Side story part 1
Draco stood in the center of the Auror training room, a single training dummy positioned about twenty feet away. He twirled his wand between his fingers, the movement instinctive as he focused on the target. The room was lively with other Aurors practicing nearby, spells zipping through the air.
“All right,” Draco muttered to himself, raising his wand. “Just a simple Stunning Spell. No theatrics this time.”
He pointed his wand at the dummy, his movements sharp and precise. “Stupefy!”
A red bolt shot from his wand, but instead of the controlled spell he expected, it erupted like a firework. The dummy exploded into splinters, the blast sending a shockwave through the room. One of the nearby Aurors, caught off guard, was knocked off his feet and landed hard on the floor with a loud thud.
“Bloody hell, Malfoy!” the Auror shouted, scrambling to his feet and brushing dust off his robes.
Draco stared wide-eyed at the destruction, lowering his wand slowly. “That… wasn’t supposed to happen,” he said, more to himself than anyone else.
Another senior Auror stormed over, his expression equal parts alarmed and furious. “Malfoy! What in Merlin’s name are you playing at? That was a Stunning Spell! What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything!” Draco snapped, though his voice carried a trace of unease. “It was just a standard incantation!”
The senior Auror crossed his arms, eyeing the smoldering remains of the dummy and the cracked floor beneath it. “You’re going to the medical bay. Now. If your magic’s acting up, we need to know why.”
Draco groaned but didn’t argue, pocketing his wand and heading for the door.
~
Draco sat on the edge of a cot, glaring at the floor as medics flitted around him, setting up diagnostic charms. He hated being in the medical bay; it made him feel like he’d done something wrong. But after the incident in the training room, there was no avoiding it.
The door burst open, and Draco’s head snapped up. Orion Veyne stood in the doorway, his usually calm face etched with worry. His glowing eyes scanned the room until they landed on Draco, and he crossed the space between them in quick, purposeful strides.
“Draco,” Orion said, his voice tight. “What happened?”
Draco frowned. “How did you even hear about this already?”
“Doesn’t matter.” Orion pulled a chair over and sat so close their knees almost touched. His gaze searched Draco’s face for any sign of injury. “Are you all right? I heard you collapsed after an out-of-control spell.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “I didn’t collapse. I’m fine. It was just a Stunning Spell that went a bit… sideways.”
“Sideways?” Orion’s brows shot up. “From what I heard, you nearly turned the training room into rubble.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” Draco muttered, though he could feel heat rising in his cheeks.
Orion leaned back slightly, his worry giving way to a faint glare. “Why didn’t you tell me something was off? If your magic’s unstable—”
“It’s not unstable,” Draco interrupted. “It was one spell, Orion. And they’re just being overly cautious by dragging me here.”
Before Orion could respond, the medic returned with her wand glowing faintly. She gave Orion a brief, nervous glance before focusing on Draco.
“All right, Mr. Malfoy,” she began, her voice professional but wary. “Let’s see what’s going on.”
She waved her wand over Draco, muttering a diagnostic charm under her breath. A soft golden glow surrounded him, flickering and pulsing. The medic frowned, lowering her wand.
“Well?” Draco prompted impatiently.
The medic hesitated, her gaze darting to Orion before returning to Draco. “Your magical signature has changed. It’s… significantly amplified. This kind of shift isn’t natural—it’s almost like an external force has strengthened it.”
Draco blinked, confused. “An external force? Like what?”
The medic hesitated again, clearly uncomfortable. “Sometimes this can happen when someone spends a lot of time around an individual with a much stronger magical aura. If there’s an emotional connection, their magic can resonate and even… fuse, to some extent.”
Draco’s stomach flipped, his thoughts racing. Before he could form a response, Orion leaned forward, his expression sharp.
“It’s me,” Orion said firmly, his glowing eyes locking onto the medic.
The room fell silent. Draco turned to him, his jaw dropping. “What?”
The medic swallowed, clearly rattled by Orion’s directness. “If that’s the case, then Mr. Veyne’s magic has… merged with yours. His aura is amplifying your magic. This kind of fusion is rare, but it’s not unheard of with particularly strong bonds.”
Draco stared at Orion, his mind reeling. “You’re saying your magic did this to me?”
“I didn’t do it intentionally,” Orion said quickly, his voice uncharacteristically soft. “But yes. My magic must’ve… bled into yours.”
The medic stepped back, giving them space. “You’ll need time to adjust. Your magic will be stronger, but it might be unpredictable until you learn to control it. I recommend avoiding high-powered spells and coming in for regular monitoring.”
Draco ignored her, still staring at Orion. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I didn’t know this would happen,” Orion admitted, his worry evident. “I’ve never… connected with someone like this before.”
Draco blinked, his chest tightening at the vulnerability in Orion’s voice. “Connected?”
Orion sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Emotionally. Magically. However you want to put it.” His glowing eyes met Draco’s, steady and sincere. “You mean more to me than you realize, Draco. That’s why I’m here, why I couldn’t stay away when I heard you might be hurt.”
Draco’s breath caught, and for once, he was at a loss for words.
The medic cleared her throat awkwardly. “I’ll, um… leave you two to talk. Let me know if you have any questions.” She hurried out of the room, leaving them alone.
Draco finally broke the silence, his voice low. “So what does this mean for me? For us?”
Orion leaned closer, his expression softening. “It means we’ll figure it out. Together.”
Draco exhaled slowly, a small, reluctant smile tugging at his lips. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“And yet, you keep me around.” Orion smiled.
~
Draco sat in silence, the weight of Orion’s words settling over him. The idea that someone as enigmatic and powerful as Orion Veyne cared for him—not just in passing, but deeply enough for their magic to fuse—was almost too much to process.
He stared at Orion, who was still watching him intently, his glowing eyes soft and steady. There was no smirk, no playful arrogance. Just raw sincerity.
“You mean it,” Draco finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. “You really care about me.”
Orion’s expression didn’t waver. “I do. More than I’ve ever cared about anyone.”
Draco’s breath hitched, his chest tightening in a way that was equal parts terrifying and exhilarating. He’d spent so long keeping people at arm’s length, hiding behind walls of cynicism and self-preservation. But here was Orion, breaking through them effortlessly.
A nervous laugh escaped Draco’s lips as he ran a hand through his hair. “You have no idea how ridiculous this is for me. To even think about saying this out loud…” He trailed off, shaking his head.
Orion tilted his head, leaning slightly closer. “Then don’t think about it. Just say it.”
Draco swallowed hard, his gaze locked on Orion’s. His heart was pounding, and every instinct told him to deflect, to make a sarcastic remark, to run. But he didn’t.
Instead, he took a deep breath and said, “I love you.”
The words hung in the air, almost surreal. Draco couldn’t believe he’d said them, but he didn’t regret it. Especially not when he saw Orion’s reaction.
A slow, genuine smile spread across Orion’s face, lighting up his features in a way that made Draco’s chest ache. “Say it again,” Orion murmured, his voice low and almost teasing.
Draco rolled his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself. “Don’t push your luck.”
Orion laughed softly, his hand reaching out to cover Draco’s. “You’re impossible, Malfoy.”
“And yet, you keep me around,” Draco echoed with a smirk, his voice softer this time.
Orion’s glowing eyes seemed to brighten, and he leaned closer, his forehead gently resting against Draco’s. “I keep you around because you’re everything I didn’t know I needed.”
Draco’s breath caught again, and he tilted his head slightly, their lips brushing in a soft, tentative kiss. It wasn’t rushed or heated, but it was full of meaning—a quiet acknowledgment of everything that had brought them to this moment.
When they pulled back, Draco’s voice was barely above a whisper. “So… what now?”
Orion smirked, the familiar confidence creeping back into his expression. “Now? We figure out how to deal with your supercharged magic before you blow up half the Ministry.”
Draco groaned, burying his face in his hands. “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“Never,” Orion said with a chuckle, his hand brushing against Draco’s shoulder. “But don’t worry. I’ll be right there with you. Always.”
Draco lowered his hands, his smirk matching Orion’s. “You’re lucky I love you, you know.”
Orion’s eyes glowed brighter, and he leaned in to kiss Draco again, this time with more certainty. “And I love you, Draco. More than you’ll ever know.”