Written for @drarrymicrofic prompt Weak, 520 words. I got less carried away this time. Not micro, or macroâbut meso. đ
tw for ED, even though itâs more depression than disordered eating
The scuffed dragon hide box tumbled from the top shelf of the closet. Harry cringed and quickly protected his face with his thin arms.Â
As if an alarm had been rung in their home, Draco appearedâseemingly calm, but with worry creasing his featuresâleaning on the doorjamb.Â
âNeed help with that?â he asked nonchalantly.Â
Frowning, Harry shook his head. âItâs on the floor, it canât go any lower.âÂ
He sat down cross-legged and lifted the lid of the heavy box. Inside were the things that had belonged to Harryâs parentsâthe few items Draco and he had found left behind at Grimmauld Place. There wasnât a lot, not even a quarter of the box had been filled. But Harry hadnât wanted to see it back then; back when Draco had moved in and convinced Harry to clear out the dregs of the past. And so theyâd been hidden away.Â
Draco crouched down beside him and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. âDo you think youâre ready?â
Harryâs body tensed like an overtuned guitar and he squeezed the orange tartan scarf heâd pulled from the box. It smelled spicy and sweet, just like he knew his mother had smelled. Draco hadnât been convinced when Harry had claimed it was his motherâs scarf, but one picture of Lily, Sirius, and James later as proof, and heâd eaten his words.Â
âNo,â Harry admitted. âBut Linda said it was time.âÂ
Humming, Draco embraced him from the side, and the hand around Harryâs shoulders softly stroked his cheek and neck.
âAnd what does your mind-healer say about your weight?â Draco asked.Â
Harry brought the scarf to his nose, inhaled deeply, and imagined he was burying his face in his motherâs neck. âIâm fine,â he replied, voice muffled.Â
Nimble fingers pulled his face free, and Draco tilted Harryâs chin to look straight into his eyes. âYouâre weak,â he corrected.Â
Harryâs chest burned, ready to explode.Â
Itâd worked for a little while. Repressing, ignoring the pain, refusing to see the reminders. Itâd worked for years.Â
But the nightmares had begun, and the dead haunted Harry. During the day he reverted to what his aunt had taught him. He refused to eat. He needed to be punished for everyone who had died because of him. A month later, he began seeing themâthe people heâd let downâin the dark corners of Grimmauld Place. That was when Draco became properly worried and insisted on a mind-healer.Â
âYouâre right.â A tear rolled down Harry's face and he snuggled into Dracoâs chest.
Wrapping Lilyâs scarf around Harry, Draco cradled his messy head and rocked him for a long while until Harryâs breathing calmed.Â
Draco leant back. âLunch is ready. Are you hungry?â he asked carefully.Â
The tear tracks had long since dried, but Harryâs voice was still hoarse. âIâm starving,â he croaked out with a smile.Â
With one last kiss, Draco stood, and held out his hand to Harry.Â
Harry took it, and as they descended the stairs to the first floor, he hid his nose in his motherâs scarf and breathed deeply of her strength.Â