Draco thinks he’s only a few seconds away from blacking out.

“You’re not alone, Potter, you’re never alone.” Draco once again says with as much conviction he can out in his tone.

“Do you see anyone else in here?” Harry finally snaps sarcastically, probably not even thinking the effect of his sentence.

“I’m here, aren’t I? I might not be enough, but you’re never alone. I’ll make sure of that.” For the first time, Harry finally moves, he wraps his arm around Draco’s neck and shoulder, enveloping Draco in a hug.

“I’m sorry. Thank you for being here.” Draco can feel the way Potter once again hide his face in the crook of Draco’s neck. And so, Draco melts inside the hug, feeling Potter’s scent enveloping his being, letting it be embedded inside his brain.

Based on this post and this post. (They’re amazing!)

“Father, we need to talk.” Draco says one day as he politely sits in front of Lucius’ study desk.

“Yes, Draco?”

“Do you know this year is the year when The Triwizard Tournament will be held?” Draco asks innocently, being sly is one of his strongest suits, so he will hold onto that until his father agrees to his desire.

“Yes, I am quite informed about that. May I ask why did you bring it up?” Draco maintains his posture to ooze confidence and certainty.

“I wish to watch the tournament, Father.” Lucius looks at him sharply at that.

“Draco, are you aware of what you’re asking right now?”

“Yes, Father. I am quite informed about the details and rules, but I still want to watch it.” Lucius narrows his eyes at Draco, but Draco keeps his foot on his ground, showing his father that this is not open for discussion. Draco wants to watch the tournament –no, he needs to watch the Tournament- and so, he will.

“And may I ask why this becomes very important for you?”

“You turned down my invitation to Hogwarts, Father, it’s only fair that I get to see the castle once since I have become a very good student at your chosen school.” Draco throws his ace card.

“Draco…” Lucius sighs, “we have been over this fight a dozen of times.”

“Yes, and we have established that I’m not at Hogwarts because of your personal reasons. Father, let me be there, and I will let go of this grudges. I will still cheer for Durmstrang anyway.” Draco shrugs nonchalantly; he can see the resolves in his father’s eyes crumble. Lucius closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose before sighing, and staring back at Draco.

“Okay, fine, but this will be the end of your Hogwarts obsession. I will see what I can do.” Draco lets himself smiles at that.

“Thank you, Father.”

*

Somehow pulling connection is one of the best things a Malfoy can do, especially when Lucius is a very close friend of Igor Karkaroff, Durmstrang’s Headmaster, and also ex Death Eater. On the day Durmstrang leaves to Hogwarts, Draco is also boarded on the ship. Well, Draco’s connection is also seemed very wide as he’s witnessed to be chatting with Victor Krum’s inner circle inside the ship, -yes, Victor Krum, one of the best and the youngest Quidditch players the Wizarding world has ever known of.

They arrive at Hogwarts, just with a spare hour or two before the first night dinner feast is going to be held, giving them less than the much needed time to settle down and get ready for their entrance. Draco is on the very back, being the last one that will enter Hogwarts’ Great Hall, wearing the Durmstrang red coat with pride, two torches on his hand, ready for their closing attraction. Helen is four steps ahead of him, winking from her shoulder to Draco, definitely oozing confidence and power. Draco only rolls his eyes; Helen is one of his closest friends since they are actually in the same age. She also forced her parents to let her be here because she wants to finally meet Albus Dumbledore –Hogwarts’ Headmaster, her favourite wizard of all time.

Beauxbaton has finished their charming entrance, and now the Headmaster himself is presenting the Durmstrang students. Igor Karkaroff walks inside with something that only can be described as an aura of power and danger. Victor and the rest of the line come right behind, smashing their staffs to the stone floor, creating magical spark while projecting their pride of Durmstrang. Helen walks in, many eyes turn towards her as she creates sparks and lines of fire with her short staffs –both powerful and graceful, her charming eyes sweep the room as her lips lift up in a small smirk, fire illuminates her dark red hair, and red coat brushes the air with a strong gracefulness. Helen moves like a fucking feline, and she bloody knows how gorgeous and dangerous she is. Draco steps into the room, long legs leap in strong, powerful motions, body twirls and flips in the air, both hands creating large burst of fire by blowing his torches, and just after everyone is finished with their tricks, Draco smirks as he creates a living, flying dragon with his fire, letting the creature swoops the place before vanishing with a wide circle of fire on the great hall ceilings.

Draco finds one intense stare being directed at him, two green orbs that holds his eyes captive, hidden behind glasses, but definitely projecting a sense of awe. Draco smirks before bowing while still maintaining the gaze between him and the boy with spectacular green eyes. Draco’s smirk only gets smugger when the boy’s cheeks reddened, and he abruptly cuts the eye contact, now staring intently at his black robe. Draco Malfoy wants the green eyed boy.

*

Harry Potter. The green eyed boy with disheveled jet black hair whom Draco fancy is Harry bloody Potter, The Boy Who Live, The Boy Who Killed The Dark Lord, and now one of The Triwizard Tournament’s champions. Draco is not quite sure as how he will get closer to the boy, but he’ll get his chance. For now, he’ll let himself be impressed that Harry Potter is the youngest Triwizard’s champion this year despite the rule about being 17 or older.

*

Harry Potter is feeling some very bizarre things in his life right now, more bizarre than getting almost killed by a dark powerful wizard three years in a row, much more bizarre than Ron being mad at him for being in the tournament which could actually kill him. Harry thinks he just might fancy a boy. A boy. How bizarre is that? At first he believes that he had a crush on Cho Chang, but then this boy swooped in with his bloody agile legs and with all the bloody dragon fire, he took a look at the boy, and just like that, he is trapped inside the sharp grey eyes, which was illuminated by the fire. He was bloody gorgeous, if Harry might have a say in how he looked like that first night. And Harry thinks, he might just fancy the boy.

But the boy gets closer. At first, he’s just always lounging with Krum and the other red haired girl, but then he starts getting closer. And closer.

“The name’s Draco Malfoy. You must be Harry Potter.” He started one morning after sitting down beside Harry in the Gryffindor table, offering a hand to shake and a smile. Harry swore he looks more gorgeous up close, with sharp jaw, high cheekbones, and bright grey eyes. Harry takes his hand, and he was absurdly reluctant to let go. The next thing that surprise Harry is he supports him, like he’s actually one of Hogwarts’ students instead of Durmstrang. He yells for Harry’s name when he was fighting the dragon in the first task, and he wears the Go, Potter! pin on his coat before the second task even starts.

“You’re supposed to cheer for our champion, Malfoy.” Harry has heard the red haired girl reprimands him in a tired voice one day. Draco Malfoy then cheers for Krum, but he also wears the bloody pin to support Harry.

Holy beard of Merlin, how can he not fancy the Durmstrang git?

*

“Going to the library again, Viktor?” Harry has heard Malfoy’s voice one day before he makes his turn on the hallway. His feet stops before his mind can catch up, his hands stop Ron, forbidding him to move even one step. Harry watches Malfoy and Krum both walking leisurely in the hallway, Malfoy snickering about Krum going to the library to see the famous Hermione Granger everyday while Krum is admitting defeat in silent with a red face. Harry smiles softly, he likes the way Malfoy’s platinum hair glows under the sunlight, with his coat neatly fastened –he looks calm and collected, but also strong, and little bit dangerous. Harry Potter likes it all. Ron groans heavily beside him.

“Not you, too!” Harry blinks dumbly at Ron.

“What?”

“Look, I’d understand if it was Krum, with him being all strong muscle and Quidditch top player, but that ponce, Malfoy? Really, Harry? He’s like this snobby arrogant little shit, you know that.” Ron says, which makes Harry frowns.

“We all act like little shits sometimes, Ron.” Then Harry grins while resuming his walk and dragging Ron with him by the shoulders. “Cheer up, it’s not like he fancies me too, you know?” But oh boy how wrong he was, because two weeks later Draco Malfoy is boldly striding to intercept Harry’s track on the hallway before he can get inside his dorm.

“Malfoy.” Harry nods with a polite smile as he doesn’t quite know what to do. Malfoy smiles right back with an unusual anxiety inside his grey eyes. Harry decides that nervousness does not fit with Malfoy’s feature. “May I help you?” Harry finally asks when Malfoy doesn’t say anything. Draco takes a visible gulp before asking.

“Harry Potter, would you do me the honor to escort you as a Triwizard Champion to the Yule Ball?” Malfoy once again offers his hand for Harry to take, but this time Harry is rendered speechless. He feels like he has been gob smacked by something hard on his face.

“W-wh-what?” he stutters quietly, eyes wide at the blond boy in front of him, the subject of his crush, and the biggest factor of him feelings many bizarre things. “WHAT?” Harry finally explodes, which makes Draco smiles as he rolls his eyes. He takes one step closer to Harry –Merlin, too close, this is too close! And then another one until they barely have any space between them. Harry can feel the heat of Draco’s body, Draco’s warm breaths are grazing the shell of his ear, making Harry’s spine shivers delightfully –weird, but delightful. Harry realizes that he doesn’t want Draco to step back. Until Draco suddenly talks right beside Harry’s ear, voice quiet and low, making Harry’s breath stuck in his throat.

“I say, would you go to the ball with me, Harry Potter?” Draco dares his luck and lets his lips brush Harry’s ear in a feather like touch. Harry’s breathe hitches once more, which makes Draco steps back with a wide smile on his face. Harry can only gulps twice in a desperate attempt to dampen his throat, before looking back at the calm and composed boy in front of him. Harry needs to get out of here.

“Y-yeah, okay, yeah.” Harry stutters quickly before running to the Fat Lady painting, saying his password, and finally locking himself safely inside the Gryffindor common room. Fuck, this is not good. Harry has a crush as big as the Durmstrang ship toward the little ponce, called Draco Malfoy. Fuck.

*

Draco waits for Harry in front of the Great Hall that has been transformed into a very beautiful ballroom, full with white lights, and white dance floor, one table is full with glasses of wine, and the other with self refilled glasses of water. Viktor waits for his date patiently beside him, huh Draco never thought he actually has the guts to ask Granger to the ball, but then Viktor also bet Draco doesn’t have the gut to ask Harry to the ball. Helen is already inside with two of Durmstrang’s boys, she doesn’t need a date, she has two bloody gorgeous bodyguards beside her for the night. Viktor finally smiles widely as the beautiful lady descends from the stone staircase, wrapped in a gorgeous blue dress, with her hair curls softly, framing her heart shaped face, Hermione Granger definitely has outdone even many girls tonight. Draco smiles politely as Granger nods at him. All those shenanigans somehow make Draco missed the entrance of his own date.

Harry Potter looks bloody gorgeous in dress robe. His hair for once is tamer than the usual –still disheveled, but looks sexier than the usual I-don’t-have-a-time-to-actually-brush-my-hair. The green eyes looks brighter, more captivating than ever. Draco’s feet move on their own accord until he stops in front of the boy.

“You clean up nice.” Draco smiles at him. Draco takes note on how easily flustered Harry is, his cheeks redden in a matter of second.

“Uh, uhm…” he clears his throat before continuing “You too, look nice, I mean.” Harry stutters once again which makes Draco grins. He likes making Harry at lost for words. So, like the well bred pureblood that he is, he leans down to kiss Harry’s hand, before offering his arm for Harry to take. When he finally holds Draco’s arm, it feels like Harry is holding for his lifeline, Draco smiles at him.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you trip on your first dance.” With that Draco walks inside the Great Hall, escorting the one and only Harry Potter in his arm.

*

After the Yule Ball, Harry and Draco are rarely seen alone. They got oh so much closer than they can imagine. Harry loves Draco’s company, Draco has somehow become an escape, something calm, and strong, something that tethers Harry to his sanity. Draco offers him the break that his mind needs from all the deadly tournament challenges, or most importantly from his weird dream that includes Voldemort, while Draco sees Harry as a comfortable companion. Someone’s different, someone that doesn’t belong with all the uptight traditions of being a pureblood. Draco learns a lot of things with Harry, things that sometimes are being push aside by the pureblood to achieve their personal goal, things like kindness, and friendship, and humanity.

They talk, and talk, and talk. They basically talk about everything. It somehow feels nice to have someone they can talk to about everything and anything without being judged by their own peers. So they talk, and they take walks in the Forbidden Forest, and then they talk some more. Comfortable companionship turns into uncertain touches, and finally it turns into holding each other. Harry instigated the first hesitant fingers loop when they were just leisurely walking inside the school ground, but Draco didn’t pull away, so fingers loop became hand holding in the end. But Draco instigated the first full body holding. Harry was telling him about how not all muggles are good muggles, just like wizard, and he gave the Dursley as an example. After Harry has to stop talking to keep his voice from breaking, Draco just stood up and trapped Harry inside his embrace. That day, Harry finally recognize Draco’s scent as he buried his head on the boy’s shoulder –sage, lemongrass, and oddly something that Harry can only describe as Earl Grey tea. Draco only tightens his embrace as Harry takes a full whiff of Draco’s scent, keeping it inside his mind.

Time is never relevant when you’re busy. You’re busy saving your life, you’re  busy keeping yourself sane, you’re busy sorting out your feelings, you’re busy mourning for a friend, you’re busy telling everyone about a grave danger that has come back. Harry knows that time is never relevant in his life, in the end he would only find himself in the last page of the book, in the end he’ll stand waving goodbyes to many people. This time he regrets all the time that feels irrelevant, this time he regrets for not making more time with Draco Malfoy, instead he got caught up with evil wizard trying to kill him and the death of a very good wizard. Harry has lost his time to actually making worthy memories that doesn’t give him any nightmare with Draco Malfoy.

The Triwizard Tournament is over, Harry has won, Cedric was murdered, and Mad Eye Moody was locked down six feet underground. Now, the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang needs to go back to their respective school. Harry is sad, but he is not alone. He has said his goodbye to Fleur and her sister, he also has said his farewell to Krum, but he hasn’t seen the only one that he actually needs to say goodbye to. Draco Malfoy is nowhere to be seen. So, now Harry is in one of the less crowded hallway with Ron and Hermione, looking at the Pegasus carriages bringing the Beauxbaton’s students home.

“You okay, Harry?” Hermione asks.

“Yeah, yeah, I will be eventually.”

“You have said your goodbye?” Ron asks concern. Harry shakes his head with a sad smile on his lips.

“Can’t find him.”

“It’s okay, mate. It’s summer holiday now. Do yourself a favor, forget him and find yourself a nice bloke, yeah?” Ron grins which makes Hermione slaps his arms, but Harry is smiling. Yeah, everything is gonna change now.

“You will write to me, won’t you?” Hermione asks, her voice is shaking a little bit. They start walking away from the wall.

“Blimey, I won’t have time to write you anything ‘Mione!” Ron exclaims.

“You’ll write to me, though, Harry.”

“Oh yeah, everyday for the entire holiday, as many as you—” Harry is smiling at Hermione, but his words stuck in his throat as he suddenly see Draco leaning on the wall at the end of the hallway. Harry can’t quite believe his own eyes, but Draco straightens his posture and smiles charmingly as he walks straight to Harry, ignoring everyone else in the room. “I thought you’d left.” Harry finally breathes.

“Cannot leave without saying goodbye, can I?” Draco once again closes the distance between them, but this time stopping face to face with Harry. Grey eyes hold the green captive, and Harry feels faint with the sheer passion inside Draco’s eyes. With tenderness Harry couldn’t quite imagine, Draco’s finger trails on Harry’s jaw, lifting his chin softly in the end before leaning in. Soft lips touch Harry’s lips hesitantly before diving in for a searing kiss. One breathtaking kiss that makes Harry’s toes curls inside his shoes, and forget about the world beside the space between the both of them. In the end, Draco lets the kiss becomes slower, mapping Harry’s lips with his tongue, and slowly pulls back. Harry is in a daze, his face flustered, lips red and almost swollen by kisses, his hair is the most disheveled Draco has ever seen, his glasses is fogged, but the brilliant green peeks out behind the glass. Draco decides that he loves seeing Harry like this.

“I’ll see you again one day, Harry. This year has been the highlight of my life.” Draco once again leans in to kiss Harry’s cheek, and then he starts walking away. Harry can only stares at Draco retreating figure, he doesn’t quite sure on what to say, but Draco turns back again to face him, and start walking backward. A grin is plastered on his face. Grey eyes look warm under the sunset light. “Write to me, Harry! Everyday for the entire holiday and even much longer! I’ll wait for your letters!” Draco grins as he half say half yell the sentence. Harry smiles at that.

“Will do! Everyday for as long as you want, as many as you want!” Harry feels his eyes waters a bit. Draco Malfoy is surely something else, something so out of this world that somehow belongs in Harry’s life. With that, Draco nods and then he runs; disappears from the hallway, boarding the ship he came with on the first September, going back home with the Durmstrang’s students.