A drabble whenever you want is really helpful for plot bunnies.
(Used to be 'a drabble a day keeps the plot bunnies away')

This pairing was requested by hpbrat2 with 'sometimes it's okay to cry'. I think this is my longest chapter, too!

Got any requests for pairings? Just review and tell me! (Prompts are accepted, too!)
I do not own Harry Potter.

22. Drinking – Harry/Adrian Pucey

Harry sighed as he stared out of the window in the Tower, listening to the crickets sing their tunes outside with a heavy heart as he dangled a bottle of Firewhiskey he had nicked from the Twins in his hand. They shouldn't sound so joyful, not when everything should be in mass hysteria. His godfather had just been killed and it was all. His. Fault.

So many what-ifs had run through his head already. Things like what if I had listened to Hermione and what if Sirius had stayed home.

He could understand his godfather wanting to escape the confines of the grim old house, Grimmauld Place, but that didn't mean he had to risk his life to do it.

His sadness slowly turned to anger at his godfather, his hands clenching into fists and causing crescent shapes to appear on his sensitive palms from the force of his nails pushing into them. Closing his eyes tightly, he took deep breaths to calm himself down, his anger slowly turning to the sadness once more.

Footsteps echoed around and he looked to the door sharply, seeing a shadow standing there. Looking closer, he could see it was someone older than him.

"You can come in." Harry said softly, his voice monotone. The figure hesitated before stepping forward, revealing themselves to be Adrian Pucey. Harry nodded at him.

"Harry," The older boy said, walking towards him slowly. "It's after curfew. Shouldn't you be in bed?" The Slytherin actually sounded concerned, and Harry smiled ruefully.

"Couldn't sleep. Too many dreams of—" He cut himself off, blinking quickly to stop the tears that wanted to show. He took a long sip of the Firewhiskey, turning and patting the windowsill next to him, inviting Adrian to sit down.

The other sat next to him, eyeing the bottle in his hand warily.

"I heard what happened," He finally said after minutes of silence, slowly becoming uncomfortable. Harry hummed, taking his lovers hand in his own and squeezing it lightly. "I'm sorry, for what it's worth. I should have been there."

Harry shook his head, shuffling closer to the other and leaning against him lightly.

"I wouldn't want you to be in that position. It's too dangerous," He said, his voice light. There were too many risks for Adrian. His father was one of Voldemorts Death Eaters and if he had found out Adrian had been helping Harry, he wouldn't have lived past the summer. "I love you too much for that."

As the silence stretched once more, Harry's mind turned back to his godfather – his precious Sirius – and tears began to track down his cheeks. Wiping the wet spots furiously, he frowned at himself. He was a boy, practically a man already. He shouldn't be crying.

Adrian looked over at him and frowned, standing from his seat on the windowsill and kneeling in front of Harry. He took the bottle away from his hands despite the protests and put it on the floor next to him, taking Harry's face into his hands.

"Sometimes it's okay to cry," He said softly, kissing Harry's lips gently. "You haven't had time to mourn. You've had to be strong in front of the others. It's okay now, you're with me and you can cry."

Slowly, the tears started falling out at a quicker pace and Harry let out chocked and strangled sobs, the force of them running through him and causing his body to shake. Adrian pulled the boys into his arms and kissed the top of his head.

"It's okay. I've got you." He whispered gently. "I've got you."

Finally, more than half an hour later, the force began to stop after Harry had run out of tears. Sniffing, he took in a deep breath and wiped his face with the sleeve of his robes.

"Thank you, Rian." He whispered, pecking the older boys lips. He could feel the smile on the other end.

"I love you, Ry." Adrian said back, just as quietly.

"Love you too." Harry muttered, blinking to keep himself awake. He wanted to spend more time with Adrian, but apparently Morpheus didn't think so. He slowly drifted off to sleep in his lovers arms, the weight that had been on his chest feeling lighter than it had since his godfather died and he found out about the prophecy.

"Love you so much." Adrian said to the sleeping boy, stroking Harry's hair softly.