A/N: Here's another little one-shot I wrote. This is only my second one-shot ever. It's exactly 1,000 words... woo
Warnings: character death and a little bit of boy/boy kissing.
Thanks to MysticSilverAngel for being an awesome beta! Cheers!
Lastly, I do plan on writing two full-length Harry/Draco stories in the near future. So be on the look out for those!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Poor me.
Blue Monday:
The morning was murky and wet as Harry Potter stepped into the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, wiping his shoes off on a small mat. The office, usually so busy and bustling with movement, sat still and silent.
Harry stood somewhat out of place by the door until he was greeted. "Morning, Harry," Blaise Zabini, an auror fresh out of training, sidled up next to him. "Glad to see you again- wish the circumstances were different, though."
Harry nodded grimly, accepting the cup of black coffee that Zabini presented to him. "Yeah… yeah, me too." A crack of lightning outside lit up the room, illuminating the grey, wary faces of the nameless workers inside it.
"I'm sorry- really, it's terrible. You'd better get started. His office is right-" Harry cut off Zabini's friendly voice.
"I know where it is, Blaise. Thanks." He wasn't keen on staying here any longer.
Harry's form, bundled sloppily in sweat pants and a t-shirt, slowly gravitated towards a closed door on the other side of the room. He softly fingered the nameplate on the front- Draco Malfoy- before walking inside.
Harry leaned against the door as soon as it closed. He'd been called here to clean out Draco's desk, as the man had died last week in a Ministry raid. He didn't know why he was called- he and the blonde had broken up long ago because of the other man's job. He'd come anyway though, out of respect for Draco.
Harry tried not to get emotional about it, but there was only so much he could do.
The desk sat innocently against a far wall, its mahogany surface polished and clean, just as Draco had left it.
Harry made his way over to it and began opening drawers, loading files and pens and papers into the cardboard box he had brought along.
Everything looked cold and impersonal, not a touch of any personality to anything in the desk; if he didn't know better, Harry could almost have mistaken these things to be someone else's.
Just as he was emptying the last drawer, his hand brushed against something and he pulled it out. The surface was worn and creased, as if it had been handled frequently, but Harry could clearly make out the picture.
It was an old photograph of him and Draco, when they had been together. The edges were torn and the figures in the photo moved slowly, drowsy with age.
The two were sitting in front of a tiny white house- their house; Harry was situated comfortably between Draco's legs and he leaned on the blonde's chest contently. Their cheeks were flushed and their mouths turned up in happy smiles.
Harry sat there numbly for a moment, clutching the photograph in his hands roughly. He could remember the day they took it.
"Harry, come on! Just take the photo! Please?" Draco's happily pleading voice urged him.
Harry leaned his forehead against the sharp front of the desk and closed his eyes, reminiscing.
"No, I wana do something exciting! You'll have to catch me first!" Harry giggled and darted between the trees in the front yard, reveling in their summertime greenness.
Something warm and wet burned behind Harry's eyelids, but he held them tightly closed.
"Oh, yeah? Potter, you're on!" The laughing blonde chased his boyfriend wildly, gaining on the smaller man quickly.
Harry dimly registered the small splattering noise his tears made as they dripped onto the carpet. Some landed on the photo, sliding down the glossy surface and collecting on a corner.
Draco caught Harry and pinned him to a tree, grinning ear to ear. "Told you I'd catch you."
A harsh cry bubbled in the back of Harry's throat but he forced it down.
"I love you." Harry's comment caused Draco's grey eyes to soften before he replied.
The cry forced its way through Harry's lips and echoed in the small office. It bounced off the white-washed walls and made its way back to him, a malignant reminder of his anguish.
"I love you too." The two leaned in and their kiss was soft and sweet; Draco cradled Harry's face and rubbed their noses together gently and it was wonderful.
His body shook and crumpled to the ground. The carpet was rough and scratchy against his face, but Harry didn't care; the hand that wasn't holding the photograph clawed at the carpet.
"I'll love you forever." The blonde's voice was sure and steady and Harry believed his promise.
The sky lit up again; the crackle of thunder mingled with Harry's sobs. The wails clogged up his throat, too many wanting to get out at the same time, and Harry choked helplessly on them.
Harry's guilt built up inside of him now, hammering against his chest and throbbing inside his head. "I'm sorry, Draco! I'm so sorry!" His voice was mingled with pain and it sounded wretched to his own ears.
The rain poured heavily against the windows now; the light drizzle of the morning had evolved into a ferocious downpour and through his heartache Harry vaguely noticed that it matched his mood. The windows were streaked with water- it ran down them in thick rivulets, and Harry dimly wondered if his face looked the same.
He brought the faded photograph up to his face again and watched the slowly moving figures. They'd been so happy.
Somehow, their happiness and the photo-Draco's aliveness angered him and he flipped the picture around, unable to stand the sight of it anymore.
On the back were written four words and a sad smile forced its way onto Harry's face at the sight of them.
I'll love you forever.
"I'll love you forever." Harry's voice was whispered, no longer choked with tears. It didn't echo in the room, but instead it was swallowed up by the silence and accepted. And then, suddenly, the rain stopped and so did the lightning. The sun shone bright through the window and onto Harry's tired face.
I'll love you forever.
