Harry
Some people were just special, chosen.
And it fucking sucked.
Harry didn't plan on saving the world. He was just an orphan, I mean how many orphans turned into superheroes anyways?
He first realized that he was special, that he was different, when he was eleven. It started with things moving. Nothing big, just a glass tipping over when he got angry, a gym bag seeming to move just slightly as his horrible cousin, Dudley walked by. Nothing that couldn't be explained by a strange fluke. Then, it got weirder. Dudley's cereal spilt into his lap, his cruel teacher's desk chair moved back as she tried to sit down, and once, when Dudley and his terrible friends had chased Harry into a tree, it got really weird. He had climbed up to avoid the inevitable beating that they were sure to inflict on him if he had stayed in arms reach. The problem was that as a cruel as Dudley was, he was twice as stubborn. He and his nasty friends resolved to stay down there, taunting Harry and playing cards until the younger boy would be forced to come down. Based on how dark it was getting, the moment was imminent, and then a branch fell. It didn't hit anyone, but a perfectly healthy branch cracked neatly and thudded down, right on top of the deck of playing cards. The three would be tormentors squealed and ran away, giving Harry just enough time to climb down and barricade himself in his cupboard under the stairs. It was as he sat panting in the dimly lit space that realized that he had wanted that to happen, he had willed it into happening and with a shaky hand, he focused all his might of the book in front of him, holding an outstretched hand towards it. He felt the strain as he focused, willing every ounce of energy his eleven year old self had into that book, and then he moved his hand. It hit the door with a thud, pages flying out as it collapsed on the ground like a broken bird and Harry felt a ferocious sense of triumph before he passed out.
Draco
Family was crucial. The only real thing that mattered and Draco knew that his family was more important the most. The Malfoy name was the most important thing. His father had lunch with senators, disrespected diplomats with no fear of the consequences, and drafted laws that the mayor signed without reading. There were those who were the face of power and there were those who were smart enough to stay behind the scenes and pull the strings. His family had always been and would always be in the latter category.
Until it all went to shit. It started with one asshole with a beard like something out of a ridiculous fantasy novel. Albus Dumbledore had marketed himself as the one outside of the mainstream who would save Magicae City from the corrupt forces that sought to control it. The campaign had floundered in the beginning, people had questioned his legitimacy and his age, claimed he was too old for the stress that the position of Mayor would bring. Then the candidate had pulled out the ace up his sleeve. He had named one of those so called "corrupters," Lucius Malfoy, who he claimed was exploiting the weak-willed current mayor with bribes, as if Lucius would ever stoop so low. The damage to his father's reputation had been irreparable, even though all Lucius had ever done was keep crime low and the city flourishing. Then Dumbledore had gotten his friends in the DA office to create phony charges that the bought judge had made stick. His father was rotting in a prison cell for fraud bribery, and a litany of other bullshit while the Malfoy assets were frozen, permanently, under suspicion of embezzlement. Draco's life had imploded and then he had discovered the real family secret.
He had been so furious the morning his father had been arrested that he broke down in the main hall, screaming and shaking. It was only when he opened his eyes that he realized that he had floated to the very peak of the cathedral ceiling. He came crashing down the moment he knew what was going on and felt every bone in his body shatter against the stone ground. He screamed, contorting in agony and then it was over. He breathed shallowly, peering at his own hands in surprise, bones he had been so sure were broken, bones he had felt shatter were stitching back together underneath his skin. His leg was slowly coming back together and he almost threw up as he watched his kneecap slide back into place. He flopped back onto the ground, resolving not to look as his body healed. He panted shallowly as the pain faded, leaving the just barest echo of an ache under his skin.
As he laid there, shaking on the smooth stone, he realized that he was a freak, that there was something terribly wrong with him, and he was going to use it to destroy Albus Dumbledore.
…
Harry
Harry's first choice may not have been his brightest. He told a priest, convinced that this was one of those miracles the father always mentioned when the Dursley's dragged him along to mass on Christmas and Easter. The father had tried to placate him at first, telling Harry that a branch falling was not evidence of God given powers but then Harry had demonstrated by knocking over a candle from across the room. The father had screamed, lifted his cross and shouted something about "Christ compelling" him. Suffice to say, Harry feigned sick on Christmas and Easter from that point forward.
It was then that he realized how horribly wrong this could go, if he wasn't careful. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon would most definitely ship him off to looney bin if they found out what he knew. Even if they believed him, such a strange feat would definitely classify him outside of the world of "normal" which was the most important virtue to strive for in their opinion.
He spent the next few days walking around in stunned awe, wondering if there was anyone else out there like him, if he wasn't alone. He couldn't be the only one, could he? If what he could do was possible, how could none of the other stories possible? There had to be other people like him out there, people with abilities. He just had to find them.
…
Draco
School was an unfortunate necessity. His mother shipped him off to the most prim and proper boarding school that she could find, all to avoid getting out of bed in the aftermath. He didn't speak to the other kids, but they spoke about him frequently: how his family was an embarrassment, how he was always alone, and how he snuck out at weird times of night.
He left to practice. It took a couple of really hard landings before he truly got the hang of it, but he found himself gliding and circling through the air. He thought of himself like a fighter pilot, practicing the maneuvers he might need later. He spent the interim years developing a plan. He wouldn't just simply kill the man, oh no, that would be too easy. He was going to torture him, utterly and completely, and he was going to make sure that he knew when Draco came for him. That he knew that he was going to die.
…
Harry
Harry didn't think much of it when he applied or the scholarship. It was just his name on a piece of paper. His guidance counselor had given him the form. He found himself toiling on his essay. "Name a time you overcame adversity" it felt like the easiest prompt on the planet because what could be said about his life other than that it was filled to the brim with adversity. He wrote about his parents, those mysterious people who had died in a car crash. Someone, some unnamed person had left him in a basket on the porch of his mother's estranged sister. As a result, he knew nothing about his parents. He wrote about the resulting lack of identity and apparently the admissions officer cried reading it. He got a full scholarship to Magicae University and a fresh start.
…
Draco
His mother had a pittance of money still in her name when his father had been arrested, but his trust fund was off limits for all things beside his education, and considering the fund wouldn't change over into his name until his twenty first birthday, he still had to follow her rules. If he wanted to get into the city to begin the plan had been finalizing for years, he had to be attending college. He applied to Magicae University with a sneer, figuring the school was just far enough above a state school to not be a humiliation but easy enough that he could coast without putting too much effort into his studies.
He didn't even bother writing a real essay, just provided the url to one of the crueler depictions of his father's arrest and trial. He got in easily, though they didn't provide him with nearly as much merit grants as he should have been entitled to, not that it really mattered. School was not the point.
...
Harry
Harry's leg was bouncing so violently that the old lady next to him on the train was starting to glare at him. He was going to look for apartments. They had moved him out of the cupboard when the nurse had commented on the bruises on his forehead from standing up too quickly too often after he had hit his growth spurt, but Dudley's second room, as it continued to be called, was nothing like freedom. The moment he had turned eighteen he had bought a train ticket and high tailed it out of there. His scholarship covered tuition, books, and room and board but he had made a small mistake. That July second housing deadline had actually been a June housing deadline and all the dorms were full. The university had been kind enough to provide a housing allowance and advised that he find an apartment soon. That was today's plan, find an apartment whose rent he could afford and plant himself in a motel in the meantime. His stuff was staying in a friend's garage until he could send them an address. He had hope, meager hope, but hope nonetheless. He had a new beginning and all he really needed now was an apartment.
...
Draco
Draco needed an alibi. His plan was complex, lots of moving pieces, lots of late nights, and he would undoubtedly be a suspect from the moment he started. It would be best if there was someone around, some idiot that would vouch that he was home, especially when he wasn't. All he needed to do was find a lonely moron who could be trusted to stay in most nights and he had a very good idea of where to start.
...
Harry
The cafe was cozy, warmly lit with black boards for walls and mismatched arm chairs surrounding tables on one side and bean bags in the corner. A cute guy with curly hair, big glasses, and a "Feminist" t shirt was playing guitar from the stage beside the bar. It seemed wonderful. He ordered a green tea with sugar and an everything bagel from a guy in a button up shirt with the sleeves rolled to reveal truly impressive tattoos. He got his food quickly and settled into a green chair in the corner, sinking into the plush cushions. Everyone around him was buzzing with life, couples on dates, people typing frantically on computers, and groups of friends chatting boisterously. He was giddy with it, all the opportunity. He could, he could do whatever he wanted here. He could explore, learn, even date! Everything was a new and wonderful opportunity stretched out in front of him.
Speaking of, right beside his chair was an ad, neatly written in an elegant script that Harry didn't even think people learned any more.
"Roommate wanted: own room in two bedroom apartment, must be tidy and respecting of privacy, obnoxious frat boys need not apply. Rent is $150 a month. " It was followed by a neatly printed phone number.
$150 a month! That was insane, way cheaper than anything that he had ever seen before. He had to get that apartment. He typed the number into his phone and looked around nervously before erasing the ad quickly with his hand. If he was the only applicant, they had to take him right?
Draco
His mother bought the condo, a spacious flat in a nice neighborhood close to the university. She told him to use the second bedroom as a library but he had other plans. The ad had been up in the coffee shop for days and he hadn't heard a word, he wondered idly if he had asked for too high of a rent, he didn't know what people paid for things like that, it wasn't something he had ever thought about.
His phone rang suddenly one afternoon, the shrill ringtone cutting through the quiet in his room. The caller was unknown but he picked up anyways.
"Draco Malfoy speaking." He greeted curtly.
"Hello?" The other voice was breathy, as if they were running. Weirdo.
"Who is this?" Draco demanded.
"Oh, sorry, duh. I'm Harry, Harry Potter." The guy stumbled over his words. Good, he was an idiot.
"I'm assuming that you're calling about the apartment." Draco suggested.
"Yeah! I'm very interested, like very very interested. Can I come by and see it?" He asked cheerily.
"How soon can you move in?" Draco asked, he couldn't wait around for this genius to get out of an old lease, he needed them to move in immediately.
"Today?" Potter offered hopefully, yup definitely an idiot.
"Come over at two today; 223 Fides apartment 27b." Draco ordered gruffly.
"Awesome! Oh! I almost forgot, can I get your name? So I can make out the check?" He chirped.
"Draco Malfoy. Google it before you come." He snapped, hanging up quickly. If Potter held a grudge against him for his father, he just wouldn't show up and then Draco wouldn't have to deal with it. He'd keep it a secret but then when it all came out down the line, Potter might refuse to give an alibi if Draco's family history was a surprise.
...
Harry
Okay, so his roommate was a bit of a prick, but there were worse things. Like being homeless. Harry could be civil even when dealing with pricks, it was practically his specialty in high school. He was buzzing with energy as he continued his loop around the park. There was a park here, with people skateboarding, and feeding geese and living, nothing like Little Whinging. It was only noon now but Harry felt like he could run to Fides Street. He was buzzing with joy at his freedom, everything was beginning. A hot dog stand's umbrella spun and a child's soda exploded as he walked by. Oops, he was a little too excited. That wouldn't do. Something told him that super powers weren't a well liked trait in perspective renters.
Draco
Harry Potter had no social media presence, no newspaper articles written about him, and no apparent connections with anyone. In other words, he was perfect.
The knock came at exactly 2:07, seven minutes past when Draco had told him to arrive, but not so grievous an error as to not open the door, not that he'd actually open the door.
"Come in!" Draco snapped, focusing on the fake lease he had whipped up in the last few minutes. Potter's rent would be good pocket money during the coming months, not that Potter really needed to worry about that.
"Hey, sorry I'm late. Harry Potter." He introduced himself in a rush, adjusting the strap of his off kilter backpack and blowing the untamed beast of a head of black hair out of his face.
"Draco Malfoy." Draco shook the outstretched hand and was forced to acknowledge that Harry Potter was in fact, ridiculously attractive. He had bright green eyes and while that mop of hair was horrifying, it was also sex hair, as in, pull on it while he gives you a very enthusiastic blow job hair. His jaw was strong, his nose straight and proportional, and he was actually kind of ridiculously tall. If Draco had a thing for charmingly disastrous twinks, which he didn't, Potter would be just his cup of tea.
"You have to pay have rent, utilities, etc. I keep odd hours and if you touch my stuff I'll break your face." He listed brusquely, presenting the lease with fake confidence. He really needed that alibi.
"Anything else I should be aware of?" The other man asked, puppy dog eagerness disgustingly present.
"You googled me right?" Draco checked, well aware he could be shooting himself in the foot, but he couldn't have this fool finding out later and changing his story, there was too much risk.
"Look man this is by far the cheapest, nicest apartment within walking distance of my classes and I missed the deadline for housing, so you could be an axe murderer and I would still sign that lease." Fuck, maybe he lowballed that rent price, it's not like he actually knew how much people paid in rent.
"Google me." He repeated firmly.
"You know what, no, if it's really that bad, tell me, if not, I don't give a shit if you're technically a sex offender because you streaked at your high school football game." He signed with a flourish, smirking as he did. "That's not it, is it? Because come on, that would be pretty impressive if I guessed it, wouldn't it?" Harry grinned, as if he thought his overeager, puppy like routine would actually work. Not that it was working, at all.
"So, when can I move in?" Potter asked hopefully, and that, that was probably going to be a problem.
A/N: Hello, so this story just kind of happened. It was inspired by a Tumblr text post that I saw on Cosmo's snapchat story. I don't want to cite it specifically just yet because spoilers but the idea of superhero roommates is not mine.
Disclaimer: I have nothing against state schools or frats, Draco will say lots of mean things, just go with them.
Some fun facts:
223 is the length of the Philosopher's Stone. Fides is faith in latin, which is vaguely based on how Malfoy means bad faith in French.
The cafe is a creation of my imagination that is a combination of a certain university's admissions office and what comes up when you google "hipster cafe."
I will try to update again as soon as possible, but reviews definitely feed the muse so drop me a review with your thoughts, I'd love to hear them.