Pansy’s mouth was soft against his, her body wedged snugly between Draco’s chest and the Slytherin table. It wasn’t the easiest thing to do, eating lunch with Pansy on his lap. But it was worth it. So worth it.
Pansy broke off the kiss. Draco looked over her shoulder across the Great Hall and made eye contact with Potter, all the way over at the Gryffindor table. Draco blinked deliberately and sucked Pansy’s earlobe into his mouth.
Potter went bright red. He looked furious, Draco noted with delight.
“Pansy,” Draco said. “I think I’ve made the most delicious discovery.”
“Oh?” Pansy said. “What’s that?”
Draco smirked. Potter was glaring daggers at him now.
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At breakfast, it was all anybody could talk about. Pansy speculated on the permanency, Blaise on then origin. Draco declined to comment, instead focusing on his breakfast.
Somehow, Charms was worse. Whispered gossip across the tables, stares from the students not in Gryffindor, and even an idle comment from Flitwick. Potter, of course, didn’t even have the good nature to look embarrassed at all the attention. Transfiguration, Herbology, and lunch passed with Draco ignoring more of same.
Potions was where everything — Merlin, everything — shifted. Brows furrowed in concentration, Potter kept sucking the small spike between his plump lips. Every so often, perhaps when the potion was giving him trouble, he would release the spike to worry his lip between his teeth. The result, when paired with steam damp hair, was an utterly debauched looking Potter.
And if Draco stumbled just a bit when they made eye contact, it was because he tripped. It obviously had nothing to do with Potter, thank you very much.
definitely not a microfic for the @drarrymicrofic prompt — weak
Harry triple checks the place settings at the dining room table. He rushes into the sitting room and checks the artfully draped cozy blankets, the fluffed pillows and the merrily crackling fire. He beams at the dancing warmth.
“Good job! Just like that, alright,” he encourages the flames which burn brighter. The whole house had to be bribed with promises of guests and expectations for the night to get it to do what he wanted.
Harry rushes upstairs, his bedroom door swinging open without prompting. He checks his outfit in the ornate silver mirror. Pressed trousers—a little tighter around the thighs than he would normally choose but the salesman had assured him that was “all the rage.” A soft cashmere sweater—an emerald hue nearly matching his eye colour—that pulls tight across his torso.
He surveys the room. Other than Geoffrey, his oversized California kingsnake, currently curled on the foot of the bed, everything is in its rightful place.
Harry approaches the snake, running his finger over its black and white banded head. “Bedtime,” he hisses.
“So warm here.” The snake wriggles showing its belly.
“Come on.” Harry gently scoops the snake and deposits it into its tank. He checks the temperature wards. “That should keep you nice and toasty.”
The snake lets out an indiscernible hiss which Harry takes to mean that he is pleased.
He rushes back downstairs and paces the drawing room. A knock sounds at the door.
Harry tells himself to go slow. To walk at a sedate pace so it doesn’t seem as though he’s been anxiously awaiting arrival. But his feet move faster than his brain and he’s opening the door before Draco has a chance to lower his hand.
“Merry Christmas, Draco.”
“Merry Christmas, Harry.” Draco says the words like they physically hurt him, his face twisting into a half-smile-half-sneer.
“Come in.” Harry ushers him inside, closing the door behind Draco. “Here, let me.” He reaches up and slips Draco’s coat from his shoulders.
“Ah, thank you?”
“We’ll be eating in the dining room. Down the hall here.” Harry prompts Draco forward.
“Am I the last to arrive?”
“Well, yes…” and no. Harry doesn’t tell Draco that he’s the only one invited tonight.
“Oh, pardon my tardiness. I didn’t realise.” He picks up his pace, freezing in the doorway to the dining room. “There’s no one here.”
“We’re here.” Harry points to the chair at the end of the table for Draco to sit.
“Harry?”
“Yes?” Harry pours the bottle of wine—an old vintage Narcissa sent over when Harry had told her of his plans—into their glasses.
“Where is everyone?”
“This is everyone.”
Harry uncovers his plate, showcasing a perfectly cooked steak meal. “Shall we eat?”
Draco is looking at him, bafflement across his face. “But—”
“Food first, Draco, then questions.”
Draco harumphs, uncovering his food—another glance at Harry to check that this isn’t some big conspiracy—and begins to eat.
Dinner passes in stilted small talk. Harry steers the conversation to safe topics: Draco’s work running an apothecary, Harry’s tenure at Hogwarts teaching Defense, the Granger-Wesleys, and Teddy.
When they finish, a decadent chocolate mousse with raspberries ending the meal, Harry takes Draco to the sitting room. He sits on the sofa facing the fire and gestures for Draco to do the same.
“Harry, what is this?” Draco stands, looking confused. “I thought this was a Christmas Party. Was informed, by several friends, that we would all be gathering to celebrate.”
“Well, yes, I suppose I may have misled you, a bit.”
“A bit! Harry, this feels like a date but that’s not—this is not—”
“Not what?” Harry stands, closing in on Draco. “Not possible I wanted a date with you? Because I did. I had to tell all our friends too. And your mother.”
Draco gapes at Harry. “A date?”
“Yes.” Harry takes Draco’s hand in his own, marveling at the smooth, cool skin. “How it works is that one person, who likes another, invites said person over. Usually, this is done with less subterfuge, but you are a hard man to detain.”
“You could’ve just said…” Draco stares at their linked palms.
“I have asked you out fifty-eight times now and each one you’ve turned down.”
“You have not!”
“‘Draco, let’s get drinks after work.’”
“That’s a friendly pub night invite.”
“‘Draco, have dinner with me.’”
“I was probably busy!”
“After the twelfth time, you were avoidant.”
“I was not—”
“‘Draco, I have two tickets to this play I think you’ll love. They are for Saturday.’ You took those and invited Pansy to go with you. Fucking Pansy, who I asked about which tickets to buy to get you to go with me!”
“Oh.” Draco remembers Pansy’s behaviour when he’d asked—“Are you sure there’s no one else you want to go with Draco. How about Potter since he’s the one who bought the tickets? No Draco, I’m pretty sure he was asking you to attend with him, not giving them to you to go with a friend!”
“I had no other choice.” Harry tugs Draco closer, his hand handing on Draco’s lithe hip. “Draco, are you okay with this being a date? With the assumption there will be many more dates to come.”
“Yes.” Draco blushes, his eyes meeting Harry’s. “A date.”
“Good.” Harry brushes the back of his palm with his thumb. “Merry Christmas, Draco.” Then, he leans in and presses his lips to Draco’s.
The kiss is sweet and soft. A gentle press of mouths.
Harry's smiling when he pulls back. “Was that okay?”
“Harry.” Draco’s face is pulled into a serious mask. “If you don’t take me upstairs, right now, I may reconsider this date thing. That was not good enough.”
Harry laughs, hugging Draco tightly. “Come on.”
Upstairs, Harry pushes Draco down onto a Geoffrey-free bed.
Draco’s hooded eyes take in every contour of Harry’s exposed chest. Draco sends a vanishing charm at himself—he’ll mourn the loss of his favorite sweater another time—right now, his focus is only Harry. “Merry Christmas, Harry.”
I love your rec list so much, it’s like my comfort page. You have an oblivious Harry list but what about when Draco is oblivious or in denial about Harry’s possible feelings?
Thank you, I’m so happy to hear that! Sure thing, here are some fics I don’t see recced often. They’re a nice mix of oblivious Draco and Draco in denial, hope you enjoy!
Professor Potter and his Magical Menagerie by @dracogotgame (T, 7.5k)
Harry Potter descends on Hogwarts with a horde of magical beasts. Professor Malfoy is not amused.
Proof of the Pudding by daisymondays (T, 10k)
When Greg's bakery opens on Diagon Alley, Draco doesn’t expect it to the place he ends up finding love, but then again Harry Potter has always defied Draco's expectations.
What Real Thing? by @l0vegl0wsinthedark (E, 12.6k)
They don’t cuddle, they don’t talk about their relationship (or lack thereof) and they certainly never fall asleep in each other’s arms.
The Year of Non-Magical Thinking by whiskyandwildflowers (E, 13.6k)
"I don't know what I'm going to do, Potter. I'll think of something. So will you. But this is my journey to self-actualization," Draco managed to smirk. "You can fuck off and get your own."
Take the Moon by @tackytigerfic (M, 15k)
Harry Potter has always wanted a family of his own, and when a deadly blood curse forces him into a marriage bond with his best friend Draco Malfoy, it looks like he might just have found one. It's just a shame they’d always planned to break up after a year…
Vanishing Cabinets by @romaine2424 (E, 18k)
Take one Wizarding Family Values politician who has a secret life, and add one Auror who detests discrimination of any type, but becomes a bit obsessed with said politician, and you have enough sparks to ignite a Beltane fire.
With Great Yawns and Stretchings by sugar_screw (T, 22k)
The coffee is very good. Really. And the cats are so cute. That's why Harry goes so often.
Better To Burn Than To Fade Away by Ren (E, 23k)
Harry Potter is a legend in the world of broomstick racing. He's won almost every cup, trophy, and bowl – except for the historical London-Nome which has been on hiatus for the past several years. Now the London-Nome is starting again, and Harry will do anything to pull off one last big win.
the strength to stay by violetclarity (E, 29k)
Draco and Harry are the best Senior Aurors in the DMLE, which is why they’re working the case about Wings – a dangerous new potion that sends users into a dreamscape from which they may never return. When Harry is kidnapped by the group behind Wings, Draco takes it upon himself to go after him, and is forced to confront the reality of Harry’s feelings for him, which he’s been ignoring for years.
A Secondary Education by Thunderbird587 (E, 234k)
Fleeing the aftermath of his recent divorce, Draco Malfoy takes up a post as the new Potions Master at Hogwarts. At first he believes his hopes for a fresh start are dashed when he sees that a certain boyhood rival is on staff there as well. But Harry Potter is being weirdly nice to him, leaving Draco no choice but to play along.
It’s a joke, until it isn’t anymore, with the doorbell and then Potter on the other side, wearing his leather jacket and a smile. Draco swallows. Twice. Still he can’t come up with anything better than, “Thought we said Sunday.”
“Today’s sooner,” Potter says, like an idiot. His smile stretches from here to-fucking-there, ridiculous and alluring all at once. Draco tries and fails for a deep breath.
He braces himself against the doorway. “How do we…?”
“I have my bike,” Potter says, which, of course he does. Giving him just one heart attack will never be enough. He must notice the look on Draco’s face, because he’s chewing his bottom lip until it goes near-white. “We could Floo, if you’d rather. There’s plenty of fireplaces in town.”
“Floo,” Draco repeats, relieved and disappointed all at once. Before he remembers: “My flat isn’t—Muggle neighbourhood, you know.”
Potter releases the poor captured lip and Draco closes his eyes in gratitude. Then opens again to see something even worse, an attempt for a thinking face. “How do you normally go?” and he has the nerve to sound bloody gentle. Draco balks.
“I usually, the bus, erm, that is, every ten minutes or so—”
So they take the bus, and this joke that isn’t a joke anymore has gone too far, because Potter insists he’ll pay. ‘After the last time’, by which he means the non-date, in which the lady refused Draco’s Galleons for thinking they were Scottish currency. Not his fault.
“I know how pounds work, now.”
“Good. I still promised. Said I’ll introduce you to new Muggle music.”
Draco believed he’d been joking, then, but Potter is Potter, and as Potter he has to make it into something honourable. He feels stupid.
“You don’t have to do anything.”
“That’s true,” Potter takes his hand, which, what, and threads their fingers together. “I want to.”
Fuck. “You’re being weird,” Draco is horrified to find out he’s said out loud. Potter only laughs.
“You’re the one who said he doesn’t have a favourite song. Now, that’s weird.”
He laughs again, and Draco doesn’t know how to tell him that was only a half-truth; he may not have a favourite song, exactly, but… Then he finds he’s laughing too. The bus continues onward, and Potter doesn’t let go of his hand.
He thought it was a joke, but this is actually much better.
For the wonderful @yomarius, 400 words for ‘my favourite song’. By the way, you can prompt me too!
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"It's just annoying," Draco continued as he and Harry packed up for the night. "Literally every single party or brunch, I am hounded about when I'll start dating someone." He slammed his desk drawer closed, "I'm a bloody auror! I haven't got time to date anyone," he groaned. "And now I have this party tonight and I just know-"
"I'll go with you," Harry offered.
He broke off and stared at the other man. "What?"
"Yeah," Harry said with a shrug, "I'll go and be your pretend boyfriend, it would be easy to fake that we're dating since we already know everything about each other."
"But," he started, tilting his head at the other man, "Then people will think we're dating."
"I thought that was the point?"
He stared at Harry, waiting for it to click. When no click was forthcoming he said "but then people would think you're dating me."
"Am I missing something here?"
He rolled his eyes, "I don't think you quite understand what dating me entails."
"Ah, need to be pampered, darling? Wined and dined? Roses on Tuesday and dinner on Friday nights? I could bring you coffee in the morning-"
"I- What?" Draco spluttered. "No! No. Merlin, that's not what I'm saying, although, yes if we're being honest I want to be absolutely doted upon," he added.
"Obviously."
"Wait," he said, shaking his head to clear it, "You're missing the fucking point."
(Read more below the cut)
"Sorry," Harry said, smirking at him and not looking sorry at all, "What's the point?"
"The point," Draco said, poking him in the chest, "Is that dating me is not a pleasant experience."
"Oh come on," Harry teased, "You're not that bad."
"I am a fucking delight," he replied, exasperated, "I am saying that the press will make your life hell."
"Ah," he said, nodding, "I have no idea what dealing with the press is like."
"The press has been kind to you for at least the past decade because of the whole saving the world nonsense," Draco replied as he opened the door and held it open for Harry.
"Except for the lurid months after I came out and all sorts of lies were spread about me," Harry replied wryly.
He shook his head and headed toward the floos, "Even those were mostly flattering," he added with a lewd glance.
Harry laughed, "Whatever. My point," he said, poking him in the shoulder, "is that I'm not afraid of the press." He bumped his shoulder against Draco's, "Come on. What have you got to lose?"
"Fine," he huffed but his stomach was silently doing back flips while his heart did a complicated tap routine in his chest. "Meet me at the Screaming Goblin at 7:00pm sharp." He stepped toward the floo and turned, "Don't dress like a homeless person," he added before stepping into the floo.
---------------
Harry did not dress like a homeless person. In fact it was quite the opposite.
Harry looked fucking hot.
He was wearing tight dark-wash jeans and a lightweight jumper that hugged his body, making his strong, broad shoulders look even broader and his trim waist even narrowed. He'd done his hair, putting enough product in his curls to make them look artfully tousled and not a mess. And he'd arrived before Draco but instead of waiting, he'd gone in and bought Draco's friends a round and was sitting and yammering away at them.
As Draco approached, Harry turned his head and gave him a wide grin, "Hey, babe," he said, standing up and pulling out Draco's chair for him.
"Hi," he said weakly.
Harry pressed a kiss to his temple and a thrill shot through Draco's body as his brain went pleasantly fuzzy.
And thank Merlin for Harry because Draco hardly answered a question all night, hardly even heard a question all night because he was too busy focusing on the way it felt to have Harry's fingers trailing through the hair at the base of his skull. Harry talked and laughed with Draco's friends like they'd all been friends for ages as he sat with his arm resting on the back of Draco's chair.
When it was time to go, Harry helped Draco into his coat and bid all of the former Slytherins goodbye as he wrapped his arm through Draco's.
The bar wasn't far from Draco's but still Harry murmured, "Can I walk you?"
And Draco found himself charmed into saying yes.
Harry hummed, quiet now that all of Draco's friends were gone, but he still kept his arm looped through Draco's as they walked. When they arrived at Draco's front door Harry asked, "Everything alright?"
Draco's eyes snapped to his and he nodded, "I just can't believe how well they took to you."
He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and grinned up at Draco from the bottom step, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "Well, I can be very charming, what can I say?"
"It's a little strange-" Draco started but Harry leaned in and pressed a kiss to the corner of Draco's mouth and every word that Draco knew disappeared.
"Don't overthink it," he said with a wink. Then he turned and started off down the sidewalk calling, "See you tomorrow," over his shoulder.
Draco was half way to bed before he realized that there was no one watching when Harry kissed him on his door step.
------------
They spent the next two weeks fake dating and it was the best dating experience Draco had ever had. Harry was sweet and doting, just like Draco had said he wanted and Draco enjoyed that thoroughly.
But what he hadn't expected enjoying as much as he did was being good to Harry in return. While Draco loved to be praised and brought little treats, Harry loved to be touched. He melted when Draco ran his fingers through his hair; when Draco held his hand, he got a huge dopey grin on his face that took hours to disappear; and even a casual touch, fingers trailing over the small of his back when Draco walked by, made his lips twitch up as he leaned into the touch.
Draco was quickly, and disconcertingly, becoming addicted to those smiles.
Smiles were in short supply that day, though. The case they'd worked had been tough. Harry was scowling at the folder splayed out in front of him, his jaw clenched as he filled in paperwork.
"Hey," Draco murmured as he slipped behind him and slowly rubbed Harry's shoulders.
Harry dropped his quill and leaned back into the touch, "Hey," he murmured, closing his eyes.
"Alright?" Draco asked.
He nodded, "I just hate the ones with kids."
"They're going to be alright, though," he said.
"Yeah," he agreed, "But it just brings up bad memories." He shook his head and covered Draco's hand with his own. "Want to get out of here?"
"What did you have in mind?" he asked as he combed his fingers through Harry's soft curls.
Harry tipped his head back to look up at Draco, "this is nice," he said softly. "Want to go back to mine and I'll make you dinner? Then I'll lay with my head on your lap and you can stroke my hair?" he asked wistfully and Draco's heart stuttered in his chest.
"That sounds an awful lot like dating."
"Yeah," Harry affirmed.
"But there's no one there-"
Harry pulled away, breaking Draco's contact with him, "You're right," he said, nodding as he stood up and started shoving files into his bag. "Forget it."
"Harry-"
"No, it's fine," he said, giving him a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You're right. I'm just," he shrugged helplessly. "Forget it," he repeated as he grabbed his bag and headed to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said.
"But-" Draco started before realizing it was useless because Harry was gone. He packed up his things and headed home, this was what he should have been worried about; pretending to be dating had been a terrible idea.
When he got home he flooed Pansy and told her everything. "And now I don't know what to do," he finished, imaging Harry at home all alone make dinner.
"You're such an idiot," Pansy groaned.
"Excuse me?"
She rolled her eyes. "You do know that we all knew you thought it was fake, don't you."
"What?"
"We all knew. Potter told us that first night when we met up for drinks," she said.
He frowned, "Why? Why would he say that? And why haven't you said anything?"
"Because he asked us not to. He said he was really into you, or whatever," she said flippantly, "And that he thought he could win you over by showing you how great dating him could be. He begged us to play along."
He stared at her, mouth open, "He feels the same?" he breathed.
"Yeah," she said. "Obviously."
"I've got to go," he said, abruptly ending the call so he could floo to Harry's flat.
He stumbled out of the floo and immediately called for the other man, "Harry!" he shouted, heading toward the kitchen. "Harry!"
The other man's head appeared outside of the kitchen doorway, "Draco?" he asked as though he couldn't believe his ears.
Draco took one look at him and then closed the gap between them in three steps before wrapping his arms around him and kissing him.
Harry dropped whatever he'd been holding and it shattered at their feet but Draco didn't care because he was kissing Harry Potter and that was all that mattered at the moment. He poured his heart and soul into the kiss and Harry met him with the same.
"Me too," he gasped when he pulled back.
"What?" Harry asked, looking a bit dazed and Draco could hardly blame him.
"I'm into you too," he said. "Or whatever you said to Pansy that first night."
"I told them I was in love with you," he confessed. "You still want to own that?"
He nodded and threw himself at Harry again, kissing him and wrapping his arms tight around his neck.
The next time they parted Harry asked hopefully, "So, do you want to stay for dinner?"
"How about I stay forever?" he asked, grinning wide at the other man.
Do you have any Oblivious!Harry? I love that trope.
Your holds have arrived!
I also love this trope! It's so fun! Here are several fics that should hit the spot for you!
Oblivious Harry
Mistletoe & Misunderstandings by @floydig (315 words, rated T)
In which Draco wants to propose and Harry misunderstands a conversation.
Something to Know About by Moonlitdark (1,223 words, rated T)
Potter was a ridiculously foolish (not to mention unobservant) person. Draco could put up with that. Most of the time.
The seven stages of alcohol intoxication by @sassy-sassy3 (2,714 words, rated T)
After a challenging day at work, with a big presentation the next day, Harry wasn't quite in the mood to celebrate Seamus' birthday. But, what's the harm in just one drink?
Pensées d'Attirance by @orpheous87 (2,256 words, rated G)
Draco is working in his mother's flower shop when Harry wanders in searching for a plant for his office.
To Catch a Dream by @huldrejenta (5,695 words, rated M)
Potter wants to keep things casual. Draco catches feelings. Damn it.
Harry Potter and the Mysterious Snowy Owl Affair by @ladderofyears (8,681 words, rated T)
Harry's happy existence is thrown into disarray when a small snowy owl starts dropping tip-offs about magical creature crimes to Grimmauld Place. Harry isn't sure what to think. Is his benefactor a friend or foe? Why are they making such stringent efforts to conceal their identity? Draco doesn't seem concerned, but Harry can't help but feel intrigued by the mystery. Who is the wizard behind the owl?
Silverpoint by @tackytigerfic (8,836 words, rated E)
"It's ok to love him, you reason with yourself - he doesn't have to know. No one ever has to know."
Prats, Parcels, and Parseltongue by @bisexualronaldweasley (10,196 words, rated T)
Harry is the Muggle world's first snake-only veterinarian. Life is good, and calm, for once. Until Draco Malfoy shows up with a snake. And then another. And then he won't stop coming in.
The Courting by the Pureblood Who Only Has Five Milligrams of Romantic Intelligence and Thinks He’s Real Smooth by @cibeewastaken (19,522 words, rated T)
Draco decides to boldly go where no one has gone before: to put himself through scrutiny; their friends’ teasing and pranks; unsound romantic advice from a house-elf; wearing pretty clothes; all to try and win Potter’s heart through courtship.
+ Bonus Oblivious Draco
Quiet (Except With You) by @undercoverwarlock (8,502 words, rated T)
He never could get a good night’s sleep. Before the war, it was a constant gamble of whether or not his dreams would be his own, or if what he saw would be real. During, well. After, the nightmares haunted him, ghosts he couldn’t escape. He thought coming back to Hogwarts might help, a return to normalcy, but if anything, the thought only reminded him of everything he had lost.
❤️ As always, if you find a fic you enjoy, please remember to leave the author a kudos or a comment! ❤️
Lots of Love and Happy Reading!
P.S. You can find these fics and the other lists been recommended in my AO3 Sub-collections!
A post Hogwarts AU where Harry and Draco both work in the ministry in different departments and over the years their friend groups have somehow managed to merge together. Their constant passive-aggressive sarcastic arguing/flirting (its not banter because neither one enjoys it... really....) has irritated their mutual friend group to the point where their friends figure that the two need to just go ahead and shag and get the awkward not-courting over with so they can have some piece and quiet. Unfortunately for them the two in question are completely oblivious to the whole situation.
