make me jump into the air
Draco wasn’t sure that this was what his mother meant when she said have fun once in a while.
This being standing in front of a club, a muggle club, surrounded by drunk teenagers.
Tabitha elbowed him. “I told you to wear the black shirt.”
He looked down at his outfit. Black trousers from one of his shabbier suits, a white shirt, and a leather jacket he found at his aunt’s a few years ago and took with him in an act of rebellion he since then regretted.
“Why?” He eyed Tabitha with suspicion. “What’s wrong with white?”
“You still look like you’re wearing a suit.”
“I do not! Do you even know what a suit looks like?”
Based on her ripped jeans and washed-out t-shirt, he guessed not.
“Obviously. And what you’re wearing is very close to it.”
She squinted her eyes, eyeing him up and down.
“No. For the next time, we’re going shopping.”
“There will be no next time.” They’ve been over this—multiple times.
“We’ll see.” She looked up. The venue was moving. “Perfect!”
When they finally reached the doorway, she reached into her purse and Draco could see a glimpse of a wand sticking out. Tabitha took it and muttered a confusion spell.
They were let in without another word.
Not a squib, then.
“You’re not supposed to do that!”
"I’m off age. No one can tell me I’m not allowed to cast a simple spell.”
Draco sighed. It was pretty badass. Not that he would admit it out loud.
Inside, it was dark and filled with thick, stinky air. It was also crowded like hell. Draco didn’t like that. In fact, he didn’t like any of this so far. Tabitha convinced him to go with her to take the whole killing-Dumbledore-thing off his mind. It hadn’t really worked on the tube, and it wouldn’t start working now.
The people around him danced already, moving their sweaty bodies to some TLC song.
Tabitha nodded along to the music and pulled him through the crowd to the bar. “What do you want?”, she shouted through the music.
He had to bend down a bit to shout back into her ear. “Nothing!”
“Come on!” She grinned. “My treat.” Her hand was in her purse again.
Draco sighed. This was getting out of hand.
“I’m good, thanks.” He pulled away, scanning over the crowd.
Beside him, Tabitha ordered two beers.
Harry liked TLC. He liked this party. He liked the warm feeling in his stomach caused by the drink in his hand.
He liked not having to worry.
That was probably it.
The lightness of this whole thing.
He loved it.
Draco nodded his head awkwardly to the music. Tabitha had been swept away by some girl a while ago. He wished someone would do the same with him. Take him by the hand and pull him close. Taking the lead. Showing him where to go.
Oh, Merlin, this was a disaster.
Wonder Wall started playing.
The people around him sang along, some dancing slowly with their partners.
I want that.
He took a sip from his beer.
A girl near him pulled a boy in a deep kiss.
He couldn’t help but stare.
I want someone to be like that for me.
He just wanted to be seen. He wanted someone to share his worries with, to make it easier to lift them.
Wonder Wall was such a cheesy song.
Wonder Wall. What a great song! Harry stumbled to the bar. Soon, he needed to head to the toilet. But until then, he would enjoy making small talk with some stranger. Maybe some snogging was in for him too.
He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw just who was leaning against the bar, watching a couple making out like some sort of creep.
Blonde, shiny hair, gray eyes reflecting the red and blue lights, and a long, pointy jaw.
What. The. Fuck.
Draco Malfoy always had been pretty, in some weird, twisted way, but tonight, he looked nothing like the Draco Malfoy Harry knew from school.
Tonight, the almost white hair hung perfectly in his eyes, collapsing with long eyelashes, and the dark circles under Malfoys eyes underlined his pointy face. He looked sad and stressed and emo and fuck! Draco Malfoy looked like a potential album cover from The Smiths. He looked hot.
Harry wanted to run away. But he still was drawn in by Malfoy’s looks, and behind him people danced, blocking the way out.
There was also something about seeing Malfoy at a party. Harry needed to investigate. Or he wouldn’t sleep tonight.
He made his way to Malfoy, tapping him on the shoulder before he could decide otherwise.
Malfoy snapped out of the daze he was in, probably getting off on the couple or something, and turned around.
His gray eyes were huge. Harry had never seen such big eyes.
Malfoy looked haunted.
“Jesus.”, he muttered.
“Potter?”, Malfoy asked.
Harry nodded.
This was weird.
It was weird seeing him here. It was weird seeing him here looking like that, tired and stressed and sad and longing. Loging for what? Harry had a million questions. Why was Malfoy here? Okay. Maybe just one important question.
It was the strange situation, that was the reason why this felt special, Harry was sure of it.
Why this felt intimate.
Only because he wasn’t used to it.
Malfoy squinted his eyes.
The world around them was loud and full of colours and movement.
Malfoy, although, stood still, clearly surprised.
So weird.
“What are you doing here?”, Harry shouted.
Draco frowned. “What?”, he replied, at least Harry thought he did. It was the only logical one-word answer Malfoy could have given, besides whore.
And then, Harry did something he would never, not in a thousand years, have imagined he’d do.
He grabbed Malfoy’s arm and dragged him to the bathroom.
After the door closed behind them, Harry nodded pleased. This was much better.
“What is happening?”
Malfoy looked panicked.
“Relax. Just wanted to actually hear you. I’m not the best at lip-reading.”
But seriously, what was happening?
“Why are you here?”
Malfoy seemed to have calmed down a bit, because his snarky voice was almost regenerated.
“Partying. You?” Harry tried to sound chill, which required a great deal of self-control. In reality, he wanted to smash his head against the wall and cry what the fuck a thousand times.
“The same. Although the music is not the best to party to.”
Harry knew Malfoy well enough to hear the hidden disgust in his voice.
“Meaning?”
Malfoy’s eyebrow quirked up.
“TLC suck.”
A young man tumbled in, unzipping his pants.
Malfoy looked shocked again.
Harry sighed. “Come on.”
And he grabbed Malfoy’s arm a second time that night.
They ended up in the alleyway behind the club after Harry decided that it was more important to figure out Malfoy’s plans than to party.
It was no wonder that he was greatly disappointed when he found out, Malfoy wasn’t planning anything. Harry believed him. Malfoy didn’t look put-together anymore, but more like someone had ruffled not only his hair but his whole body.
Where was Tabitha Nott when one needed her?
Draco gritted his teeth, an annoying habit that always led to jaw pain, and looked down at Potter.
“So. You went here before?”
Potter nodded, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.
Draco grimaced. Samesies.
Draco snarled.
“You really like it when the groove is on, don’t you?”
Potter rewarded him with a surprised face.
Draco grinned. He had caught the dumbass off guard, and that was always a good feeling.
After a long pause, Potter finally replied.
“What is it with you and TLC?”
Draco huffed. “Please. There are so many songs one can dance to, and they-“ he nodded in the direction of the club, “go with what about your friends.”
Potter shook his head in disbelief.
“Oh my god. You are so secretly in love with TLC.”
Draco backed away.
“Don’t you dare, Potter.”
Potter just grinned.
Draco wasn’t sure if it was the one beer or the accusation of him loving TLC that caused his outrage, but in that moment, he wanted to punch Potter so badly-
“Draco?”
He turned around.
Tabitha Nott, his knight in shiny armour or in her case, in a jeans jacket and Doc Martens, had appeared behind him.
“What are you doing outside? I was looking everywhere for you. Oh. Hello, Harry Potter.”
Draco took her arm.
“Let’s go.”
But Tabitha had other plans.
“You are Harry Potter, right?”
Potter nodded.
She scanned him up and down.
“What are you doing out here with Draco?”
“We were just-“
Potter said at the same time Draco started with:
“Nothing important-“
Tabitha grinned.
Potter’s face went red.
What was happening?
After a long, awkward pause, Tabitha nodded, satisfied.
“I think we’re good to go. Until next time, Harry!”
She dragged Draco away.
What. The. Fuck.
Tabitha began to laugh as soon as they were out of reach.
“Draco, you dog!”
“What?”
“You flirted with Harry Potter!”
Oh.
No.
No, no, no, no, no.
“I did not.”
“It certainly looked that way!”
“It didn’t.”, he hissed.
“We were both surprised to see each other and needed someplace to talk, where there was no bad music.”
“Bad music?”
“Yes, very. Come on, Tabitha. TLC? I thought of you better.”
Tabitha grinned.
“Don’t try to change the subject.”
And after a pause:
“Okay, next time we go to a better place.”
Draco sighed.
“There will be no next time.”
But Tabitha just grabbed his hand and walked on.
Draco almost smiled.
She was so weird.
He had a weird friend and a night full of bad decisions. Maybe he was living a teenage life after all.