Hiya Mochi here, just wrote this up real quick so might have some mistakes but who knows when I'll fix them. 8th yr fic, AU where Cedric Diggory didn't die in GoF and in the summer after the war he and Harry end up becoming super close and dating.I don't own any of these characters and this is purely for entertainment.
UPDATE 13 August 2020: edited this a bit to hopefully make it better?
Part 1: 1 to 100 real quick
Harry opened his front door at 12 Grimmauld Place, wearing old jeans and a baggy painting shirt, flecks of white paint through his dark hair. There on his front step was a thick pile of letters. Scooping them up he retreated back into the dark entryway, closing the door behind him.
"No, nope, no. No, no. Nope. Not a chance." Harry flicked letter after letter from reporters, gossip columns and newspapers directly into his recycling without opening one. The stack of mail diminished until Harry had three letters left. One was from Hermione, of course, as she wrote Harry often, sometimes twice a week. Harry put hers on the table, turning over the next envelope. He smiled at it, just the name printed on the return address sparking excitement in him. He then paused when he read the final letter, his smile falling away.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had never before offered an eighth year of tuition. However in the wake of the war, it was deemed necessary for all the students whose education was interrupted for more than a year.
Owls had been sent out, carrying letters encouraging every student in that year group to return and get the last year of education that was taken away from them. Many could not return to the place where they had endured so much trauma, while others felt they would be able to face it.
Harry Potter arrived at Hogwarts a week in advance, at the request of Professor McGonagall. It turns out she was particularly worried about him and wanted to discuss a great many things before term began.
When the day came when all the other students would arrive Harry was beyond relieved. He missed his friends and was quite frankly tired of the heavy conversations he was having daily with Professor McGonagall.
Harry ran out to the courtyard to greet Cedric, jumping on him. Laughing in his laid back way Cedric caught Harry's legs, holding him up as Harry wrapped them around his waist. Harry leaned back, to look at Cedric with a huge smile and then kissed him.
"I missed you!" Harry said, squeezing Cedric's face and pressing another kiss on his lips.
Cedric grinned. "Me too." And reciprocated with a longer kiss.
The pair had felt connected by fate ever since the horrifying finale of the Triwizard Tournament where Harry had just managed to divert a killing curse away from Cedric, which rebounded in such a way that left Cedric stunned and unable to move while Harry was forced to take part in the resurrection of Voldemort to his full power. When Harry engaged in a duel with the Dark Lord, Cedric called out to Harry that he could do it. Knowing that Cedric was alive and believed in him gave Harry the strength he needed to let go of the spell he was fighting with and get them both to safety.
In the summer after Voldemort was defeated, Cedric and Harry got even closer and began to date.
Back to the present, across the courtyard from Harry and Cedric, Draco Malfoy had watched their interaction with disbelief. His stomach felt all knotted up and he entered the castle before he had to witness any more PDA between Diggory and the Saviour of the wizarding world.
Over Cedric's shoulder Harry could see some of their friends arriving in groups amongst other students he didn't know very well. He jumped down from where he was wrapped around Cedric's hips and stood facing the entrance to the courtyard where crowds of students were filing in. Cedric slung his arm around Harry's shoulders and waved at the group.
Hermione and Ron were holding hands and with them was Ginny, Neville, Luna and Cho.
Neville waved back enthusiastically and almost dropped the huge plant pot he was carrying.
Luna had cut her hair really short and was looking incredibly healthy compared to the last time Harry had seen her.
Cho's hair had changed too, dyed a pastel lilac, which Harry thought suited her.
Hermione and Ron looked the same as ever, except maybe less awkward now that they were a couple and the tension that had been building for years was gone.
As they all approached Harry happily took them all in, feeling optimistic about this new chapter in all their lives. He met eyes with Ginny, who of the group seemed the most changed. She looked more mature, more like a grown woman. Taller than all of them except Cedric, she was strong, glamorous and yet somehow still goofy. Her dead-straight, red hair had gotten darker and richer and she wore it in a high ponytail. She gave Harry a token smile, which he returned. It was strange between them since they broke up but they were trying at least to be friends again.
Everyone chimed 'hello' to each other, and there was a flurry of hugs. They small talked about how weird it was to be back at Hogwarts but how nice it felt already. They shared snippets of their holidays with each other, though there wasn't much to say. For them all it had been more a period of mourning more than anything. Luckily there wasn't time for them to run out of positive things to talk about as everyone was starting to head into the Great Hall.
There were not a lot of new students this year, it would be a few years yet before some wizarding parents felt comfortable that the world was safe enough again for their kids to go to Hogwarts.
But the first years that were there were welcomed more heartily and warmly than ever before into their assigned houses.
The evening was terribly sombre in parts, with the reality of the deaths of many classmates, teachers and family members of everyone present. Professor McGonagall, as new Headmaster, acknowledged the tragedy and pain, but invited hope into everyone's hearts and the possibility of healing together.
"That was intense," Hermione said as they walked to their common room afterwards.
Harry, Ron and Cedric agreed, feeling too emotionally exhausted to say much.
Cedric squeezed Harry's hand when they reached the point where they would part ways, and they hugged and kissed goodnight without a word.
Harry caught up to Hermione and Ron and slung his arms around their shoulders.
"Let's have a good year," he said. And they agreed.
A few weeks into the term, people were settling in. Though to many it was still surreal to be back at Hogwarts, learning spells and potions and history after being in a war just six months ago, the normality was grounding.
Harry wasn't struggling with being back, but he was struggling with recurring nightmares. He'd had nightmares for years but he had hoped that the end of the war and with Voldemort dead, he might finally get some peaceful sleep. No such luck.
With his position as a Prefect he finally had a legitimate reason to be wandering the castle at night, though he'd be doing that regardless of whether he was allowed to or not.
He wandered around, keeping his lit wand low as to not disturb the paintings too much.
As he approached a corner he saw light emanating from around it and a hushed commotion. He approached and called out in his Prefect voice. "Hey, what's going on?" The light went out. Harry quickly turned the corner and increased his Lumos charm to fill the corridor. Paintings grumbled and covered their faces from the bright light while a figure in pyjamas that was trying to sneak away was brought into full view. The figure turned around and glared at Harry.
"Malfoy?" Harry said, instantly suspicious. "What are you doing?"
"That's none of your business, Potter," Malfoy said coldly.
Harry tapped his wand against his metal Prefect badge he had pinned to his hoodie. "It is my business as a Prefect," Harry said and cringed internally at the irony of this situation considering the countless times he snuck around the castle over the years.
"I'm just having a walk," Malfoy huffed. He looked at the wall and frowned. "I can't sleep."
Harry lowered his wand, taking pity on Malfoy. He knew what that was like all too well, and it was why he himself was wandering the castle in the middle of the night.
"Me too," Harry said, and tried to give him an understanding smile. Malfoy looked at him in surprise.
"So can I go?" Malfoy said with a scowl returning to his face.
Harry thought about it, with half a mind to let Malfoy keep wandering around.
"How about we walk for a bit together and then I'll escort you back to your dormitory," Harry suggested. "I'll vouch for you if we run into anyone else, and I'll know you're not getting into any trouble if I take you back myself."
Draco's face screwed up a little, considering it. "Fine," he said. "It's not as though I really have a choice, is it."
Harry smiled almost apologetically. "Not really. But it's called a compromise."
Draco huffed.
They began wandering together in silence, Harry lighting the way very dimly with his wand. Draco was glad it was dark, as he felt extremely hot and knew his face was bright red.
They climbed a staircase and it moved. Then they went down another and found themselves in an open part of the corridor. It was a cold night, the crispness of the air making the stars extra clear in the sky. They stopped to look at them, both leaning on the stone ledges in the open arches.
A few minutes passed and then Malfoy started to shiver so Harry led them back inside.
"What were you doing when I found you in the corridor?" Harry asked, breaking the long silence between them.
Malfoy's expression was closed off.
"I heard you talking or something," Harry pushed.
"Oh that," Draco dismissed. He flourished his hand a little.
"The paintings were annoyed with my light. Complaining about it as I walked past, so I was telling them to shut up."
Harry laughed, not expecting that at all. Harry had wanted to give Malfoy a chance this year, knowing what he did about his circumstances but it was harder than said than done to change the perception he'd held for so long about Malfoy. That the boy was a conniving snake, up to no good at all times. To imagine him in a situation Harry himself had been in before was so strange. Even more strange was the sudden feeling of connection Harry felt to Malfoy through a tiny shared experience.
"Something funny here I don't see, Potter?"
"Nothing really," Harry smiled warmly. "Just wasn't expecting that." Malfoy's gut twisted at the sight of Harry's uninhibited smile.
"What were you expecting, Potter? I was sneaking around to kill someone?" His tone was so harsh it wiped Harry's smile clean off his face.
Harry frowned, stopped in his tracks. "Of course not," he said, hurt by the accusation.
"But it's not as though you've been the poster boy of trustworthiness in the past," Harry shot back.
Malfoy's eyes flashed with anger and he lunged at Harry. Caught by surprise, Harry didn't have a tight enough hold on his wand and he fumbled with it for a moment before it fell out of his hand. He cursed as it clattered to the floor. Draco pinned him against the wall, gripping the collar of Harry's hoodie. Draco's mouth was tensely shut and he breathed like an angry bull from his nose.
"You're angry because I'm right," Harry said, knowing it was stupid to provoke him but wanting to exert some control over the situation. He clenched his eyes shut as Draco pulled him forward and then slammed him back against the wall. Pain radiated from the back of his head.
Harry was suddenly acutely aware of how much taller Draco was than him, and how much stronger he seemed to be.
Harry tried to wrench Malfoy's arms off him but Malfoy was so rigid with rage he couldn't budge him. A drop of Malfoy's sweat dropped onto Harry's lower lip which he instinctively licked away. Malfoy's attention was captured as Harry's tongue took the droplet then returned between his soft lips.
Malfoy's mouth opened slightly and he began to breathe differently than before. Harry noticed as Malfoy's eyes flicked from his eyes to his mouth and back again. The energy between them was changing. A stirring began in Harry's abdomen and he began to enjoy the feeling of being held against the wall. Harry leaned forward but Draco pushed him back even harder, his previously rage-filled expression was quickly changing to confusion.
Harry looked into Malfoy's grey eyes, which were in turn searching his. Malfoy's grip began to loosen. At the loss of constraint, Harry lunged forward, crushing his lips against Draco's. Draco melted into Harry as they kissed, feeling an intense catharsis at being connected this way.
Draco's grip returned tighter on Harry's shirt front and used that to pull him towards him now rather than hold him back. He crashed his lips hard against Harry's and Harry reciprocated equally needily.
Harry spun them around and pressed Draco into the wall now, their teeth clashing and tongues all over the place. Their breathing was rough, and their hands searching each other's bodies, feeling the shape of their forms over their clothes.
Draco moaned into Harry's mouth, making Harry more frenzied. He slipped a hand under Malfoy's silk pyjama shirt and ran it up his body, feeling Malfoy quiver at the touch. To Draco's dismay, Harry tore his lips away from his. He leaned down, lifting the hem of Draco's shirt to expose his abdomen and kissed the hot skin there. Draco gasped.
Harry looked up at Draco as he pushed his shirt up higher with his nose and kissed up Draco's body. Draco felt weak, his legs were barely holding and his blood was rushing to his groin. Without warning, Draco's foot slipped and he lost balance. He crashed to the ground, his chest hitting Harry in the face.
"Oh shit, sorry!" Malfoy apologized, reaching for Harry's head.
"I'm fine," Harry whispered breathily, and took the opportunity of Draco sitting on the ground to straddle his lap.
Draco groaned as Harry's crotch made contact with his and Harry captured his lips again in another hot kiss. Both of them were in pyjama pants so there was very little fabric between their hard cocks. Harry started to rock against Draco's as they continued to explore their mouths.
A rhythm formed, both rocking into each other and massaging kisses. At some point their lips disconnected as they dry humped, not being able to focus on both actions at once. Harry couldn't help but moan repeatedly and the more he did the more frenzied Draco became, grabbing Harry's hips and pulling him down to grind harder into him. Harry felt himself getting close and pressed one more deep kiss into Draco's mouth as his abdomen flooded with heat and pleasure. Draco moaned softly. They shuddered together as they came, breath hitching and bodies going tense before becoming relaxed.
Harry stayed seated on Malfoy's lap, with his arms around Malfoy's shoulders, melting into the boy beneath him. Their breathing returned to normal and still they stayed there like that, not moving to look at each other, not wanting to break the moment just yet.
Harry's heart was beginning to twist in his chest as he came to realise what he'd just done. Cheated on Cedric. With Malfoy of all people. The pleasure of the encounter started to seep away and was replaced with a deep regret. Harry felt disgusted with himself. The wetness in his pants that had been comfortable, now felt dirty and the warmth of Draco's arms around him was burning shame into him.
Harry climbed off Draco, finding it hard to look at the other boy's face. When he saw it he felt even more conflict inside. Draco looked content and shy and happy. Harry stood up abruptly and so Draco got up too.
"Potter…" Malfoy said tenderly, trying to discern what Harry's expression was. He reached for Harry's face. Harry turned his head away from the touch and Draco jerked his hand back as though it had been burned.
Moments ago Harry had been so passionate and warm but now he was completely closed off, icy.
"I have to go," Harry managed with a pained expression. And away he went, marooning Draco alone in the corridor with a slew of conflicting feelings crashing inside him.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed leave a review! I'll write more soon!