CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

[Heaven Knows]

HARRY

It took more time than he was willing to admit to fight out the visions Voldemort's mind was sending him. He had no idea if they were real or not, but it sent panic running through his veins.

It was the Weasley's.

He blinked back to reality by the sound of Draco's vibrant cursing. It took him a couple of seconds to realize he was upon his feet, arm around the other's shoulder as he was practically being dragged.

"Stupid bloody Potter…," Draco groaned. "You're dreadful, I hope you know that."

Harry groans. "Yeah, so I've been told."

Draco yelps and drops him.

"Oi! Watch it." Harry's head throbbed by the sudden movement. He automatically notices that the head-pounding ache that was normal there was only a sliver of what it usually was. Tentatively, he reaches up towards his scar to find it clean of any of its usual dribble of blood.

"I need to get to Dumbledore," Harry says without missing a beat. They're in a tunnel somewhere, presumably the one from Honeydukes though he hadn't a clue how Draco had managed to drag him all the way here without being noticed. He certainly knew he wasn't the quietest when he blacked out.

Draco had his wand held up with a heavy 'Lumos' lighting up the entire space. His transfiguration had worn off revealing his puffed-up lips and disheveled hair. Red crept up his cheeks remembering exactly what had happened before he so elegantly passed out. Like a fucking fainting damsel no less.

"Brilliant. Care to explain why?"

"No time," Harry said, using the wall to help push himself up quickly. He winced at the jolting pain that came along with it. Draco huffed but twitch a flick of his wand it was subsided to barely a whisper. Well, that solved that question. He doesn't think anyone's done that for him before.

There were two many things to worry about, demanding his attention, all at once. He kissed him for Merlin's sake- And he reciprocated! He kissed Draco-Fucking-Malfoy on impulse and somehow he wasn't hexed for till the century. Not in a million years could he dream of Draco swinging the same way as him. He hadn't even meant to! It felt like a fever dream. He knew they should talk about it with the look on Draco's face but he had to push it down for now. As much as he hated it, there were way more important things to focus on right now.

Harry broke off in a sprint down the tunnel with the help of Draco's charm. Draco swore from behind him to try to catch up. Harry had always been fast for his age growing up where 'Harry Hunting' had been a favorite sport of the neighborhood kids. It didn't help that Draco had dragged down by their bags levitating beside him, Harry's map, and the invisibility cloak.

"I'm sorry!" Harry yells over his shoulder. "I'll explain later, I promise!"

He felt guilty not explaining any of this to him. The visions inside Voldemort's mind were air-tight information for the Order only. Well, and his dorm mates, the Weasley's, and Hermione by default but those didn't really count. He was sure Draco would find him eventually, he had his map after all, and he should try to explain the best he could.

Harry easily left Draco behind and flew through the empty castle in search of Dumbledore, anyone really, who could help him prevent what was about to happen. His stomach was in knots just thinking about it. He didn't think this one could possibly be faked - why else would he see them planning to attack him?

He only came to a painting stop in front of the large gargoyle protecting the Headmaster's office. He didn't have time to consider grudges against the old man. It wouldn't matter that he'd knowingly shipped him off to hell every year if his true family was about to get blown to pieces.

He tried every sweet variation he could possibly think of, muggle and wizard, and the gargoyle didn't even budge. "Please? Just let me in, okay? It's an emergency!"

That seemed to do the trick because the stone statue blinked before rustling its feathers and revealing the staircase. He bolted up without bothering to say thank you.

Despite Harry's current grudge for the wizard, he had to admit he handled the situation quite elegantly. Harry had word-vomited everything at once and somehow Dumbledore was still able to comprehend it all. He handled it so swiftly in fact the entire thing felt much to anticlimactic. It was handled with a swift floo call in which Aurors went sent to guard the house and everyone was evacuated. He'd even dismissed the new, faceless death eater recruit he'd seen.

There wasn't any more information after that. Dumbledore had just advised him to visit the hospital wing before taking a quick nap as if some of the only people who have ever cared for him weren't in danger. His heart was still drumming in his ears as he silently walked down the staircase. His hands were still shaking slightly and his eyes were wide.

"Oi! Potter!"

With the adrenaline in his veins, he almost forgot the events with Draco. He jerked back widely when a hand gripped his bicep out of nowhere.

Draco appeared out from under the invisibility cloak in front of him. His hair was disheveled in such an un-Malfoy way that showed his frustration. Guilt momentarily stabs through him.

He also wants to kiss him.

"Sorry," is all he can say. Draco studies him from under his hair. Harry is acutely aware his hand is still on his arm.

"Next time you faint and then run off on a bloke perhaps you should give them some warning, yes?"

Harry's cheeks dust a faint red. "It wasn't on purpose, I swear. It wasn't my fault and I couldn't help it. It just… happens."

"Oh well, that doesn't seem that important at all, does it? Certainly not something as harmless as that! Thank Merlin you never wasted your precious time in telling me that could happen."

Harry notices that Draco has a habit of spitting turning all his worry into sarcastic remarks whenever he's panicked, much like Harry at the Durselys. His mind momentarily darkens at the thought and he curses himself for even making the connection.

It clicks for him that Draco probably thought this had something to do with the curse over the break. Some deadly side effect or something that had not accounted for. Draco would have had no idea if Harry would have even woke up. Ron had told him on multiple occasions how frightening it looked when it happened.

Harry looks around the empty hall for any stragglers despite knowing they have the whole castles to themselves nearly. Both Dumbledore and McGonagall had left to go warn and guard the Burrow already. He bit his lip. "Can we talk about this some other time? Please?"

Draco took in Harry's pleading look with a simple once-over. Draco tore his hand with a resigned huff and stood up straight. The sharp look in his eyes never left; they bore into him with a decision to force the answer out of him later. "Fine then."

His chill in the voice at being rejected refills him with guilt. Draco already knew so much about their side of the war he shouldn't just by default in getting….closer to Harry. He knew about Sirius, the Durselys, and his summer house, what happened at the graveyard. It wasn't as if he didn't trust him, it was just the fact his visions were zip-tight information for the Order. And while he knew Draco didn't stand with his parent's views, there was still a chance that the information could be mishandled…

Harry sighed. "It was a really sucky time, yeah?"

Draco took a step back. The emotions that were on his face a second before were now shrouded from view. "Yes, that would sum it up very well."

Harry smiled as much as he could with not knowing what was happening to his friends at that moment. He looked down at dozens of bags that were seeping out from under the invisibility cloak. He swallowed nervously.

"Um, so do you want some hot chocolate?"

Draco's face softens. "What?"

"I could get Dobby to bring us up some hot chocolate… I mean, I just have a headache and Remus always said that it helps so..."

"Are you asking me on a date, Potter?"

Harry looked up with faint surprise to hear him talk so openly about that. If anything, he figured he would be the one who brought it up first. A small spark ignited inside him hearing the faint, teasing optimism in the blonde's voice. Draco didn't regret it.

"You wish."

"Are you sure about this?"

"I feel as if we've had the same conversation before."

Harry huffs. "That was different."

"It always is, isn't it? Everyone is gone. You're fine. You've already done this once, right?"

"Oh fuck off." Draco never let it go that Harry had managed to slip into the Slytherin common rooms under the effects of polyjuice when he was twelve. It was a common teasing point between them.

"If I get caught, I'm dead."

"Unfortunate then. Budge up. You own me."

They both had their steaming cups of hot chocolate ready in their hands after a trip to the kitchen. Harry had thought they were just going to head back to Draco's hidden tower when Draco had led them astray towards the dungeons. Draco had the brilliant plan of smuggling him inside the Slytherin dorms in which Harry's teenage brain had short-circuited at.

Harry could hardly believe this was the same Draco he had to convince to sneak out with him near the beginning of the year. It seemed sneaking became natural to him over their many sleepless nights together.

He briefly thought of Ron and Hermione knowing about them now but it was fleeting. He was too preoccupied minding how close Draco and he were. (How would they react that Harry had kissed Draco as well? That Draco kissed him back and liked it?) It didn't help that Draco kept looking at him like that. Though he had a feeling nothing was going to happen between them before Harry cleared the air about what happened.

He felt horrible thinking like that when the Weasleys and Hermione were possibly in danger. Draco seemed to sense this too because all of his guiding touches and glances lingered a second or two to try to figure him out. Draco was good at solving puzzles like that.

They stopped by a large expanse of blank wall Harry recognized by his two visits. It was cold enough the steam from their mugs condensed in the air. Draco didn't seem to mind it.

"Shouldn't there be security charms or something? There's not going to be a snake that pops out of nowhere and attack me if I show up undisguised, will there?"

"There's only charms placed if you wish to do harm. How else will non-Slytherin staff get in if there is an incident? What, is there a lion that guards your den that I should be forewarned about?" Draco raises an eyebrow.

Harry tries to ignore the implication that Draco will be sneaking into his dorm eventually. "Not unless you intend to cause trouble."

Draco hummed with a grin. "We'll see about that."

Harry's cheeks tinted a slight shade again. Really, who would have thought a Malfoy could be so forward? You would think that he would be a more elusive type.

"Poppies," Draco says to the wall which starts to shake and rumble. Harry hesitates and quickly wonders if he should throw on his cloak just in case. Draco grabs his hand and pulls his inside before he has time to rethink.

The Slytherin room was exactly the same as it was in this second year. It was a long, slanted-ceilinged, dungeon-like room with skulls and the like. There were high-backed chairs and a carved mantelpiece on the fireplace. The walls were a rough stone but were complemented by the glowing green lamps. The thin panel like windows under the Great Lake was on the furthest and tallest wall and gave a beautiful view of the creatures swimming by.

It was such a harsh contrast to the warm glow of the Gryffindor common room. It was easy to feel out of place with the elegant yet cold atmosphere.

Draco's warm hand, the only source of warmth here, pulled at his own as he watched him take in his surroundings.

"It's cold."

"You get used to it."

Harry didn't like that very much.

Harry swore his hands became sweaty as Draco dragged him up to his dorm. It was a nerve-wracking experience climbing down the half-dozen or stairs. He readjusted his grip on their bags from Hogsmeade multiple times.

Finally, they slipped inside a door near the end of a small corridor. Draco dropped his hand.

His first thought was 'Of course it's spotless. What else?' The second came at a much slower speed.

"Why are there only two beds?"

Draco squints. "Why wouldn't there be…?"

"Where do the rest of the roommates sleep?"

"In his bed? Blaise might be a man whore but we have boundaries."

Harry blinks, ignoring the comment. "You only have one other dormmate?"

"Yes? Why, do all your lot sleep in one giant huddle on the ground?"

Harry pauses for a second. He hadn't considered the fact the Slytherin dorms might be nicer than theirs. It made sense seeing as most of them came from old, wealthy families that gave them huge rooms double the size of the dorms all to themselves. They would have never consented with sharing a room with four other people.

"I share a dorm with all of the 6th year Gryffindors boys."

Draco makes a face. "How on earth do you get anything done?"

Harry shrugs. "We don't usually. There are silencing charms on the curtains though so I don't have to listen to Neville's recorded lullabies to his plants."

Draco raises an eyebrow. "Interesting. I'll have to remember that then. Oh calm down- I'm only teasing. I thought you'd like a change of atmosphere after what happened. There's no one else in your tower anyways and I can't have you passing out again."

Harry nervously takes a sip of his drink to hide his nervousness. Draco drops the bags presumably onto his bed before laying back on it himself. "I really can't tell you, you know. I can't help it. Dumbledore made me promise-"

Draco rolls his eyes again. "Not that old tosser again?"

Harry shifts awkwardly. "He's right about this though. As much as we both refuse to acknowledge it, there is a war going on outside. It's just dangerous."

Draco's face clouds over. Regret floods him like a broken dam.

"Not that I don't trust you. You've more than proven that, okay? I trust you. You're not like your parents and I get that. You'd never become one of them."

Draco's expression doesn't falter. "Right."

Harry hated having to have this conversation now when all he wanted to do was reach over and pull Draco into another kiss. To prove the first one wasn't just some fluke and Draco wasn't just having him on. He couldn't get the feeling of Draco's lips on his despite the million other things he should be focusing on. It was a jolting feeling and he wanted so badly to feel it again. (And while later he'll feel bad for making the comparison, it was nothing like his brief, and soft one with Cedric. These were much much more intense.)

"You already know about me being destined to kill Voldemort, right? Even though it was an accident, it's super important. So I'm obviously not lying when I told you. It's just that… these kinda things happen around me and you're going to have to get used to them."

Draco doesn't flinch at the name but he can tell he wanted to. He positions himself so his back is pressed against the headboard and looks, no stares, at Harry. "Okay," he finally budges. "I get it. It's fine."

Harry slumps. "I wish I could tell you."

"I know."

Harry shuffles his feet to the edge of the bed and sits down. He takes in the rococo style headboards and wardrobes for the first time. With the larger dorm, there's a couch to the far side and a small coffee table that faces a window to the great lake. It's weird to imagine Draco here sleeping and studying. He can easily see eleven-year-old him hastily scribbling down various plans to 'get Harry back'.

"Harry."

Harry turns just in time to have lips pressed against his. His eyes widen and it takes approximately one point three seconds to realize Draco had initiated this time and a further three-point eight seconds to realize that he's kissing him back. Harry's eyes have fluttered shut and in the darkness he sees light exploding. Harry's lips are chapped and his head is pounding but he can taste the hot chocolate on him and the snowy evenings and crisp autumn air so he finds he doesn't care. All he can focus on is the liquid warmth that is quickly spreading through his body even after Draco pulls away.

Draco's nose is still touching his. Draco's eyes are searching, gauging Harry's reaction to the kiss. Some of his hair drops in front of his face and it dances with every exhale he breathes. His forehead is cool against his. The dungeon air is chill and cools his hot face a little. Then Draco smiles and he swears it's bright enough to power the whole city. Draco's cheeks are pink and dimples are showing on each cheek. His face is brighter than the sun.

"I've wanted to do that for a while," Draco admits softly. His breath brushes his cheek and it feels lovely. Harry leans it more so he can smile into the crook of his neck. It's warm there. It's comforting.

"Me too."

Y'ALL I'M SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN A MONTH I'VE TRULY AND HONESTLY LOST ALL MY BRAIN CELLS. (Also, we've been getting a fuck load of new readers lately for some reason… hello to the nw guys out there!)

Words: 3085

Published: 11/9/2020