Author's Note: Some stories you see in this collection will be removed at a future date due to they being apart of a bigger project I am working on. They are simply posted here for convenience for my competitions that I didn't want to have a stand-alone story for them muddling up my page. Thank you for understanding.
Summary: Sometimes love is just not meant to be. AU; Post-Hogwarts.
Rated: T
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Someone Like You
Autumn leaves fluttered through the air around Draco Malfoy out in the Spanish countryside. Off in the distance a small wedding took place. He watched as the happy couple exchanged vows and sealed their fates with a kiss, the blond felt a pang in his chest at the sight.
Even from afar he could see Blaise Zabini dressed in a sharp black suit that contrasted well with his milk chocolate skin and white tie. His bride, who glowed in white beside him, was led down the aisle as family and friends clapped and threw petals above their heads. As the guests started to disperse to follow the couple, Draco could not help but take a few steps closer in hopes to catch his eye.
It worked.
Appearing like an ink stain in a harvest themed painting, Blaise eyed the man in the distance and let out a steady breath in recognizing the uninvited guest. Placing a kiss on the dusty pink cheek of Mrs. Zabini, he whispered quietly in an ear.
"Give me a minute?"
The witch looked in the direction of Draco for only a moment, nodding an agreement before they parted ways. Blaise watched as she met up with her family and gave a quick explanation before they made way to the nearby barn where the reception was to be held.
Approaching the blond, he raised a dark brow when Draco turned to walk away. The brief head jerk quietly asked for him to follow. When the pair found themselves on the other side of the small hill, out of the line of sight to curious eyes, did the wizard turn to address the newlywed.
"Congratulations to you and yours," Draco offered, grey eyes resting on Blaise.
"Thank you."
The cool breeze billowed between the two wizards. Before the silence got awkward, the blond spoke while getting comfortable on the soft, sloped, grassy earth.
"Sit with me?"
Blaise huffed, making a notion to check his watch. "Look, I don't have much time -"
"Just for a moment." Draco all but begged.
Rolling his eyes, he obliged. Folding dark fingers together to rest over his knees, he avoided the burning grey eyes that stared at him. Blaise instead focused on the scenery in front of him. Slow, fluffy clouds lazily drifted across the evening sky.
"You were never going to tell me, were you?" the blood scolded.
"It didn't seem relevant."
Draco scoffed, offended.
"I wasn't expecting to have you wander over here like some lost puppy," Blaise continued. "This was supposed to remain—"
"A secret?"
Draco picked up a beautiful red leaf from the grass, twirling it by the stem and releasing it. The bright red leaf flapped around the pair like a butterfly, landing delicately on the shoulder of the newlywed.
"Who is supposed to be hidden? Me or her? Or both?"
The dark-skinned wizard caught a pale hand in his own, pulling it to his lips where he kissed the top. A thumb drew light patterns on the blond's palm. The movement of his arm caused the leaf to fall.
"Please be understanding. You'd have done the same," Blaise attempted to explain with as few words as possible. "It's custom."
Saddened grey eyes continued to bore into the wizard. A rare sight to see such raw emotion from a Malfoy that an ache formed in his chest. Draco pulled his hand away, the tingle where it was kissed dissipated.
"So this is it, then?" he asked, hurt in his tone. "You live up to our pureblood standards while I become just an old friend to you."
"It doesn't have to be that way."
"But you'll be staying here in Spain with her. I'll be back in Britain."
"I'll be in Britain regularly on business, we can -"
The look in Draco's eyes changed from hurt to indifferent, reading the dark eyes that looked back. He was never intending to reveal his marriage to the Spanish girl, he was going to continue on with both relationships like a second nature. It was clear he did not stop to think about the feelings of either involved if this secret was discovered. Luckily the blond unveiled it before it was too late.
"Do you love her?" A simple question that would tilt the scales.
"Draco…"
"Do you?"
After a long second Blaise breathed. "Yes."
Draco stood up then, dusting off his trousers. "Then this is it, then."
He took a couple steps forward, stopped by Blaise grabbing his arm. "We can make this work."
The blond shook his head. "It will be unfair to her… and to me, to continue with this. Whatever this was."
Blaise pulled Draco into him; placing a gentle kiss on those soft, thin lips. Despite his best efforts to resist, grey eyes closed and savored the bittersweet moment. Hand cradled a pointed chin, deepening the kiss. It yearned for forgiveness, to apologize, to remember. Draco pulled away after several blissful seconds, allowing Blaise to see the fading hope in his eyes; the warmth from the kiss cooled.
"Please stay, Draco." Pleading.
"Nevermind, Blaise." A shake of his head. "I'll find someone like you did."
The blond stepped back, tearing their hands apart. Silver eyes glistened as a silent wish to not be forgotten as he disapparated with the wind. Leaves on the ground were disturbed, kicked up by magic. One bright red one landed on a shoulder of the outstretched arm that reached for the lover he never had a chance to be free with.
Written for the Crayola Color Challenge from the HPFFC Forum
Written for the Slash Challenge from the HPFFC Forum
Prompts: Secret, Hope, Clouds, Grey, Lost
Color Prompt: Bittersweet
Pairing: Draco Malfoy/Blaise Zabini
Word Count: (Per Google Docs) 919
Inspired by Someone Like You by Adele.
