A/N: I've been watching anime, and a specific one inspired this, aka Death Note, where L and Light are cuffed together - and this idea was born, plus some DN fanfiction with a very sleepy L.
No, I didn't file this fic under the wrong category.
I don't own Harry Potter, I also actually do own the lullaby.
This isn't slash, but if you read too much into it, you probably will find it. This is a friendship fic along with an adorable sleepy!Draco in it.
Lullaby
It had been sixteen days since they'd been forced to live together: Harry, because he was an Auror and the new Ministry regime trusted him completely, and Draco, because he had been a Death Eater and he, along with his parents, had seemingly changed their allegiance at the last moment of the battle and the truth to his story needed to be tested.
They originally wanted to pour a batch of Veritaserum down his throat, but they'd been fresh out of it. After the battle, a lot of people had been interrogated, after all.
So the Ministry came up with the bright idea to put the suspects on house arrest with Aurors or families that were known for their work against Voldemort.
Narcissa and Lucius were guests of the Weasleys. Narcissa tied to Molly and Lucius to Arthur. The men didn't find it amusing, seeing as they couldn't stand each other. Molly and Narcissa, on the other hand, were getting along splendidly and they were discussing several recipes.
Hermione had been tied to Pansy Parkinson, much to her chagrin, and Ron was housing Theodore Nott.
Harry didn't like being tied up. The fact that it was to Draco Malfoy didn't particularly please him, but at least it wasn't Parkinson.
But in the sixteen days Harry and Draco had been confined, they barely spoke, let alone fight. They were always close to one another due to the chain linking their shackles. One arm was cuffed and linked to a chain, the chain lead to the other's hand and was in its own turn linked to a cuff. They shared greetings when they woke up, spoke when one needed to do something important, like go to the bathroom, that they politely asked the other to accompany them.
Well, it was damned hard to get dressed! Harry and Draco had seen one another in near nude situations that it wasn't even strange anymore. Thank goodness for magic that could simply break the chain for a moment, enough time to get dressed, before it had to be linked again.
On the seventeenth day they spoke more.
"Potter, would you please get up your from your arse and go to the toilet with me?" Draco asked. He hadn't had a good's night rest and just didn't feel like being the proper schoolboy anymore.
Harry looked up from his copy of the Daily Prophet, smiling bemusedly at Draco.
"And what if I don't have to go?" Harry asked cheekily. Draco started to yank on the chain violently.
"Come on, Potter, I have to!" Draco insisted.
"No." Harry set the paper down, thinking this could be fun.
"Potter!" Draco yelled, frustrated and his expression pained. Harry just remained to sit there and looked at Draco with a stern expression on his face.
"No means no, Draco." Harry had to try really hard not to burst out in laughter.
"Potter! I don't have time for this!"
"In contrast, Malfoy, we have all the time in the world," Harry smirked, "This house arrest doesn't end until I say it does, which could take a year… or twenty."
"Potter, don't make me beg you to let me piss!" Draco screeched, his expression surprised and still pained.
Harry got up; he didn't want a mess all over the carpets, after all. But he wasn't going to be quiet about it – Harry, ironically in a good mood, was going to have fun.
"Very well, Malfoy," He said, dragging his feet as Draco tried to run to the lavatory, "You could've said 'please', you know?"
"Potter!" Draco yanked Harry closer to him and into the bathroom, forcing Harry to turn away so he could relieve himself.
"Couldn't you do that a bit softer?" Harry complained.
"Potter, if you don't shut up…"
"Yes, yes, you'll do something horrible to me," Harry said, antagonising, "Possibly in my sleep or when I myself am using the loo."
"That's entirely correct, Potter!" Draco snapped, zipping up his pants again, "Most likely in your sleep, seeing as I am forced to share a bed with you."
"At least it's not a mind," Harry pointed out, pulling Draco out of the bathroom with him, "Now with that i would truly pity you."
"Potter, being in your head would probably feel like a vacation," Draco said quietly, surprising Harry. But Draco dropped his eyes and didn't say anything more.
Harry frowned. He didn't want to admit it – but Draco's demeanour bothered him. Draco wasn't the type to sit around quietly;, he was bashful and narcissistic and a bully. He would take Harry on about everything, except now he was… different.
And it bothered Harry.
. . .
Day 18 – Draco didn't sleep at all. He just sat and stared out in front of him all night, listening to Harry's soft breathing as he slept peacefully. His thoughts were a haunted place to be. He didn't even bother to speak to Harry that morning; he just nodded his good morning and went to the bathroom whenever Harry did. He didn't eat much.
Day 19 – the insomnia's getting worse. Night three and Draco was worried he'd be ale to tell Harry exactly how many times he snored every hour. He didn't even shave that morning. He wondered what he must look like.
In all honesty his eyes now were sporting two dark circles and his hair had decided to imitate Potter's.
He didn't know why he couldn't sleep. But it was making him incredibly moody.
He and Potter had been sitting side by side in the living room. Draco's stomach rumbled loudly, and Harry stopped his snicker just in time.
"Potter, I want food." He said randomly.
"Then summon some," Harry said lazily, flicking a page in the muggle magazine he was reading.
"Potter, I want to make some food, I want you to make some food for me."
That made Harry look around, "Malfoy, I am not your house elf."
"But you're better at it than I am!" Draco argued childishly, pouting. Harry laughed and lifted his magazine again.
"Go make your own." Harry said in a scary imitation of Snape's voice.
"No, Potter, I want you to make me something to eat!" Draco insisted, pulling on Harry's arm, making the magazine bounce on his knee, "Please? I didn't eat anything yesterday!"
"You ate that rusk that was served with your coffee." Harry pointed out, setting the magazine down.
"That doesn't count," Draco scowled and pouted again, rather childishly, "Come on! I said please!"
"My, Malfoy, are you begging?" Harry was astounded, "Bloody hell, I need to go check if it's snowing."
"First you have to make me something to eat and then you go make all the snow angels you want to!"
Day 20 – Draco still hadn't slept. Harry had begun to notice the freaky changes (he was never good at seeing stuff like that).
Day 21 – Harry asked Draco what was wrong, because Draco was in a rage.
"Malfoy, what's wrong? You're not usually this moody!" Harry yelled at him.
"Because, Potter, I haven't been able to sleep for almost five nights! I've barely eaten anything and I have to share a bed with you!" Draco snapped back.
"Why can't you sleep?" Harry asked, ignoring the hidden insult.
"I don't know! Maybe it's because I have to sleep with you!"
"Most people find that rather enjoyable," Harry felt the need to say, "always one who differs, thought, and that must be you!"
"Potter! Merlin, I don't feel like your taunting right now!"
Harry did something no one expected, not even he himself.
He hugged Draco Malfoy.
Day 25 – Draco still hadn't slept. Harry still hadn't stopped worrying. He and Draco had started to have actual conversations. About the trip to destroy the horcruxes, about the fights, about living at Hogwarts with the Carrows, about Dumbledore.
"I was really scared that night," Draco admitted, "I'd finally gotten what I'd always wanted: I was a Death Eater. I was following in my father's footsteps. But it wasn't what I thought it would be."
"Why is that?"
"The threat of death was always looming over my head," Draco sighed, "And I didn't want to die, but if I didn't kill Dumbledore, I'd be killed. But I wasn't insane – who would try to kill Dumbledore? The only reason I was made one was for the Dark Lord to get back at my father for failing." Draco explained, surprising Harry. "I feel so dirtied by what I did…"
"You redeemed yourself, Malfoy, that's all that matters."
"It doesn't excuse my actions," Draco held on firmy, "I could've done something."
"True, but you didn't," Harry said, "it wouldn't have mattered if you told Dumbledore or not, he still would've died."
Draco looked horrified, "How can you say that?"
"Because it's true," Harry said simply, "he was already dying at that time."
"What?" Draco felt exasperated.
Harry told him of Gaunt's ring. Draco's eyes grew only wider until he was sporting a wide and admittedly creepy grin.
"I'm not guilty!" Draco cried out, relieved for the first time in a long time, "Potter, do you know how long I've lived with the guilt that I killed him?"
Harry chuckled.
Day 27 - despite Draco being in a better mood, he still hadn't slept. He'd forgotten to shower too, that was why Harry forced him with all of his clothes into the shower.
"Potter, this is not funny!" Draco spluttered, water dripping off his nose.
"Quite the contrary, it's actually very amusing," Harry said, helping him undress and pushing him back into the water, "Now hurry up!"
Later that night Draco was having trouble staying awake, but he knew he'd also have trouble sleeping.
Harry noticed.
"Slept yet?" He asked, concern lining his voice. Draco shook his head in the negative.
Harry got up, pulling the former Slytherin up by the chain.
"What're you doing?" Draco yawned, not putting his hand in front of his mouth - Draco must really be tired, Harry thought.
"Going to bed, come on," He pulled Draco with him.
In the bedroom Harry made his fellow captive sit down before stripping into just his boxers, that was all he slept in.
Draco toed off his shoes and took off his pants, but he couldn't think of a way to get off his shirt.
"Harry!" He moaned childishly, going to Harry's first name, "I can't get my shirt off!"
Harry cut the chain, "Try now."
Draco's arms were loose at his side, "Harry, I can't get my shirt off!" He pouted, and Harry had to admit that Draco was behaving like a six year old.
With a sigh he tugged Draco's shirt off and pushed him into position on the bed.
"Better?"
"Will you sing me a lullaby?"
Harry spluttered, unsure he'd heard correctly. Draco lifted his sleepy eyes.
"Please?"
Another sigh.
"Fine, move over." Harry gave in. Draco scooted to the other side, but threw his arm over Harry's torso. "Draco, what are you doing?"
"Holding you." Draco answered.
"Why?"
"I have no idea, now sing."
Harry laughed again. He didn't know any lullabies, he'd never been sung any by his aunt.
So he settled for a sleepy ballad.
"At night we'll find the brightest star
And know it's you with a smile not far,
We'll smile back and feel your presence in our hearts,
Because forever and a while you'll be the brightest star,"
Draco was almost asleep.
"I'm sorry, Harry," Draco said, his voice slurring, "I'm sorry they had to die."
And with that Draco fell asleep. Harry smiled at himself, taking Draco's arms away from around him and letting him roll onto his side.
Harry guessed that Draco, like him, had a childhood without much affection from a father. That was why Draco'd clung to him, because at that moment, Draco felt as if he had a paternal figure.
Harry rolled to his own side before deciding that Draco was proven innocent.
. . .
A/N: I still think sleepy Draco is adorable.
The ballad, as Harry called it, is something I wrote for my brother.
Rest in peace, Boetie.