Chapter 3
By the time the sun rose, they had pages of notes with theories on Lily’s ghost, as Draco had begun calling her, because adding Potter every time was a mouthful and with the way she kept appearing in his life, he felt it was safe to assume they were on a first name basis.
He thanked Pansy with a hug and a kiss on the cheek when he left, with promises to visit more often and a mental note to send her the best English teas galleons could buy.
As the weeks went by, Draco scratched off several theories.
Transparent polyjuice and transfiguration charms? (The former didn’t exist…and Draco’s research into the possibility didn’t offer any explanation for what he was seeing).
Boggart? (they don’t speak – and Draco’s not afraid of Harry Potter’s mum, Pansy, thank you very much).
Muggle projection? (Pansy had seen some muggle films and explained the concept to Draco. But it didn’t explain why Granger hadn’t seen Lily too).
Unless…elaborate prank??
That was one he kept top of mind, even if part of him didn’t really believe it.
In the weeks that followed, Lily’s ghost appeared two more times, once scaring the life out of Draco while he was in the shower, doing nothing more than floating by with the same whispered request and sense of urgency, before disappearing completely.
It lasted all of five seconds and completely ruined Draco’s day.
The second time was when he was out for drinks after work.
It wasn’t often he joined Granger and the rest for celebratory drinks, but they’d just helped the Aurors solve a particularly challenging case, saving dozens of lives thanks to Draco’s expertise in potions.
He was finally starting to let his guard down, getting lost in conversation with Smyth when it happened.
The doors to the pub burst open and in walked none other than Harry Potter, eyes blazing, laughter on his lips and Ron Weasley in matching Auror robes at his shoulder. Ever the right-hand man.
But it was the redhead on Potter’s left that stopped Draco mid-sentence and made his mouth go dry.
For a second, the image flickered and Lily Potter disappeared completely but in the next moment she was back, her ghostly figure floating through Potter and nearing Draco, this time in colour.
If he had any doubt before, now Draco was certain.
The ghost had to be Lily because the way she gazed at Harry Potter as he joined his friends at the bar spoke of a deep longing and love that only a mother could impart.
Also, he had her eyes.
Draco quickly looked away when he saw Potter making his way to his table with drinks to greet Granger and the rest of Draco’s team.
He spared a glance at Draco and with a small smile, pushed a pint towards him.
Lily Potter was watching the interaction intently, floating closer to Potter as she once again voiced a request only Draco could hear.
“Protect him. Please. It has to be you. Promise me.”
Potter looked at Draco in confusion as he sat frozen in place, before getting pulled into a conversation with another junior Auror.
Now with only one set of intense green eyes on him, Draco took a deep breath, a large gulp of his drink and stood up with a loud scrape of his chair, bumping slightly into the patrons behind him.
After hastily making his excuses to the table, he all but bolted out of the pub, taking a moment to lean against the brick wall in the dark alley beside it.
Draco never felt more grateful for fresh air than at this moment. Granted, fresh may have been a stretch.
A second later, Granger appeared.
“Fuck!” Draco squeaked, only to be met with a raised eyebrow.
He scowled. He knew that was a trait she’d picked up from him but damn it all if she didn’t wear it well.
“Spill.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Draco said glancing at his nails nonchalantly, hoping this was the one day Granger wasn’t her typical observant self.
No such luck.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she said casually.
Draco’s head whipped up to meet her gaze.
“Draco,” she went on, pausing only to roll her eyes at his flinch.
Granger had started calling him by his first name easily after he’d first apologised to her, five years ago when he’d gotten a job at the ministry, but he still wasn’t used to it.
Returning the gesture never came as easily to him.
“Malfoy,” she tried again, eyes softening with something akin to concern.
“I know something’s wrong. What is it? Is it Harry? Because you don’t have to avoid him everytime he comes by you know, you’re a part of this tea–”
“No,” Draco cut her off quickly. “I know. It’s nothing Granger, really. See you tomorrow.”
Before she could respond, Draco pushed off against the wall and disapparated with a crack, stumbling into his bedroom.
Lily was waiting for him when he arrived.
“Draco,” she said in her haunting voice.
“WHAT?” he didn’t mean to yell, but that pint must have gotten to him because his voice came out louder than expected.
The ghost just stared.
“Why does he need protection anyway? He’s an Auror for Salazar’s sake, he can take care of himself!” Draco huffed impatient and tired, kicking his shoes off and landing squarely on his bed with his eyes closed and palms pressed against them.
After giving himself a moment, Draco opened his eyes and turned to Lily, who was still watching him with interest.
“I don’t know how to help you,” he whispered softly to her.
“I’m sorry.”
Lily approached him slowly a hand reaching for his face. He braced himself for a cold numbness but her touch didn’t feel like that of a typical ghost. It felt like a feather brushing his skin.
The tears started flowing without Draco’s permission.
Lily Potter stayed with him, silently stroking his face, his hair, transparent hands passing through his tears until he fell asleep.
When he woke up, she was gone.