Harry has a problem
Years later, everyone would say that the whole thing started with Malfoy, but Harry knew deep down that it wasn't true: it all started with Regulus Black.
Harry grew up hearing how his 'Uncle Regulus' was a hero, as were his parents and his uncles Moony and Paddy. How he had helped end the war, even though he had started on the opposite side. The details Harry would only have years later. Even though a lot was written in the history books, everything was much more complex than they said, so it wasn't surprising that he only knew everything when he could understand the situation.
Explaining the concept of a Horcrux to a child was not an easy task, or how one of his favorite uncles had almost committed suicide via inferi.
Or how he had initially been part of a Cult led by a genocidal lunatic who had plans to kill you when you were still a baby.
Anyway.
Regulus Black.
Only when he started attending Hogwarts did he understand the complexity of his uncle Paddy's younger brother.
Harry would also be a recluse if he lived under constant threat of death from the former supporters of a late dark lord he betrayed (and even left a message for), while at the same time being rejected by the people he helped save for the choices he made when he was a teenager purist under his parent's thumb. Hurray!
To little Harry, however, Regulus was not the tragic hero, or the traitor, or the martyr, or that person children were afraid of (by Merlin, the man was smaller than his mother, a nerd, and his animagus was a cute cat that Harry loved to hug as a child. How scary!).
He was just Reggie.
Who played Quidditch with Harry every weekend, taught him hidden spells, was adored by house elves, and knew nothing about Muggles, but accompanied his mother religiously when she visited London.
Reggie, with his silver eyes, that could fly on a broom like a wind spirit and made little Harry's heart almost explode in his chest with a feeling he couldn't understand.
Yeah, so it all started with Regulus Black.
Harry, of course, didn't understand until much later.
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Harry only met Draco Malfoy when he entered Hogwarts.
The two never attended the same cycle, although they have family in common. It must have been his father's involvement in Malfoy's father's almost imprisonment, but whatever.
Not much space to make friends.
You could say they hated each other right away.
Then, in the second year, Harry saw Draco Malfoy on the opposite side of the Quidditch pitch, his silver eyes defiant. At that moment, his heart gave a slight jolt at the sight of him flying so graciously.
Harry dismissed the feeling as heartburn.
(Draco Malfoy had Regulus' eyes, that must be it.)
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In his third year, Harry noticed Cedric Diggory as he flew during one of the Hufflepuff training sessions.
He told himself that his fixation on the other boy was because he was such a great seeker and, therefore, a rival in the game.
(His mother chuckled for some reason when he told her this.)
(Hermione just patted his head. Witches were weird.)
(Ron at least agreed with him on that.)
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In the fourth year, there was the tournament and the beginning of its ruin. Also known as puberty. Or Krum, who greeted him with a smile and flew like a dragon.
It was also the year he noticed the flying Ravenclaw goddess, Cho. And when Harry saw her next to Cedric (Hogwarts champion, of course) his brain short-circuited, his heart danced the Macarena in his chest.
And Harry didn't sulk when he found out they were going to the ball together. He didn't know who he was jealous of but was beginning to be Man enough to assume that of both. The vast terrain of bisexuality opened up to Harry Potter, and he wanted to explore this forest and conquer the unknown. The British were quite famous for this.
(And for saying that they were discovering other people's countries).
"What's the point of liking everything if I have nothing? Everyone has already been invited."
Ron made a sound of agreement while Hermione just ignored them. Because she would go with someone, the coward.
"Or you could go together." Fred said jokingly.
Harry and Ron looked at each other.
(They had learned too much from Sirius Black.)
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Lily, who was at the teacher's table, saw her son dancing with his best friend while rumors of a romance spread like gunpowder.
Someone whistled as Harry kissed Ron's nose. They giggled maniacally and declared loudly their love for each other.
In her mind came the two idiots of her husband and Sirius and of a rumor in the sixth year that they not only didn't shut down, but she suspected they spread it themselves.
"Figures."
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In the sixth year, Ginny began training to one day take his place as the team's seeker.
Harry's heart leaped when he saw her catching the Snitch gracefully in the air. Harry had to recite the 'bro code' about his best friend's sisters.
And then, on holiday, his whole family went to the Burrow. Harry saw Charlie Fucking Weasley, aka the best Seeker Hogwarts ever had, flying around in one of the games organized by his father, in all his scars and glory and muscles and golden retriever energy.
And that's when he finally understood.
"I have a fetish for Seekers, don't I?"
Hermione, whose head was currently in his lap while Ron was using his belly to support the chess board, just chuckled.
Fred, Ginny, and George shamelessly exchanged money. Rude.
"Maybe you just like to feel like a snitch and want someone to catch you." Harry opened his mouth to deny what George said but closed it because he had a point.
"Is this about the whole Cho&Cedrico sandwich story from last year?"
Ron, Merlin bless him, at least looked confused.
"And Regulus…"
Ginny mumbled 'And who hasn't?'.
"And Krum. And Charlie and Ginny."
Ginny's face got the color of her hair, and Charlie just winked.
(Harry promised himself he would visit Charlie in Romania as soon as he turned the legal age).
"Or maybe you have a Weasley fetish." Fred raised both eyebrows suggestively. "That's three on your list. Don't you want to add one more?"
Harry wrinkled his nose.
"Ron and I were joking."
(He didn't deny it. Maybe he also had a Weasley fetish. Bill's dragon's tooth earring haunted his thoughts for a long time. His father had warned him that Potters liked redheads.)
The others looked at the proximity of Ron, Harry, and Hermione in disbelief. Harry was lying on Hermione's lap while Ron was cuddling him.
They just smiled and didn't comment, pulling Harry closer.
(The rumor about the three of them at Hogwarts was one of those legends that no one was sure was true.)
(Some of them were afraid to find out, actually.)
"You forgot to mention Draco Malfoy." Hermione commented calmly.
"What!?"
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In the seventh year, Harry and Draco remained rivals.
They only made out a few times on the Quidditch pitch. All in the rivalry.
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Many would say Draco was the first, but the first was Regulus.
(And no one could blame him. The population of Hogwarts seemed to experience at least once a romantic inclination towards the reclusive potions teacher, Professor Black. It seemed like a rite of passage. Fred said it was Regulussexuality.)
"At least I was the last." Draco murmured, hand touching his cheek and body against his. They were hidden on the balcony of one of the minister's boring black-tie meetings.
At age 20, the two seemed to have finally found common ground. And Harry had never lost his tendency to enjoy good chaos. And nothing would cause more chaos than that relationship.
(And Harry really liked the idiot.)
"Humm." Harry pretended to think. "I don't know. If Regulus looked at me only once, you'd be left without a boyfriend."
Malfoy looked at him indignantly and kissed him more possessively.
(Just like the story of the golden trio making out, Draco would also never ask if he was joking about it. With a Potter, it was always nice not to know.)