Chapter 3: Draco back in the Manor
Notes:
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Enjoy reading! Still a flashback.
Chapter Text
Days passed.
An hour with Potter became two, and quickly it became three. Until what used to be an hour for Draco's me-time became him and Potter's time for at least 4 hours.
Until midnight. Until dawn. Until a quarter before breakfast.
It didn't matter to Draco that he wouldn't be able to return on time to steer clear of detentions, which he's sure would be facilitated by Snape. His godfather sure knew how to save him and keep him away from more disaster since the start of his sixth year. He knew Snape would just remind him of his responsibilities and tasks, but nevertheless, Snape would make him leave just like that.
It didn't matter to Draco anymore if he got caught by prefects and had points taken away from him.
His house and the House Cup be damned, but who was he kidding anyway? He's sure the House Cup will be given to Gryffindors anyway, so he's not sure why other houses still try, especially the proud Slytherins. Especially if the fool Dumbledore had anything to say about it—soon, he wouldn't have anything to say anymore, his mind had supplied, but Draco was always quick to eradicate any thought concerning the headmaster because it always reminded him of what he had to do. Of him.
None of those things matter anymore because Draco would endure anything just to spend a little of his remaining time with Potter.
Nights with Harry mostly consist of cold floors, aching necks and shoulders, and dusty rooms, yet Draco wouldn't give those up for anything.
At one point, he and Harry had slept throughout the night in each other's arms in the Room of Rewards, one of the many secret rooms Harry had told him about.
With his body aching from the discomfort of spending the night on the cold cement rather than his warm bed, Draco looked at Harry and found him slightly snoring beside him, his mouth adorably opened.
Draco had chuckled and tried to lean in to peck his cheek, but thought better of it. He settled on burrowing his face on Harry's shoulder, despite the growing protests from his neck and back.
Midnights and dawns were theirs, and he would put up with a little body pain just to feel Harry's warmth.
Harry had woken up half an hour later, disoriented, his untidy locks even messier, and his green eyes blinking. He looked really cute.
"Wha- what time is it?"
Draco picked up his glasses and pushed them onto Harry. "It's only 6. You go; I'll stay here to figure out how to return to my dorm without being caught. Not all of us have an Invisibility Cloak after all," Draco teased, bumping Harry's shoulder.
Draco had expected Harry to share a chuckle with him and leave with his cloak after sharing one last tight hug with Draco, but he should've known better. He shouldn't be surprised at how kind Harry Potter was.
"You take it," Harry said, holding his cloak for Draco to take.
Draco eyed the silvery, silky garment. Looking at the thing made him think of the famed Cloak of Invisibility used by Ignotus Peverell in the Tale of the Three Brothers. Every time his Mother would tell him the story, Draco would imagine himself using any of the three objects. This replica looked magnificently tempting to use, it would've been his first time using such a thing, but he couldn't.
He looked up at Harry and shook his head. "What? No, Harry, please, that's yours. I'll stay here and think of something. With my luck, it'll be Severus who catches me. But with your luck," Draco smirked. "It'll be Snape who'll catch you."
Harry had given him a smile. "Better me than you. You told me you had enough of Snape, so take it."
"Harry-"
Harry cupped his cheeks. "Please? It'll ease my mind knowing you'll arrive in your dorm safely, so take it."
Draco wanted to laugh at how ironic that was. Here was Harry, worrying for his safety when Harry exactly knew Draco should be the one feared, he had the mark. Draco was the bad guy.
"Okay."
Harry had hugged him tight and kissed his temple.
Draco wanted to kiss Harry at that time, not only because he felt cared for with Harry Potter worrying for his safety, but also because he felt loved that Harry Potter had entrusted something very important to Harry, like the cloak, to Draco. Draco, who was a Death Eater.
At night the next day, sat in the corner hidden behind a large tapestry with their hands intertwined like the many nights before with Draco's chin atop Harry's shoulder, Harry began to tell him what happened to him last night.
"Snape found me, by the way, on my way to Gryffindor Tower."
Draco frowned. He knew his godfather could be a bit of a git to Harry. "What did he say?"
"Nothing, because Professor Dumbledore arrived," Harry snorted. "You should've seen how sour Snape looked when he wasn't able to take any points from Gryffindor. You're right, Draco, I think Professor Dumbledore had a signal to save every Gryffindor and make sure we always get the House Cup."
Draco's eyes unintentionally dimmed a bit at the mention of the headmaster, being reminded of his final task.
Being reminded that soon, Harry would hate him again. Maybe more than he used to.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine."
Harry hummed and pecked his forehead before his face leveled with Draco's. Forehead to forehead, Draco closed his eyes and hummed in contentment, feeling Harry softly touch his nose to Draco's, their warm breaths intermingling, and their hearts beating steadily, almost as one.
Even this became natural to them, yet they never kissed. Draco wouldn't let him.
No one uttered anything between the two of them for a long time, just feeling each other's presence was more than enough.
And Draco was grateful when Harry didn't force him to tell him the truth because he wasn't sure what would come out of his lips if Harry did. When Harry spoke again, it was about all the pranks his father did with Sirius and Remus.
Draco's sure that Harry knew his task had something to do with Dumbledore. Harry may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was observant, as he was the first one to notice that Draco was doing something he shouldn't be doing. And Draco wasn't being subtle. He couldn't help but hide his emotions from Harry. Not anymore.
But he couldn't also tell Harry because telling Harry meant the Gryffindor had something to do about it, because if Harry didn't do anything, then what was the purpose of telling Harry? And if Harry did something, the Dark Lord would surely know that Draco was talking to Harry fucking Potter, the exact boy Voldemort was obsessed with and loathed the most.
He was lucky that until now, the Dark Lord still hadn't realized that Draco had been lazing around with the little progress he was suddenly making with the Vanishing Cabinet since he started talking with Potter. The Dark Lord may have been busy with something else, or he may have been content with the reports from Bellatrix and Greyback.
But if Voldemort learned of that, he would think Draco was a spy, and he'd kill his parents faster than he could say, 'Sorry!'. So no, Draco wouldn't say anything to Harry, even if that meant Harry would stop talking to him and start hating him again.
That's the sacrifice Draco was willing to make. He loved his Mother too much to give her up for Harry.
Thankfully, Harry hadn't said anything to Draco yet, and he still continued to be sort of friends with him.
Potter also became Harry at some point. Draco didn't know when specifically he started calling Harry by his name in his mind.
Was it when Harry told him about his nasty relatives? When he told Draco how he was abused and lived in the cupboard under the stairs for most of his life before starting Hogwarts?
But Draco was sure that he cried hard for Harry's childhood and profusely apologized to him for always reminding him that he was an orphan and for thinking Harry was living luxuriously.
But sweet and kind Harry only smiled at him and hugged him tight. "Don't cry now, Draco. It's fine. I'm fine. You didn't know."
Still, Draco should've been nice to him. Draco had made his life worse. Draco didn't deserve Harry, but Draco was never known for being selfless.
"How can you say that? How can you be so sweet and kind after what happened to you? Why aren't you mad at me? At them? Why aren't you taking your revenge on them?"
Draco was livid for Harry. He was so furious at his muggle relatives that if his parents' lives weren't just at stake, Draco would march onto Privet Drive and start attacking Harry's relatives, laws and Azkaban be damned, but he would make them feel how mad he was.
"Let's just say that if there's someone who deserves my revenge, it's Voldemort. Only him. Never you."
That night was when they started holding hands and never letting go until it was time to part ways. To pretend that everything was alright for the whole day.
Or was it when Harry started sharing what little he knew about his parents' lives?
Or was it when Harry started sharing every little adventure he had every year he was at Hogwarts?
"No way! You opened the Chambers of Secrets?"
"Yes, there was a basilisk there. Well, it's dead, I killed it so-"
Draco blinked. How could he say such a thing as if it were no big deal? He was fucking 12. "You slayed a basilisk when you were 12?"
"Yeah, but there was Fawkes, Dumbledore's pheonix, he helped me so-"
"No, I don't care about whatever bird there was; I'm still not over the fact that you slayed a basilisk-"
"With Gryffindor's sword," He smirked at Draco's flabbergasted face.
"All this, and you were only 12? You know, if I were there, I would just be frozen on the spot and let that damned thing eat me. I wouldn't know how to fight someone with a sword, much less a fucking monster."
"I'll save you then."
"I'm still not over the fact that you slayed a basilisk at the age of 12, tried to stop a troll at 11, killed our 1st year DADA professor, and all while you're killing Voldemort all over again while wearing those ugly glasses."
Or was it when Harry started trusting him more and more in their plans to defeat Voldemort?
"You know, you shouldn't be telling me this."
"I trust you."
But no matter how much Harry shared, Draco remained secretive with his own tasks.
Not until the day before his second task would commence. Everything was almost settled then, the Vanishing Cabinet would be ready for the next day.
And all because Harry danced with him.
Draco stopped in his tracks when he realized where they were going. They're already on the 7th floor when he noticed the familiar path they were walking, so he quickly pulled his hand away from Harry, but the latter's hand tightened more around his wrist.
"Harry, please, don't do this to me. I can't. I can't tell you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"I will not be questioning you tonight, I promise you. Trust me on this."
"Harry-"
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then come with me."
Draco nodded and let Harry pull him, but he still held his breath when Harry pulled him inside the Room of Requirements. This is the one place he will never forget.
Only was he able to breathe properly when he didn't see the Vanishing Cabinet inside. Instead, he saw a table set up for two people with food in stasis.
He looked up at Harry, asking for an explanation.
"This is the Room of Requirements," Harry told him, as if they both didn't know Draco was here every single night. "It gives you anything you want out of it. Tonight, I want you to dance with me."
Harry snapped his finger, and a familiar, sweet song rang inside. The same music that was played in 4th year during the Yule Ball.
Draco laughed. "What?"
Harry gave him a sheepish smile. "I already told you how miserable I was in 4th year, especially during the Yule Ball."
Oh, Draco knew. Without Harry confirming how he felt at that time, Draco saw how lonely and miserable Harry had looked and had thought multiple times to talk to him if not for Pansy and Harry himself punching him.
"Was it because of the badge?" Draco teased.
"The badge that you did to support Cedric?"
"No, the badge that I did to spite you, I put a lot of time and effort into that. I did some advanced reading and complicated charms, you know."
"So the badge that you did to catch my attention?"
Draco smirked. "Maybe, and maybe you should've invited the one who made the badge."
"I should've, but I was stupid back then, but tonight, I'm planning to," Harry held out his hand for Draco. "Dance with me, Draco Malfoy. Be my date tonight."
Draco accepted Harry's hand, and after Harry placed a kiss on the back of Draco's hand, he pulled them in the middle.
Draco had an inch or two against Harry, and it was the perfect height for Draco to wrap his arms around Harry's neck and lean on his temple as he let Harry sway them.
Three songs had finished, with just them feeling each other's warmth, presence, and heartbeat.
It should've been like this back in 4th year. If only things were different for them, it could've been like this.
When they pulled back to stare at each other, Harry asked. "May I kiss you?"
Oh, how Draco wanted that. There was nothing at that moment that he wanted more than to kiss Harry and tell him how much Draco had fallen in love with him despite the short time they were together. But they both knew they couldn't. Draco couldn't let him, because everything would end tomorrow. Harry would go back to hating him. Draco loved himself too much to be miserable, and he knew that if he let Harry kiss him, all his feelings for the boy that he kept hiding would come crushing down.
He knew that if they kissed, there'd be no going back. Draco would just keep asking for more, even if that meant doing stupid things.
So, Draco shook his head. "I'm sorry."
"I understand."
Draco cried because Harry had always understood him. Harry had given him everything he had, but Draco always just took.
-
However, the day Draco decided to tell Harry everything was the day everything collapsed.
It was the day the Death Eaters could finally enter Hogwarts and breach its layers of protection through Draco. It was the day Dumbledore would be killed.
Since morning, Draco has been looking for Harry to no avail. It was as if Harry was nowhere in Hogwarts.
Then the night came, and Draco tremblingly let the Death Eaters come into Hogwarts. Then there was his confrontation with Dumbledore, where the old headmaster had offered him protection, but he couldn't accept it because Draco was scared. He's weak. He's not brave like Harry. He couldn't bring himself to the Light, not when he knew it meant dire consequences for his Mother.
In the end, it was Severus who did it. Draco had stood flabbergasted for a few seconds, seeing the powerful wizard dead and seeing his godfather do the task for him.
But Draco had to move on and leave everything. So with a brisk movement, he left the deceased headmaster with the Death Eaters, with tears welling in his eyes and shaking hands.
Draco's brain, at that moment, was on default. It was in chaos. He couldn't understand anything happening around him, but he knew how dark and depressing it felt. After all, he was just a kid with too many responsibilities caught in between adult problems. He and Harry were just kids who didn't have the chance to enjoy their childhood or their teen lives. It was so unfair, but Draco had to move on.
He almost broke down when he saw his Aunt Bella wrecking the Great Hall with an insane glee on her face. He never liked some of his memories at Hogwarts, but to him, Hogwarts was his home. Hogwarts was a witness to some of his achievements, to his memories with his friends in Slytherin, and most of all, Hogwarts was a witness to how Draco Malfoy had fallen in love with Harry Potter. But all he could do was silently cry and accept that this was his reality now. He could no longer pretend that he was different from the Dark Lord. He's one of them now, he would never deserve Harry.
One second he was looking up at the dark mark, ugly and unfitting, in the sky, and the next second he heard Harry screaming.
"He trusted you!"
For a second, Draco thought Harry was after him, but a spell Severus had easily deflected made him realize it was Snape he was furious at.
What if it was Draco who finished his task? What then? It didn't matter, though, Harry looked furious. At them.
Draco felt tears fall as he looked at Harry's furious face. He had every right to be furious, and Draco knew, at that moment, there was no chance for him and Harry. Not anymore.
"Come on, Draco!"
Draco nodded and ran away with Severus, Aunt Bella, and the other Death Eaters.
Draco angrily wiped his tears. For his parents and his mother, he would leave his heart behind. He would sacrifice his own happiness. He would be brave.