Description: #6 in the Harry and Draco at the Movies series. In parts 1 and 2 Draco has an obsession with a certain male celebrity. This is Draco's reaction to that celebrity's death on the night of January 22, 2008. Harry/Draco slash. Warning: real celebrity death
Author's Note: I debated for a long time (almost 2 years) about whether to address Heath Ledger's death in this series. Draco would certainly have a reaction to the news, but I didn't want to write it because the series had a much lighter feel and I didn't want to bring it down with death. So a big thank you to VampyreQueen24 for suggesting a few months ago that I finally do it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Brokeback Mountain or 10 Things I Hate About You. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
Harry and Draco at the Movies: A Dark Night
By LadyKatie
When Harry returned home on the evening of January twenty-second it was late. England was hosting the Quidditch World Cup that year and there was already a lot of work that needed to be done at the Ministry in preparation for the summer games. Harry was in charge of security and it was a huge job. It was past midnight before he stumbled into his and Draco's flat in London.
As soon as he walked in he knew something was wrong. No lights were on, but he knew that Draco would never go to bed before he was home. As he made his way down the hall he noticed a blue glow from under their bedroom door. He opened the door quietly and heard the soft sounds of a familiar movie.
"I wish I knew how to quit you!"
"Then why don't you? Why don't you just let me be, huh? It's because of you, Jack, that I'm like this. I'm nothing. I'm nowhere."
The door swung open the rest of the way to reveal Draco curled up on the bed in a bundle of various quilts and comforters. A box of tissue sat next to him and quiet crying nearly covered the film's dialogue. Draco always cried during Brokeback Mountain. It usually started in this scene with Ennis crying and lasted through Jack's death and to the end of the movie. It had been this film that started Draco's creepy hero worship with Heath Ledger.
Tonight there was something different though. He usually watched movies in the living room, sprawled out on the couch. Curled up on the bed was only something that happened when he was sick or extremely upset. Harry glanced back at the TV screen. No way Brokeback did this. He joined Draco on the bed, but the blond hardly even turned his way or otherwise acknowledged his presence.
"What's going on?"
"He's dead." Draco didn't even take his eyes off the screen.
"It's a movie. Jack dies every time."
"No. He's dead. Heath. Heath died."
Harry shook his head. The actor? It had to be a mistake. He was young, right around Harry's own age.
"What are you talking about?"
"Heath Ledger died this afternoon in New York. It was all over the muggle news tonight. They found him… they think he took too many of some stupid muggle drug."
"Oh my god." He wrapped his arm around Draco and the mass of blankets. "I'm sorry. I know how much you liked him."
"Just say it. It's stupid. He's just some actor and I have a stupid schoolboy crush." Draco sniffed, wiping his nose on an already soaked tissue.
"I don't think that at all."
"You always thought I was silly for liking him."
"Yes. But I understood it."
"They were saying all kinds of things about him today. Some people think maybe he killed himself. There were all these pills there with him… Fucking muggle drugs! Why do they do that to themselves?"
"They're no different from us. We have wizards who misuse potions. You mix the wrong ones and bad things happen. It's not just them."
"But why did he have to die?"
Harry smoothed Draco's hair, pulling him against his chest. "You know I don't have an answer to that."
"You know his daughter is only a few years old."
Harry nodded. There wasn't much to say. It was extremely sad and he knew that Draco was taking it particularly hard, but he wasn't really an expert at how to handle these sorts of situations. He noticed for the first time the stack of DVDs on the table: Draco's Heath Ledger collection. He scanned the boxes, looking for something happier. Finally he reached across and grabbed 10 Things I Hate About You.
"If we're going to honor his memory then we have to watch this one. I know you liked his longer hair in this anyway."
It was true. He'd commented on it many times. Draco let him change the disk. Brokeback was almost over anyway, but it was just so depressing at the end and Harry wanted to at least get Draco to stop crying. As the film was starting up Harry removed his robes and got comfortable cuddling with Draco.
They watched the opening in silence, but as soon as Heath came on the screen Draco was crying again.
"It says here you exposed yourself in the lunch room."
"I was joking with the lunch lady. It was a bratwurst."
"Bratwurst, huh? Aren't we the optimist?"
Draco always loved that line. Every time he saw it he would giggle like a young child, often making bratwurst jokes later to Harry. Not even a hint of a smile tonight though. Harry looked for ways to get Draco to at least talk to him. Clearly he wasn't going to reverse the bad mood entirely, but he knew Draco well enough to know that he always felt better if he could get talking about something. Soon the main character, Kat, appeared in her first scene, speaking out against "oppressive patriarchal values." Draco had often agreed with her.
"I quite like Kat," said Harry. "She's spunky."
"She's sarcastic and stubborn. She's you with boobs."
"Ew."
"She's so you."
Harry smirked. "I think they must have based Joey Donner on you then."
Draco's jaw dropped open. "Excuse me?"
"Have you seen the way the man primps in front of the mirror?"
"But I would never do a tube sock ad!"
Harry laughed and pulled Draco closer. "No, you're not Joey."
And for the time being it seemed as if the crying was over. Mostly Draco just watched in silence, which was very unlike any other experience Harry had ever had with him. Usually Draco was absolutely bouncy when re-watching a film that he already liked. He liked to talk about it, almost to the point of being annoying. Tonight he just let Harry hold him silently until the ending credits rolled. Harry waved his wand, shutting off the TV and plunging the room into darkness. Draco curled closer.
"I think I'll actually miss him. How can I miss someone I've never even met?"
"He was a good actor and his films spoke to you on some level. The really good ones stay with you."
"So you admit that you like him."
"Yes. Just for you, just for tonight I will admit it. I like Heath."
"I knew it!"
"And… I admit that I actually did enjoy Brokeback Mountain."
"After all that horrible stuff you said about it?"
"Yes. All the horrible stuff still applies; I'm not taking any of it back. But I liked bits of it too."
"Like what?"
"I like having sex in the tent."
"Do you mean us having sex in the tent or in the movie?"
"Either. Both."
Draco chuckled softly. It was the first relatively happy sound Harry had heard out of him all night.
"Thank you for not thinking I'm crazy."
"You're not crazy."
"I feel so weird… so empty almost."
"He wasn't just someone you admired, he was also your age. You don't like to think of someone our age dying suddenly like that. Especially with a young child left behind."
"You're taking me to see The Dark Knight when it comes out this summer. They're saying his performance is amazing."
"Of course I'll take you. Try to get some sleep now."
Harry could feel Draco shake ever so slightly and knew he was trying to not let his crying be too obvious. He thought he could even feel a little moisture soaking through his shirt. He only held Draco tighter, rubbing a circular pattern on his back. The next thought he had was very unlike him. He'd never do it normally, but under these circumstances…
"You're just too good to be true.
Can't take my eyes off you.
You'd be like heaven to touch.
I wanna hold you so much.
At long last love has arrived.
And I thank God I'm alive.
You're just too good to be true.
Can't take my eyes off you."
Draco's light sobs had stopped, but Harry continued singing softly.
"I love you baby, and if it's quite all right,
I need you baby to warm my lonely night.
I love you baby.
Trust in me when I say:
I love you baby, don't let me down, I pray.
I love you baby, now that I found you. Stay.
And let me love you, baby. Let me love you ..."
Draco was breathing evenly against Harry's chest as he finished the song. Harry settled in, getting comfortable so that he could fall asleep too. He pulled the blanket up higher around Draco's shoulders and kissed his forehead. Just before closing his eyes he whispered into the darkness.
"Rest in peace, Heath."
"Can't take My Eyes off You" © Bob Crowe and Bob Gaudio 1967 and performed by Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate about You, 1999.
R.I.P. Heath Ledger
1979-2008