CONTAINS MALE/MALE CONTENT! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, LEAVE.
This ignores the epilogue from the last Harry Potter book and any other details I managed to forget from any of the other books
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters etc etc etc. They belong to J.K. Rowling who is awesome to have made Dumbledore gay. I totally called it. :P
some quick notes: This has not been beta read because I'm on vacation and writing this on a 12 hour drive to NC. It's for my own entertainment and there will probably be some rough patches. If you want to make any suggestions in the reviews, be my guest and I may even go back and fix some stuff.
He would never be able to say when it happened, or how it happened for that matter. And it wasn't as though he just decided one morning when he woke up in his dormitory bed that he was infatuated with Harry Potter.
THE Harry Potter.
Damn.
One does not spend six years trying to surpass someone – hating everything about him from the stupid way the dark locks of hair lay ruffled on top of his head, framing that ridiculous scar that gave him undeserved fame and those dazzling green eyes that seemed to pierce into every thought and know all your inner secrets and…..
Draco Malfoy growled, dropping his head onto the library table with a loud thud that made a number of students glare balefully at him. What did he care anyway. His father was in jail and his family was social outcasts. His nerves were being worn down daily because his lifestyle had been turned over in a matter of days after the defeat of the Dark Lord and it seemed that no matter how un-snobbish and reserved he acted, no one was going to forgive him.
Baleful mutterings reached his ears and he flushed with embarrassment and anger when he realized they were talking about his mother who, according to rumor had gone insane and was currently being held in the psych ward at St. Mungo's Hospital. In actuality, Narsiscca Malfoy had been overcome with grief at her husband's sentence to Azkaban as well as the guilt and shame that stemmed from bloody Harry fucking Potter supporting her, claiming that Mrs. Malfoy saved his life when he was confronted with He-who-must-not-be-named.
However, instead of making it easier on the Malfoy family, Potter's comments had only made things worse. The public simply assumed that Harry continued to play the hero and believed that the Malfoy's had begged Harry to help them.
Malfoy's did not beg. Ever – no matter their situation.
With a sigh, the blonde stood, gathering his books in his arms. He wouldn't be able to study in here and he doubted there would be many places he could go in Hogwarts without hearing the stinging whispers. Down to the lake then.
For more than one reason.
Harry Potter glanced over at Ron and Hermione who were currently locked together in a slightly adorable (and slightly sickening) display of affection. While Harry was glad that the two had finally hooked up, it often made him feel like a third wheel. He and Ginny had tried to get back together after Voldemort's death but the relationship between them had lost its passion.
Ginny claimed it was because Harry had changed since they last dated and she couldn't understand him anymore.
Harry thought it might have been because he found himself suddenly uninterested in girls. Dying must have scared the want of a relationship out of him was the only response he could find when she told him that they should separate again.
They had stayed friends and, for the most part life returned to normal – well as normal as life could get without a number of the people he cared about and the massive amounts of fan-mail which had become good fuel for the evening bonfires he had begun to make outside of Hogwarts when he was feeling particularly depressed.
Tonight was one of those nights.
At 8:00 sharp, Harry left the Gryffindor common room, hauling a small sack of magical letters over his shoulder. No one stopped him since this had become a normal ritual. They all knew where he was going and knew that the 'Savior of the Wizarding World' needed some personal space.
Even in the funny half-darkness, Harry made his way confidently down to the lake just at the edge of the forest. There was a little patch of blackened ground that he could have easily cleared away with magic but chose not to – in his own way, it was a memorial. Headmistress McGonnagal hadn't said anything to him in any case.
Tonight was like every other night Harry supposed as he unceremoniously dumped the contents of the satchel onto the bald spot of earth. Using wandless magic and not saying a word, he willed the flames to consume the papers as he sat down cross-legged next to his small bonfire. With a sigh he let himself relax slightly, putting down some of the magical wards he used to conceal the powerful magic that thrummed within his body.
That had been another interesting factor from the aftermath of the war. As the days had gone by, Harry had begun to feel as though someone was soaking him in a vat of magical essence. Hermione had finally figured out that the unusual conditions of his gaining the Elder Wand had actually transferred some of its power into his body .
"Harry, it's simply a matter of concealing the extra power you're emitting." She grinned knowingly. "You wouldn't want people to think you were getting powerful enough to take over the whole Wizarding World, now would you."
His response had been a cheeky grin – one of the few she had seen since the end of the War – and they had immediately begun to work on a spell that would keep his magical signature levels slightly more normal.
But when no one was around, Harry let some of those guards break down and let the magic swirl around his body like the ebb and flow of the small waves that lapped the sandy shores of the lake he sat next to.
At least he thought he was alone until he heard a soft gasp. On instinct he gathered his magic to him in a flash, body trembling slightly from the force at which his magic had slammed into him as well as slight terror that his secret might get out.
No one had ever come down to this spot this late in the evening before… why now?
Sharp green eyes scanned the grounds frantically finally spotting a shock of platinum blonde hair whipping around a pillar close to the entrance of Hogwarts castle.
"Malfoy." Harry growled, concerned and slightly perplexed. Other than his testimony on behalf of Narcissca and Draco Malfoy, he hadn't had any contact with the younger Malfoy beyond seeing him in classes where the git still acted as cold as ever towards him. His eyes narrowed. If Malfoy told anyone – especially the wrong people – Harry would end up in a sticky situation that he didn't need or want and truthfully, wasn't sure he'd be able to handle. His fame was something he had reluctantly 'accepted' as a part of who he was to the Wizarding World, but he hated the publicity and he hated the slander that rode along with the celebrity. He knew a number of people, particularly those who had supported Voldemort's actions, who would love to get their hands on him and accuse him of being a dangerous member to society.
Moodily, Harry returned to the castle mentally steeling himself for what he expected would be a long day tomorrow.
However, nothing occurred for nearly a week straight and finally, Harry concluded, it was alright to return to his 'campfire'. His mail stack was getting ridiculously large and the magic inside him was beginning to give him a headache from being trapped inside his body for so long.
Draco had been watching Potter for the past two weeks slip out of the castle around eight in the evening. From the astronomy tower he would lose sight of the raven-haired teen until, five minutes later a small orange glow would pop up near the edge of the lake, showing flashes of a body seated nearby.
What was Potter up to?
With a curiosity that needed to be satisfied, Draco found himself heading down to the lakeside fifteen minutes before eight. The small charred spot on the ground indicated the spot where he assumed
Potter made his fire. He stared at the spot for a minute, wondering why the Gryffindor didn't simply magic the ash and fire mark away. Then, realizing what time it was, Draco tucked himself into the beginning folds of the Forbidden Forest, crouching behind a tree to finally discover what Potter was up to.
At exactly ten after eight, Potter appeared, carry a bag, which, upon his emptying it onto the ground, contained about a hundred letters of varying sizes.
Fan mail. Draco though with disgust which turned to surprise as the pile suddenly shot up into flame without a word or movement from their intended recipient. Draco watched as Potter seated himself close by, breathed out deeply and allowed a relaxed smile to cross his face.
He looks better that way. Draco decided, just before a powerful wave of magic slammed into him. He would recognize it anywhere as Harry's – he had felt it all over his wand when Harry had returned it to him after the battle. But this –
He couldn't hold back the gasp that burst past his lips before he dove to the side to avoid the searching eyes before dashing headlong across the dark grass and back into Hogwarts and safety.
Despite his close call, he returned the next night only to be disappointed when Potter didn't show…and the night after that and the one after that,
In fact, Draco returned each night for a whole week without seeing Potter. Part of his mind questioned his sanity – after all, he had his curiosity satisfied so why did he feel the need to continue his nightly lake visits.
Truthfully, Harry Potter fascinated him – not that he would ever admit that to himself. Afterall, the bastard had only succeeded in helping Draco's life fall to pieces.
In addition to his conclusions that Malfoy wasn't going to say anything, Harry had made an interesting discovery. It seemed that Malfoy was interested in what the young Savior was doing and, even when Harry didn't appear for a week straight, the Slytherin git continued to hide himself in the trees.
"Time to surprise someone." Harry murmured, pulling out his father's invisibility cloak, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Still upset over the comments about his mother Draco relished in the cool night air, relaxing and figuring that Harry wouldn't show at all.
At least until Harry Potter materialized suddenly in front of him, shimmering invisibility cloak loosely clutched in one hand. Draco Malfoy froze, wide eyed against the trunk of the tree.
"Hullo, Malfoy." The Cheshire grin on Harry's face did nothing to make the shock-stricken Draco feel any better.
"Ah…. Uhm…."
Harry watched as Draco stammered for an excuse, looking more than pathetic pressed flat against the base of the tree he had been sitting in front of. With his eyes that wide, it was almost innocent. With a low chuckle, the dark-headed teen held out his hand to the Slytheryn.
"Come on creeper, if you're gonna watch me, you can at least be warm." He grabbed Malfoy by the wrist when the other didn't move and drug him to his feet, pulling him out of the tree line and down to the charred spot between the lake and forest.
"Ah… wait!" Malfoy finally ripped his arm away, stopping dead. Potter turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.
"I wasn't following you – I was just trying to get some peace and quiet which you, I might add, disturbed."
"Cut it Malfoy, I know you followed me here one week ago and I know that you've come back every night of the week, hiding in the same spot." Potter planted himself down on the ground, showing that even with Malfoy towering over him he was not going to be intimidated.
Apparently Malfoy didn't have anything to say to his comments either. Unruffled, Harry picked up the bag of letters he carried and dumped them right on the circle of blackened ground. Seconds later the pile went up in a blaze of magical fire and paper.
"Why do you burn them?" Draco asked. After a moment of no answers and feeling slightly ridiculous for standing, he sat down a few feet from the Gryffindor, staring at the fire.
"I'm sorry." Harry said, softly.
"What?" Draco asked, now completely confused. "What do you need to apologize for?"
"I… I heard what other people were saying about your mother and about your family and I never meant for it to turn out like that. I mean… your mum saved my life because she loved you and all I ended up doing was making a bloody mess of your lives – well more so than they probably would have been." Harry looked up, eyes sincere.
Draco didn't know what to do. He didn't remember this Potter at all. The one he remembered hated him for everything he stood for and would have never apologized for making him miserable. Then again, the things Draco's family had stood for had severely changed within the past few months and…
"I'm not a charity case, Potter." Draco shot back, trying to pour malice into his words, though it didn't really work. He had lost his edge from the previous year.
"I never said you were." Harry replied. Truthfully, he was glad to hear Draco fighting back – he hated watching people waste their lives and despite what Ron said, the Slytherin was smart.
The sat quietly for fifteen minutes and Harry debated answering Malfoy's question. Besides, he had one of his own he wanted to ask.
"Potter…?"
Harry looked up quickly, surprised at the sound of Malfoy's voice. Before he could respond, Draco continued.
"Your magic – "
"Why didn't you say anything about it?" Harry interrupted, green eyes peering quizzically into Draco's stormy grey orbs.
"Did you want me to?" Draco smirked, receiving an exasperated expression from Potter.
"No."
"And I figured as much. I'm not stupid."
"It could've been you chance for retribution for what I did."
"I know. I'm also not petty anymore. I thought about it, but what would I have gained by doing it? More animosity from the school and another reason for you to hate me." Draco shrugged and Harry wondered if the other teen realized how much he had revealed in that simple sentence.
"I'm going to lower the guards on my magic, alright?" Harry said, not wanting to take Draco by surprise again. The slight nod was enough of an answer and Harry breathed out, letting his magic swirl around him, the sensations more powerful for having locked it up for so long.
"Wow…." Draco hadn't meant to say that, but it didn't matter. Harry's magic washed over him in wave of power – but unlike the darkness that emanated constantly from the Dark Lord, Harry's magic was pure and clean with a sense of guilt that he had to destroy to save.
"I can see why you'd want to keep this quiet." He said.
"Yeah…." Harry shifted, uncomfortably aware that he was trusting Draco with a secret that only Ron, Hermione and the Headmistress knew. "You asked me earlier why I burned the fan letters." He wasn't even sure why he was saying this…. What was wrong with him?
"Yeah?"
"I don't deserve them. I was the only one capeable of doing the job and I think I did a pretty shitty job doing it. I lost so many people – I lost a lot of people I cared about too. People are sending me love letters and marriage proposals…. Because what? I'm the bloody 'Savior of the Wizarding World?" Just the concept of that is stupid."
"I did what I had to do and that's that. I understand the importance of what I did – accepting recognition isn't wrong or conceited. It's the 'fan-mail" that's ignorant and pointless."
"I can't fix everyone's problems. And I don't want to." Harry said, as the fire diminished into nothing. The pair was left sitting in the dark.
"You shouldn't have to." Draco said, looking at Potter in a much different light. "I don't blame you for what you tried to do for my family either."
"I wish I could start over." Harry said, lifting his head from where his chin had come to rest on top of his knees.
Draco sat for a minute and then held out his hand, wondering if he was going crazy.
"I've wanted to start over for a long time. Hello, my name is Draco Malfoy." Harry looked as though he thought Draco had gone crazy as well – until a huge smile lit his face, dragging the same expression onto the blonde's face in response. Harry reached out, grasping the pale hand offered to him firmly.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Harry Potter."
"Seventh year student at Hogwarts I hear, with good marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts." Draco prompted.
"Ah, I've heard you're pretty decent at Potions." Harry grinned, releasing Draco's hand which was surprisingly warmer than he had been expecting. He stood, dusting his butt off as he checked to make sure the fire was definitely out. Draco stood, handing Harry his invisibility cloak as they set off across the dark school grounds back towards the castle.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Draco." Harry said as they parted ways. Draco, who hadn't expected the use of his first name barely had time to reply before the mop of black hair disappeared around a corner.
"Night, Harry."
--
"Harry." Ron Weasly rounded on his longtime friend, stopping him in the midst of a step. Harry put his foot back down on the ground.
"Yeah?"
"You just said 'hey' to Malfoy." He sputtered, obviously confused. Harry wasn't exactly sure where his friend was going with his comment so he stayed silent.
"After he waved to you in the hallway."
"Ron…. Isn't that usually what you do when I wave to you?"
"Yeah Harry… but…. this is different. It's Malfoy."
Ah, that's right, Ron still dislikes my ferrety friend.
For the past month, Harry and Draco had been meeting at the small fire. They had become friends quickly despite their previous dislike. Draco, having grown up in a household that supported a lot of Voldemort's actions and policies as well as one that housed the Dark Lord for a while, seemed to understand a bit more of what Harry had gone through than any of Harry's other friends – even Hermione and Ron. And Harry, in turn, understood much of what Draco went through – even his attack on Harry, Ron and Hermione at the very end of the battle.
"You were trying to protect your family in a last desperate move. I mean, I'm not sure I would've put faith in a sixteen year old boy against the Dark Lord." Harry said, with a shrug. The relief on Draco's face had been painfully apparent.
"Harry – it's just odd." Ron's voice brought Harry back to the present time.
"Everyone deserves a second chance, Ron. People change." And with that, he stepped around the red-head.
"I'll see you Care of Magical Creatures – I'm gonna be late for Defense. See ya!" Harry dashed off, managing to make it to his classroom only a few seconds before Professor Derin would have berated him. Jerrof Derin was a fantastic Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher because he didn't treat Harry like he was anything special or needed to be coddled. He accepted Harry's prowess in the subject and then presented challenges that would challenge him even more. It helped, Harry supposed, that Harry had changed his career path from Auror to teacher. McGonnagall had promised that if he qualified for the position after graduating, he would most likely get the job. Derin was older and only wanted to temporarily fill in.
At eight, Harry made his way down to the lake again, lugging his sack of mail as always. But instead the grim face that used to plaster itself on his features, he was smiling, a bounce in his step. Draco caught up to him as he neared the Quidditch field and slung an arm around Harry's shoulders.
There was the other interesting thing about their growing friendship. The more they talked and shared, the closer they grew in more than just camaraderie. They had both cried over their losses and hardships
– and they had comforted each other through those incidents as well. Personal space between them was practically nonexistent.
Though neither boy would admit it, that fact was far more comforting that disturbing.
"Any interesting letters today you think?" Draco asked. They had taken to searching out the funny letters – apparently laughing in the face of a problem allowed you to rise above it. In any case, it had certainly helped Harry.
"Actually, there's this one covered in pink and hearts and an everlasting perfume charm.
"So that's what I smelled."
"You can have the letter if you want if you like the smell so much." Harry teased, nudging Draco in the ribs with his elbow causing him to give a rather undignified snort of annoyance.
"Perfume disgusts me."
Reaching their destination, the pair sorted through the mail and Harry began to burn the rest of the letters as Draco used his wand to open the frilly pink letter in fear of transferring the perfume charm onto his body. However, upon opening, the letter exploded into a shower of glitter and sparkle. Staring in amused shock at the glimmering words that spelled out 'Marry Me' Harry and Draco both burst out laughing and fell over onto their backs.
"Oh that is priceless." Draco breathed, struggling to sit up. "Bloody brilliant." Harry finally found his breath and glared at the shower of glitter that seemed to have exploded on him.
"And I suppose you think this is funny as well?" He asked and when Draco nodded, unable to speak for the fresh fits of laughter that he was trying to contain at the sight of his friend covered in sparkles Harry grabbed a handful of glitter off the ground and threw it at the blonde earning him an indignant squeak from Draco.
"Draco, you look so fantastic in that as well." Harry laughed right before Draco tackled Harry to the ground again and began tickling him. Harry gave as good as he got and the pair rolled around on the ground, miraculously avoiding the fire. Finally they stopped, breathing hard, Draco holding himself up over Harry's body.
"I win."
"Win what?"
"Don't know yet."
"I have an idea."
"Care to share?" Draco prompted.
"Yeah." Harry breathed, bringing his hands up to cup Draco's chin before he pulled the blonde's head down into a soft kiss.
Draco had no idea what was happening. As soon as Harry's lips had touched his own, his mind had gone blank but in a fuzzy good way.
"Harry… what…." He pulled back, staring at the carefully neutral expression on Harry's face.
"I'm sorry, that was out of place." Harry said, sitting up carefully so as not to make Draco fall over. He moved to stand when suddenly pale fingers wrapped around his arms, pulling him back down and pinning him to the ground again.
"Like hell I'm letting you leave after tha-"
"Draco, I'm sorry! I-" Harry's frantic apology was cut short as Draco leaned down, capturing the Gryffindor's lips with his own, clearly telling Harry to shut up and stop assuming.
When Harry and Draco crawled into their to beds that night, content grins were plastered across their faces.
--