Chapter 5
Draco felt hazy. His vision was blurry, and though his breath was coming in slower, it still felt too quick for him to really catch. But Potter was there behind him- firm and real and not all burning hot like the fire but instead comfortably warm.
Draco worked through his breath while Potter stood behind him, rubbing soothing circles on the small of his back, muttering something indistinguishable but comforting all the same. It was weird to have something so solid beside him while the rest of the world competed with a shakiness.
As his breath slowed, the world around him stabilized slightly, allowing Draco the peace of mind to take in the presence behind him.
Draco glanced behind him where Potter stood, observing the man who had indirectly caused this. Draco briefly played with the idea of blaming his distraction on him outwardly but refrained, considering that would mean admitting he had been eavesdropping.
Potters' eyebrows were furrowed, yet his eyes seemed clearer than they had in the days since he had arrived. The unhealthy palour that had seemed to have been haunting Potter seemed less overbearing and even his furrowed eyebrows seemed calmer. The previously tense line of the man's shoulders seemed to drop into a relaxed stance.
Potter glared at the offending coffee pot, and Draco briefly wondered why he cared so much. But that thought was quickly swept away by thoughts like ‘Of course he cares, he’s meant to care.’ Draco couldn’t discern why he knew that Harry Potter should care that he was afraid of fire, but that quickly seemed rather unimportant in the face of it all.
After all, it was only common sense that Potter cared.
Draco frowned. He shouldn’t be worried about some silly fire when Potter is nearby. Obviously, Potter will come to his rescue. Where else would Potter be in his time of need?
“Harry James Potter.” Granger strutted towards Potter aggressively, wearing unnecessarily large earmuffs, and Potter's face twisted into embarrassment.
“‘Mione,” He greeted her as though he was pretending something, feigning nonchalance.
Draco’s frown deepened. Why would he have to pretend something like that? Everything was okay now, the fire was gone and Potter was here.
Granger glanced judgmentally at the two of them, “Imegoen was kind enough to inform me you had left your office,”
“Yes, I work here, that would make sense.” Potter nods seriously.
Potter adjusted his stance, putting himself between Granger and Draco. Draco couldn't bring himself to be offended so much as confused. It was less of a protective stance and more of a physical attempt to draw attention away.
“Is that so, I seem to remember you scheduled to be confined to your office for at least another two weeks.” Granger had always seemed rather like a mother hen, but seeing this now really underlines it.
“I was needed elsewhere.” Potter very obviously avoids eye contact with Granger while she surveys the scene.
A thud on a shield charm Draco hadn’t noticed sounds off, drawing attention to the rather large shield Potter must have engulfed the two of them in at one point or another.
It easily took up half of the area around the two men and Granger was hovering just outside of it. Other than Granger, several witches and a couple wizards threw themselves against the charm.
They were thudding meaninglessly against the magic before Potter mutters a quick ‘fuck’ under his breath, inhaling deeply and they all seem to wander off. The shield charm drops, and with it, Draco’s confidence in the cause of Potter's care for him.
The man still hadn’t removed his hand from Draco’s back even as he was sheepishly cowering to Granger's animated rant, something about ‘Idiocy’ and ‘Consideration of others’ occasionally, she’d throw in something about ‘healers’ and Potter would wrinkle his nose.
The warm weight of his hand on Draco’s lower back is much more worth noting now. What is Potter doing.
“I’m sorry, Malfoy, he’s learning,” Granger smiled sympathetically at him, for what he didn’t know and couldn’t tell.
“It’s… Okay?” Draco started inching away, now feeling less woozy and eager to make his escape.
He had no clue what had gotten into him, Potter or himself. Potter was looking at him with open concern and was still rubbing his back soothingly. Which again was slightly alarming now that his head was clear. Maybe not as alarming as it ought to be though, a voice in the back of his head unhelpfully adds, as even now he’s struck with the urge to lean into the comforting touch.
It suddenly occurred to Draco he should very much leave, he had no idea what had kept him this long, but the attention was starting to get… Overwhelming, one could say.
Draco cleared his throat, nodded his farewells to the Gryffindors, and made his swift exit. He rounded the corner and as soon as he was out of sight, sprinted to the ministry elevators, pushing into one just as the door was about to close. To his relief the elevator was empty.
As he entered the elevator he slumped to the floor and placed his head between his knees. Uncaring of how it might look. He couldn’t help but think that whatever it was that just transpired went deeper than the draw that Potter had always had to him.
Something about him that had never let Draco leave well enough alone. It was stronger now, stronger than it had ever been. It probably wasn’t any of his business but Draco wanted, needed, to snoop. He felt like he was eleven again, trying to find the secrets of the boy who refused his hand.
Draco stood up from his place in the elavator as it landed on the ground floor. He was a Malfoy for fucks sake. Why be curious when he had a whole library and a sorting charm at his disposal.
As soon as Draco could, he rushed to the nearest apparition point and apperated straight to Malfoy Manor.