Since January 2020, I've been a member of the writing collaboration Seven Shades of Drarry, a group of seven Drarry writers coming together to write themed anthologies. Our fifth anthology — Seven Shades of Virtue — is inspired by the seven heavenly virtues, mirroring our debut anthology that explored the seven deadly sins. My contribution to this anthology is teased here, but you have to click to the collection's account to see the entire story. The link is in my profile, or you can search users for "SevenShadesofDrarry".


This work is part of the Seven Shades of Virtue anthology, the fifth in a series of collaborative projects within the Seven Shades of Drarry collective. Each included story has been written by a different author. Please see the Author Profile of the Seven Shades of Drarry account for more information on the anthology, the collective, and each individual author.


Summary:

There's a stranger standing in Draco's bedroom, an unexpected visitor claiming to be Harry Potter. Only... this man is old. Isn't the Boy Who Lived supposed to be Draco's age? And what in Salazar's name is he even talking about?

Faith — great trust or confidence in something or someone.

Tags/Warnings: EWE, HP/DM, H/D, Drarry, Draco's version of canon, Time Travel, Time Turner, Implied/Referenced Torture, brief cross-gen kiss due to time travel, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Faith, POV Draco Malfoy

Word count: 10,929
(This post is only a teaser. To read the full story, please find it on the collection's account. The link is in my profile, or you can search users for SevenShadesofDrarry.)


Author's notes:

I've finally gotten around to writing my first time-travel fic! And it's all thanks to this amazing collab, without which I wouldn't know how to function. Thank you, my Shady Ladies, for always being there for me, cheering me on, having my back — you're the best mates anyone could ever ask for 💙

Regarding canon: As a writer, I'm always keen on keeping with canon as much as possible, and usually, for me, that means the books. For the second chapter in this story, though, I've actually diverted from this habit in favour of the movies — something I realise might be confusing, especially since the later fourth chapter is based on the books. I do have my reasons for this choice, though, and I hope it's not too much to ask of you to just roll with it.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to JKR and associated publishers. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended. The comments and opinions expressed by the original creator do not reflect the views of the author of this transformative work.


TEASER


Faith | Let There Be Light

by Drarrelie

Excerpt


It will be fun, they said. You'll love it, they said.

Draco didn't believe them.

How was he supposed to love this? Leaving his home, leaving everything he knew, for a murky old castle all the way up in Scotland — which, for all he cared, might as well be on the other side of the earth? Just because they had loved staying at Hogwarts for months on end without seeing their parents, without coming home. And now they just expected him to feel the same?

Draco groaned and turned to lie on his side again, getting his legs tangled in his sheets, again. Merlin. Never had this bed felt so uncomfortable. It was simply impossible to find a position that didn't make his body squirm. Not that he really wanted to fall asleep. If he did, next thing he knew, it'd be morning, and that meant…

No. He didn't even want to think about that.

Sure, Draco guessed it could be nice spending more time with people his own age, maybe even get some new friends. The Wiltshire countryside didn't really have a lot to offer in that regard, and even if his parents had made sure to invite the Crabbes and the Goyles on several occasions to let Draco get to know their boys before heading off to school, Theo was really the only other kid he'd call a friend. And now he was going to be with them every day. They would even share the same bedroom.

Draco had never shared a bedroom with anyone before, not even his parents. And except for the rare occasion his parents brought him along on one of their holidays, he'd always spent his nights in this very room. Honestly, Draco wasn't even sure he'd ever be able to sleep anywhere else. But he had to. He wouldn't be back until just before Christmas, for Salazar's sake. And right now, that felt like an eternity away, what with summer still holding on for dear life, seemingly not wanting to let go just yet.

Much like Draco himself.

His trunk was already packed, filled to the brim with his new school robes and textbooks and clothes and as many sweets as he'd been able to sneak out of the pantry without getting caught. He still hadn't decided whether he should dare to bring Fayette along too. Father had said big boys don't sleep with plush animals, and Draco really didn't want to have anyone making fun of him over his ragged green dragon that had surely seen better days, but…

Draco hugged his loyal friend closer. Here in the dark, he didn't really care what his father had to say about it.

The air shifted around him and Draco held his breath. He'd been antsy all day, apprehension crawling under his skin, unease stirring in his belly. Yet, when he felt the prickle at the nape of his neck now, he knew the sensation had nothing to do with his inner turmoil. No, this was something else. Someone was in his room, standing behind him, watching him.

Draco didn't dare move. It couldn't be Dobby or any of the other elves, or he would've heard the crack of Apparition. And his parents never came into his room during the night, except when he was sick enough for them to worry about his health. (Something that hadn't happened more than a handful of times in his life, as far as Draco could remember.) No, this was someone else.

And Draco's wand was safely tucked away in its box over in the corner by his trunk. Not that he'd be able to do much with it had it been in his hand, but still. Now, there's a good reason for going off to Hogwarts, at least: finally being allowed to learn how to cast. Didn't help him much now, though.

"H-hello?" Draco's voice sounded awfully small and vulnerable to his own ears, all breathy and quivering. "Anybody there?"

"A friend," said a low, deep voice, cradling Draco in its warm embrace. "Don't worry, Draco. I'm not here to hurt you. I merely want to talk, if that's all right with you."

"Who are you?" Draco whispered, still addressing the opposite wall, still clutching Fayette tight against his chest. "Do I know you?"

"No, not yet. But you will," the man answered cryptically. "One day you and I will know each other better than anyone else."

Draco didn't know what to say to that, so he stayed quiet, waiting, heart thumping wildly in his chest.

"Draco?"

"Y-yes?"

"Would you mind if I came over closer to talk?"

"To talk?"

"Yes, Draco, to talk." Draco swore he could hear a smile in those words. "I know you're feeling worried about going to Hogwarts tomorrow, and I thought…"

"I'm not—"

"Yes, you are. And that's okay." The man sounded so kind, not a trace of disappointment in his voice. Only concern. And empathy. Tension seeped from Draco's body, even as he felt the man inch closer. "You're allowed to be nervous about going away. Almost everyone is the first time they're about to board that train. In fact, my son is just as nervous as you are."

At that, Draco couldn't hold back his curiosity anymore. He turned around and sat up, trying to get his eyes to focus in the dim light from his floating night orb. "You have a son that's going to Hogwarts too?"

"Yes," the man chuckled. "I don't know how I'll survive without him, but I wouldn't let him miss it for the world. Starting Hogwarts is still one of the best things that's ever happened to me."

Draco pulled his knees closer, hugging them tight to his chest. "My parents will survive. I bet they won't miss me at all."

"I bet they will."

Draco glanced up at the man standing over by the window. He looked unkempt — an unshaven jaw, dark curly hair without a trace of product, strange clothes unlike anything Draco'd ever seen before — but he had a kind warm smile, and when he gestured towards the bed with a polite, "May I?" Draco could only nod.

The man walked over to sit on the edge of the bed, bending one leg up on the mattress to be able to face Draco fully. Without drawing his wand, he motioned with his hand, increasing the light in Draco's orb as if it were the easiest thing in the world. Not even Mother can do that.

"I bet they'll miss you tremendously," the man said, green eyes sparkling behind sleek, gold-rimmed glasses. "They just won't let it show. They don't want you thinking about them when you should be focusing on all the good stuff that's waiting for you at Hogwarts."

"Is that what you do with your son too? Try to cheer him up by not letting him know he means something to you? Because it's not working."

"Oh, Draco." The man frowned and reached out to place a hand on Draco's foot over the covers, squeezing it gently. "Never think for a minute that your parents don't love you. They do. You mean the world to them and I know it."

"How would you know?" Draco muttered.

"Trust me, I do. They would do anything for you."

Draco peered over at the man. He'd never seen this stranger before; how could he possibly know Draco's parents well enough to assert anything like that?

"Who are you?"

The man raised his left hand to brush a tangle of unruly locks from his forehead. "Do you recognise this?"

For a moment, Draco's eyes were drawn to the plain golden wedding band on his finger. Then he saw it; the lightning bolt scar cutting through the brow over his right eye.

Draco frowned. It couldn't be…

"H-Harry Potter?" It must be. And the man nodded as he lowered his hand again, "But…" It didn't make sense. "Y-you're supposed to be my age?"

"I am," the man — Harry — who was definitely way older than Draco — grinned. "In fact, you're just shy of two months older than me."

"But…" Someone had to be messing with him. Like a start-of-school prank or something. Because it simply couldn't be… It didn't. Make. Sense. "I don't…"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I just couldn't resist." Harry winked. "It's not often I get to see you this confused, but I'll be a good sport now, I promise. Let me explain?"

"You'd better," Draco grumbled. Merlin, he hated feeling this out of sorts. And in front of a stranger, no less. Harry Potter or not, Draco did not do uncertain. Not in front of anyone. Ever. Not even his parents.

Harry smirked and reached under the collar of his shirt to fish up a circular bronze pendant hanging from a long chain around his neck. "Have you ever seen one of these before?"

Despite himself, Draco leaned in, curiosity piqued. The revolving rings, one inside the next; the small hourglass in the middle… Draco's eyes widened. "Yes. It's a…" He swallowed, mouth dry, heart racing. "…a time-turner."


To read the full story, please find it on the collection's account. The link is in my profile, or you can search users for SevenShadesofDrarry.