Your Eyes Are Green

The war was deathly. 

When Harry, Ron and Hermione made it back to Hogwarts, they were led by Neville through a secret entrance. They had met Dumbledore’s brother and sister, which Harry wasn’t really focused on. His mind was occupied with Draco, the look in his eyes, the way he just let Harry have the wand. 

Harry wanted to see Draco again, he felt the need to see him again. It felt so nice to finally speak to Draco again, even if the words that were uttered were only two. He never got to hear a response back, he needed to hear Draco’s voice again. A weight lifts off Harry’s shoulders every time he sees Draco and it pains him to stay away, but he has too. 

Draco is a Death Eater, he’s the enemy.

But Harry can’t stand being enemies anymore. He needs to be on the same side as Draco again. He missed their times where it was just teasing and ‘hateful’ banter. Much better than actually having to run from his soulmate. After this war, no matter what, they needed to talk. They needed to be on the same page.

“Harry.” Hermione pulled Harry out of his thoughts.

Harry blinked, lips pursing as they were in front of the Room of Requirement. He was so lost in thought; he hadn’t realized they even moved and separated from everyone fighting the Death Eaters. He almost forgot they were in a war and why they were here. He groaned and rubbed his hand over his face, he really needed to talk to Draco as soon as possible, he couldn't focus without his soulmate.

“You alright, mate?” Ron asked, squeezing his shoulder.

Harry licked the inside of his cheek, “No… I can’t seem to focus.” 

“Ah, soulmate thing, right?”

Harry finally told Ron who his soulmate was, poor Ron had an aneurysm. ‘Malfoy?! You poor, poor man. I will pray for you.’ Harry had slapped Ron’s forehead, and that was a nice reprieve from their reality and problems. 

“How’d you know?” Harry asked. 

“Come on, Harry.” Ron grinned, “Once Hermione and I found out we were soulmates, if we were apart for so long, we got tired and antsy. In Mione’s case, she couldn’t focus all that much.”

Harry groaned again, opening the Room of Requirement. He was not going to take soulmate talk from Ron right now, he just wanted this war to be over and his life to start a new chapter. Hopefully with Draco by his side, even if it takes a while for them to actually get into the soulmate stage of things. 

The Room of Requirement was a nice place to catch their breath and hide for a moment. But that’s not why they entered in the first place, even if that was a bonus. They were there to find another Horcrux, Diadum. The Golden Trio didn’t even realize that Draco, Blaise and Crabbe followed them in. Draco mainly was looking for Harry, but acting as if he needed his wand back would hide everything between them. 

Draco in the middle, Blaise on his right and Crabbe on his left, all three with their wands out. They walked closer to the three, Harry tensed as his eyes landed on Draco.

“You have something that belongs to me.” Draco said.

And if that voice didn’t give Harry shivers, then he was doomed. Draco’s gaze was decently soft, a touch of a glare to try and hide his true intentions, but Harry could see it as clean as day. This was just a cover up, his way of speaking to Harry without having to directly speak to him. Harry took a deep breath, and suddenly he could focus again. His mind cleared and he would have to take advantage of that. 

When Crabbe fired a spell at Hermione, Ron got livid and ran after Crabbe. For a moment, the other four were stunned at that, blinking as their wands lowered for a moment. They already had the Diadum, but that didn’t mean they could destroy it just yet, especially with them having to fight to survive and get out. 

It didn’t take long for Ron to come back screaming, hands waving in the air. “Run! Fire! Big fire!” He squeaked as he shoved past Draco and Blaise.

Draco stumbled and Blaise grabbed his arm to steady him. Once they saw Crabbe running too as a fire grew larger and looked more like a dragon. Draco looked and the three were gone, so he took it as his sign to run too, but the fire was catching up on them. Blaise cocked his head and Draco nodded, they may not make it out alive, but they could get higher and higher. They could escape when the fire goes down, if it ever goes down.

They started climbing up an unstable mountain of chairs, cabinets and other items. It shook with every movement, but it was better than anything. Draco was sweating, the heat from the fire made it feel like his suit was melting off his skin and he hated this feeling. Crabbe was just a few feet below them; he licked the inside of his cheek as he and Blaise made it to the top. 

“Malfoy!” He heard Crabbe gasp.

Draco looked down, he watched as in slow motion Crabbe lost his footing and fell down. Draco wanted to let go and jump after him, but he’d die himself. He watched as his best friend fell into the fire he created; his look turned mournful as something inside of him died as well. He was just thankful he didn't have to see the body burned; he’d never recover from that.  

Blaise nudged him as gently as he could, breath hitching as the tower of unstable items shook under the movement and weight. Draco closed his eyes, honestly, this didn’t feel like such a bad way to go out. No Death Eaters. No disappointing the parents. No Dark Lord. A fire may be painful, but at least it would be warm. Something Draco had been missing for quite some time, mostly since he became one of the youngest Death Eaters in the history of evil wizards. 

Such a promising burden.

“Draco.” Blaise murmured, “Open your eyes.” He said quietly, a hint of desperation lingering in his voice.

He didn’t want to see his best friend give up. He didn’t like how hollow Draco became since their sixth year, how he became a shell of the Slytherin he used to be. It didn’t matter that they could be knocking on Death’s doorstep in just a few minutes, it didn’t matter that the fire seemed so warm and welcoming, like a mother’s hug, what mattered was them. What mattered was not going down without a fight.

Draco didn’t want to open his eyes, he just wanted to let go and be free. Instead, because he cared deeply about the ones closed to him, he opened his eyes. Grayer than they were blue and wasn’t that just a sad and tiring aspect of the once vibrant eyes. Blaise gripped onto the tower tighter, head looking around, he didn’t want to go out without trying to survive. Without a fight. 

Draco gasped as they heard a whoosh fly by them. A tingle littered his spine as he straightened and looked out, seeing Harry on a flying broom. Of course, the Golden Trio found some way to get free, to get out and survive. Of course, the Golden Trio would leave them. Who wouldn’t, though?

Despite the brooms getting further, something soft and resounding ache swelling-ly against Draco’s heart. He may not make it out, but his soulmate will. That’s all that matters. He wouldn’t be able to go through life if he could feel his soulmate being ripped away from him, feeling their connection shatter due to the death of one. One of the many terrible things of finding your soulmate. 

“They’re coming back.” Blaise said.

Draco tilted his head, sweat trailing his brow and his lips almost curved up in a relieved smile. He didn’t want to die. He really, truly, didn’t want to die. Even if he did accept it moments before. He schooled his features, eyes landing on Harry’s the closer they got. Draco could perfectly see the dull forest green, not as bright as it was the moment Harry’s fist connected with his face, but a green nonetheless. The lightning scar almost looked to be pulsing in the dim lighting of the fire beneath him. His brown hair flopping behind him from the speed of the broom coming at them.

Draco didn’t care how he looked, he always thought Harry Potter was stunning. Even more so with his hand shown, arm out and reaching for the blonde that could die if he let go too soon. Draco licked the inside of his cheek, something yearning beneath his cool exterior as the hand drew closer and closer. Draco almost hesitated, his breath hitching with negative thoughts. 

He didn’t deserve to live. He didn’t deserve to be saved. He didn’t deserve Harry. 

“Draco, please.” Blaise hissed out, hand out towards Ron who was closer than Hermione.

Draco gulped, shaking out his downward spiral. He reached; he could already feel the spark of their hands connecting. The warmth and electricity. His foot slipped from the burning wood and Draco almost fell if not for Blaise grabbing his arm. Ron missed Blaise’s hand when he saved Draco. Harry missed Draco’s hand when he fell.

Harry had felt his heart stop at seeing Draco slip. He could already feel the pain and loneliness bloom when he thought he wouldn’t be able to save Draco. He was so relieved when Blaise saved him, the Slytherin being closer.

“Why do Slytherin’s always make it difficult?” Ron whined as they both turned around for the second attempt.

Harry felt his lips twitch up, “It would be boring.” He shouted over the sizzling sound of the fire.

Ron barked out a laugh, aiming a smile at his best mate. “You would say that. Now save your soulmate, I’m in a good mood -despite the circumstances- and I won’t judge.”

“Thanks, you’re a real pal.” Harry said so sarcastically. 

Once they were closer again, Harry decided to fly lower as he reached out again. This time, there was a firm grasp of Draco’s hand in his. He tightened his hold, pulling Draco up with him as he continued to fly, no time to stop and adjust comfortably. Everything seemed to fade around them, it was only Draco and Harry. No fire. No Ron. No Blaise. No Room of Requirement. Just them. Just the aching need to be near each other, to feel the other after years of not even talking. 

The spark was like nothing they felt before. 

It finally felt as if their heart began beating in sync. Everything seemed to fall into place and to naturally hold a glow the two had been missing apart. It was so warm, so inviting, so welcoming. Draco’s arms wrapped around Harry’s waist, shifting as close as he could without making it weird or awkward. His arms held Harry firmly, tightening to just feel that relief. Draco didn’t care if he died now, he just was happy to hold Harry in an odd way one time. Draco rested his forehead on Harry’s shoulder, his lip trembling as he could smell the comforting oakwood, sweat and tinge of smokey fire lingering on Harry’s clothes and skin. Draco wanted to sob with relief.

Already he could feel himself getting better. The self-deprecating thoughts on hold with his soulmate so close, with touching his soulmate in any way. The natural vibrant blue color outweighed the shady gray in his eyes, he was looking more like himself the longer he held onto Harry than before. Harry was in the same boat, his body relaxed against Draco’s and his features looked more healthy than the exhausting sick look. 

Harry reached behind him with one arm, a careful shift to not disturb Draco. It was an awkward position as his body was faced forward and his right hand curved behind him. He rested his palm on Draco’s thigh, as best as he could without looking, giving a gentle squeeze. His thumb rubbing soothingly over Draco’s black suited pants. 

“It’s okay.” Harry whispered, but Draco heard it loud and clear. As if it were just them in a sunny field with a picnic in front of them. “You’re okay.” Harry said, “So, so very okay.” His voice cracked.

They didn’t know each other all that well, but just the thought of losing his soulmate without getting the chance to do anything weighed heavily on Harry. His voice crack showed just how affected he would’ve been if Draco had not made it. That made Draco want to forget everything and sob with only Harry keeping him together. But he couldn’t. 

“Thank you.” Draco settled with soft words, his breath on Harry’s neck caused the male to shiver. “I’m sorry.” He added after a moment.

Because he was. He was undeniably sorry and wished nothing more than to be better, to get better. He needed to be better. For himself. For his mother. For everyone in his life. For Harry. For his soulmate.

Harry swallowed thickly as the door came into view. “I forgive you.” 

And Draco didn’t know how much he needed to hear those words until they were said. His shoulders sagged, almost defeated like. He was tired and so ready to just drop and never show himself after this.

Finally, they burst through the door, when they landed, Draco schooled his expression. Blaise and Draco were quick to get off the broom, they were still on opposite sides of the war despite the moment that just happened. Blaise grabbed Draco’s shoulder; the blond looked at Harry once more before the two ran off. 

Harry felt his heart going with Draco, he yearned to be closer. He’ll finish this war, end it and win, then he’ll find his way back to Draco. He looked at his two friends, a new resounding look of determination perked up, and the two smiled. 

They could do this.