Bittersweet
by MagickBeing
Challenge:
1. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like.
2. Turn on your music player and put it on random/shuffle.
3. Write a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble. You start when the song starts, and stop when it's over. No lingering afterwards!
4. Do ten of these, then post them.
Author's note/warning: Swiped this challenge from Wings of Corrugated Irony because I thought it sounded like a fun idea. I figured it would help me deal with my writer's block, and in a way, it did. Like her, I broke rule three shamelessly, and ended up playing each song five times or so, until my inspiration left and I was content with the ending. Because each drabble is a story in its own, I've splitted it up into chapters. Some of the drabbles are sad, angry—some are sweet and some are bittersweet. Hence the title. Some deal with cheating or abuse and others deal with comfort and love. Some are post-Hogwarts and some are in Hogwarts, but none of them follow J.K. Rowling's books in their entirety, but all of them have one thing in common; slash. That's right folks, slash. Namely Harry and Draco.
You've been warned.
Rating: M. In other words, mature.
Disclaimer: Each chapter is a drabble to a different song—therefore unrelated to the previous chapter—and each song belongs to their respective artists. Like the Harry Potter fandom belongs to J.K. Rowling. In both cases, no copyright infringement was intended. The song for this chapter was Honey by the Hush Sound.
Honey - Hush Sound
Spin your body around
now your feet are gonna hit the ground.
I am growing sleepless
and you're out of lullabies.
Honey, honey, honey,
you're the death of me.
The smell of firewhiskey, bitter and hard, rolled off of Harry in waves, contaminating the air and sinking into his clothes as he automatically caught his stumbling lover. Draco frowned and sighed, his expression a combination of hurt and anger. He had promised not to drink anymore—he had recognized the person alcohol made him become and had sworn to conquer the addiction. Before things had started, Draco had been well aware of the complications. He had been aware of how hard things were going to be, aware of how many times Harry might fall and aware that he would have to be his support. And he had tried. He had been there as much as he could, as often as he could, but there were days Draco could barely pull himself together. How was he supposed to help Harry, too?
"Draco love! I was just... just looking for you," slurred Harry, his breath heavy with alcohol. It stinged Draco's eyes and he turned away, gently steering the other from the hall toward the couch.
"And now you've found me," he said lightly, his voice flat.
Harry didn't notice and soon they were on the couch, a pile of tangled limbs as Harry tripped on the rug and fell on top of him.
"Don't push me!" said Harry, anger leaking into his voice. He shoved Draco's shoulder, hard, and untangled himself as quickly as he could, considering.
Draco visibly flinched.
"Sorry," he said automatically, well aware that the trip hadn't been his fault—and well aware that it was better to play along.
Harry frowned, though the expression was different, twisted, and stared over at him with dark eyes.
"No you're not," he said slowly, his tone accusing.
Draco swallowed, vaguely realizing that his wand was upstairs beside his bed on the nightstand.
"I am," Draco insisted carefully, pointedly looking away, silently admitting defeat.
It was moments later that Harry's fist connected with his jaw, sending him reeling sideways, back and onto the floor. He silently grimaced and looked up before another blow was landed, this time to his stomach. Automatically, he curled into himself, his hands moving to his stomach, wrapping around his abdomen and holding himself together.
For a drunk, Harry had surprising aim.
He knew better to fight and instead squeezed his eyes shut, biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from screaming out. He willed the darkness to come.