Chapter 37
Harry spends the ride to the beach trying to find out how outrageous is too outrageous for Draco delicate ears, playing everything from System Of a Down to Afroman and being sure to sing along with full passion to every song. By the end of the drive, Draco had his head between his knees.
Upon arriving at the beach Harry swooped Esme up in a big hug, who giggles wildly.
“Uncle Harry,” Esme grins widely.
Dudley gives Harry a once over, “You don’t look terrible?”
“Why thank you, I strive to reach the point of looking ‘Not terrible,’” Harry grins as he says it, bowing and taking Esme down with him. She screeches when her hair nearly touches the ground so he swoops her back up and feigns surprise, “Sorry Esme, forgot you were there.”
“Well, last time I saw you you looked unwell, and then you were in that coma…” Dudley trails off looking a little sad.
Draco scoffs, “It's his magic, it's gotten stronger, really it's exhausting.”
Harry grins, “Its part of my charm.’
He takes pride and the slight smile Draco shot his way.
“Esme,” Olivia says calling her daughter over to her, “Sunscreen,”
“No.” Esme says it in such a deadpan tone that Harry can’t help but laugh.
***
Draco can swim. He truely can. But he doesn’t want to and shouldn’t have to so instead he makes himself comfortable on the warm sand. Draco sets his towel out and sits down with his legs crossed and summons a book as subtly as possible.
Draco watches Harry has to practically hold Esme down for her mother to slather sunscreen upon, “Stay still you little minx.”
Once Esme finally is convinced to put sunscreen on she takes off at a full sprint towards the water and Harry chases after her laughing. When he finally catches her she pushes him into the water and he falls down with a loud splash. He acts outraged but he has a blinding smile on his face.
Olivia stayed behind with him while Dudley played with his daughter and cousin. For a while they sit together in silence watching their respective partner.
“They were worried about him you know?” Olivia says more than asks, still not looking at Draco.
“I was too, I didn’t even think to give you guys updates because I was so focused on him not waking up.” Draco stares at his boyfriend, feeling so entirely glad he’s okay, it consumed him completely.
“I don’t know if Harry told you everything Mr. and Mrs. Dursleys had done to him, even Dudley,” Olivia paused, thinking about something for a moment, “It’s not my place to if he hasn’t,”
“Not outwardly, but I know of some of it,” Draco says remembering Harry’s horrible nightmares.
“It was horrible, I think Dudley is glad to see he’s doing well despite of it,” Olivia squints at the sun, tilting her large hat over her eyes.
“I need one of those,” Draco says changing to a lighter subject.
“Oh?” Olivia says smiling, “I brought two.”
Draco delights in learning about sunhats. Muggles are brilliant, regardless of what Moldy Voldy ever said. How could you hate someone who created sunhats? He’d have to tell Harry about them later.
~~~
Harry and Dudley have to practically drag Esme out of the water for lunch but once she’s out of the water she takes it as her solemn duty to get as much sand as possible into the chips and then consume the sand.
Harry takes a seat right behind Draco, creating an absolutely perfect pillow for Draco to take a light nap on, so he sets his new hat aside and uses Harry to shield him from the sun instead.
His skin is warm and slightly damp from the ocean, as he leans into his boyfriend's chest he thinks about the first time he thought of Harry as a pillow. He’s equally comfortable as before maybe even more comfortable. He can feel Harry talking animatedly to the Durselys and really he couldn’t ask for more from his life.
He falls asleep thinking about how lucky he was to have Harry with his chin on top of his head.
~~~
Draco can’t actually swim regardless of what he tells himself and he is quite forcibly reminded of this when he is rudely awakened by his horrible no good very bad boyfriend dropping him in the ocean. He spends twenty minutes (thirty seconds) struggling for his life, gasping for breathes between the waves (flailing chaotically in the water) before Harry scoops him up by the waist.
“Potter.” Draco says putting all of his displeasure into the two cough filled syllables.
“Yes love?” Harry smiles down at him and shifts him into a bridal carry, wiping a bit of water off of his face.
“Are you trying to drown me?”
Harry cackles, kissing him chastely on the forehead, “It's like 60 centimeters you’re fine,”
“I’m going to kick your ass scarhead.” Draco says venomously trying to headbut him away.
“Oh regressing to Hogwarts insults, I’m so scared,” Harry taunts, smiling down at him with an expression weirdly full of love for someone who just actively attempted to kill him.
Draco starts flailing out of his grip, trying to beat the shit out of him, he did try to kill him after all. He stops struggling when Harry pretends to drop him.
“When we get home, you are done.” Draco grits out.
“I bet.” Harry smiles down at him.
“Is it because I’m a deatheater, it’s not the war anymore Harry, you don’t need to kill everyone with the darkmark…” He says in a fake soothing tone.
“Oh shut up,”
“Do you guys wanna come to the house for dinner?” Dudley offers, interrupting Draco plotting his vengeance.
“Sure, Draco?” Harry asks.
“Yeah alright,” Draco says rolling his eyes.
“Don’t listen to him he is grumpy.” Harry carrys him out of the water and casts a subtle drying charm on him.
Draco plops onto the sand and stares up at Harry spitefully.