The air was still that night in the Forest of Dean. The subtle chirps of crickets and the bellowed croaks of toads harmonized into a calm song that covered the entire forest. Draco enjoyed the quiet tambour. It reminded him of home; he remembered the days he’d lounge around the manor, practicing minor bouts of magic with his then-new wand and watching them unravel and disappear into thin air.
Now he had even fonder memories, like tonight, with Harry by his side.
They were lying on a magically jurassic-sized leaf, which hung high above the forest floor. Their intention was to stargaze, specifically at the Sorcerer's Alignment which arranged itself in the muggle world every ten or some odd years. Draco was eager to see it, reminiscing about the first time his father took him to see it back home.
That was until he had grown tired, his eyes felt heavier and he tussled on the leaf, eventually finding himself wrapped in Harry’s arms, dozing off time and time again to the beat of his heart.
Harry, on the other hand, was wide awake, waiting for the constellation all by himself.
He turned over, pulling out the small leather pouch he had Hermione help him charm. He examined it for a moment.
“Accio—” Harry was interrupted by the faint rustle of Draco shifting in protest to the sound of his voice. Draco turned his head and grumpily mumbled in his sleep. “Accio, Jasmine Hemp,” He whispered. The root zipped out of the bag and hung in the air for a second, soon falling into his open hand. The Jasmine Hemp was a special root grown only in the wizarding world. It had different effects for different people but for him and Draco, it had the same calming effect.
Harry burned the hemp, pointing a finger at it and casting a wandless “Incendio.”
The smell was indescribably wondrous. The wizard had chalked it up to being something in between lavender, vanilla, and honeydew. The effect was even more incredible.
His shoulders tensed as he sat up a bit to smoke. He drew smoke until he couldn’t anymore and let go. He sighed and relaxed back into his position. A small smile tugged at his lip as he went over what bliss he’d been in.
School has been stressful with O.W.L.S steadily approaching, and his dreams of graduating had been so close yet so far. He truly needed something to pull his mind out of the everlasting spiral that was exam season.
“Princess,” Harry called Draco quietly by his pet name, which he had grown to address him by naturally. “Princess, it’s about to happen.”
“Hm? Just a second. I’ll be there in just a second,” Draco assured whatever jimbo he was sure he was addressing in a soft murmur. Harry chuckled and shook him a tad before tickling him awake.
“What, Harry. That was a good nap,” he whined, raising his head to look his disturber in the eye.
“Your constellation. It’s about to appear.”
“Oh, Merlin.” Draco blinked the sleepiness out of his eyes. “I completely forgot about that. You’re too comfortable for me to remain lucid much longer.”
“Am I?”
“Yes, Potter. You’re—” He yawned. “Well, you’re bloody amazing really.” His own words startled him the slightest bit as he realised what he had said. Him? calling Harry Potter amazing? It was almost like blasphemy. Though, he felt that they were right in his heart. In fact, he knew they were. He had just been so used to saying the opposite that it became like second nature. It was hard to admit just how good
Harry was to him. He never wanted it to end.
“Oh really?” Harry joked.
“Don’t poke fun, Potter.” Draco turned over onto his back beside the other boy. Harry took another drag of the hemp, pinching it near the tip. He inhaled deeply, feeling the warm huff of smoke enter his lungs.