Ma Chérie

Draco needs to sort himself out.

He firmly tells himself this at Christmas, lying on his black four poster bed in Malfoy Manor.

Where Potter is concerned, however, he can’t even manage coherent sentences sometimes, let alone insults.

Insults would be normal.

But no, he had to go and hug Potter that day in Hogsmeade, like a friend would do. A close friend, even.
And since this unbridled show of affection, Draco had been unable to stop worrying about the Chosen One, often finding himself forgetting the public part he had to play, even exchanging warm smiles with the Gryffindor.
For Circe’s sake, Draco barely ever smiled (he preferred to smirk) and he never ever smiled warmly.

Merlin’s dirty boxers, just before Christmas break he had even sent a note to Harry during Transfiguration that said: ‘You hair looks nice today’. It hadn’t even been an insult, and the worst thing was, it was true.
Luckily, Potter had thought it was some sort of sarcastic comment. Harry had only given Draco a puzzled look for a few seconds before sticking his tongue out at the blond and sending a note back across the classroom.
Harry’s note had said: ‘I knew you loved my hair. Yours looks alright too- when it isn’t all slicked back like a gangster.’

And this Christmas break he’d been having dreams about Harry. Dreams. Harry on a broom in his Quidditch kit- hair blowing in the wind, Harry smirking at him over a steaming cauldron in Potions, Harry making fun of him while smiling.
Once or twice, he’s had some interesting dreams about Cedric Diggory (a Hufflepuff, sadly) too, so maybe Draco is just attracted to Seekers.
And after these dreams he would wake up hard and have to lie there thinking about old dishes or something desperately.

He really didn’t know what to do.

Another annoying thing on his mind was Hermione Granger.

The whole term before Christmas she had been watching Draco closely, trying to figure out some theory of her’s, no doubt.
She had done this at the end of second year, when she guessed he completed his animagus transformation, and that he was the white cat that had eavesdropped on their Polyjuice break-in to Slytherin. She had been right, of course, and after giving Draco mysterious looks for a while, she had approached him.
That conversation had gone like this:

~ “Draco. You did it, didn’t you. Became an animagus, I mean”

“Yes, Hermione. Your deduction skills are sufficiently frightening. And I would thank you to keep this to yourself. It’s a rather useful disguise”

“Oh, of course. Don’t you want Harry to know, though? He would find it sooo cute that you’re a tiny cat!”

“Hermione Granger. No.” ~

So. Yeah. Whatever Hermione thinks she knows about Draco this year, she’s going to ask him about it soon. Probably after Christmas break.
He has a feeling he knows what it’s about..
He promises himself he’s not going to tell her anything about his feelings for Harry though, so as not to confirm any other ideas she has.

Anyway.

He rolls off of his bed to start some extra Transfiguration work Mcgonagall set him, and then hopefully practice his violin.

Professor Mcgonagall had been setting him extra work since finding out he had taught himself to become an animagus.

The frightening professor had spotted him in a Hogwarts corridor while as her own tabby cat animagus, in late October.
After a thorough lecture on the dangers of secretly transforming into an animagus at such a young age, she had told him curtly that what he achieved was very impressive, and that she would be helping him focus more on his skills in Transfiguration.
So- extra homework.

Hermione would be jealous, which is why he hasn’t told her about the conversation with Mcgonagall yet.
She’ll probably transform into an animagus herself just to get extra work from her favourite teacher too.

*

On Christmas day, after opening the gifts from his parents in the sitting room, he goes upstairs to his room to open presents from friends his parents wouldn’t approve of. It’s been a frosty Christmas in more ways than one, with Lucius Malfoy basically ignoring Draco (other than basic pleasantries), because of their argument a while ago about pressing charges on Buckbeak, the hippogriff. His father had obviously gotten his way, and Buckbeak’s sentenced to death in March. Draco is still furious at his father’s overreaction and cruelty, so he’s ignoring his dad most of the time too.

Pansy and Blaise’s presents he’d opened downstairs. He still wasn’t sure what to do about Blaise- Draco’s fellow Slytherin had been even more of a bully this year than the previous one, but Draco was expected to remain friends with him because of their parents’ friendship.
Theo and Millicent sent him Christmas cards, which is nice of them.

He tears open the present from Harry eagerly- and is briefly confused by the fabric he holds.
Harry’s outdone himself this year- he got Draco a pink bobble hat and matching thick pink scarf, obviously meant to go with the mittens from Pansy.
That’s not all, though. Underneath the hat and scarf is a polaroid of the two of them.
Draco remembers Harry taking it a few months ago- it had been after one of their midnight duelling sessions, which there had been less of this year with Draco avoiding being alone with Harry as much as he could.
In the photo, the two of them are bathed in moonlight in the astronomy tower and aren’t moving (muggle photos are well weird), Harry’s relaxed smile and Draco’s shy one captured forever in the image.

Hermione’s present is also actually multiple- two muggle books. Since she got him ‘His Dark Materials’ (which Draco’s read five times over, and discussed with Hermione even more times), he’d been begging to borrow more and more of her muggle books. He is secretly overjoyed that she’s fuelling his hunger for books with her presents to him.
He decides the book from Hermione he’ll read first is the one titled ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, simply because it has a hot Victorian man on the cover.

The gift from Ron is somehow the best of them all- a soft knitted jumper with a ‘D’ for Draco embroidered on the front.
It’s red- a colour he never ever wore. He knew Mrs Weasley had made it, and he was so grateful, as Ron must’ve told her good things for her to make this for him.
He reminds himself to send Mrs Weasley a fancy (but heartfelt) thank you note.
Under absolutely no circumstances could he wear it at home, but he buries the jumper in the bottom of his school trunk, excited to wear it in the freezing Hogwarts castle when he returns in January.

*

During the rest Christmas break, Draco seriously considers coming out to his mum. He shoots glances at her at the dinner table, trying to imagine her reaction.
The only person he’s told he’s gay yet is Pansy, and he only gathered the courage to tell her in late November.
He knew she would be supportive- he trusts her fully, and she’s his best friend. She had hugged Draco (Pansy gave the best hugs) and told him she was glad he ‘shared this wonderful news’ with her.
He had laughed at that. His father would call it everything but wonderful, if he ever knew.

Narcissa Malfoy, though, has always loved Draco and protected him, so she probably (hopefully) would be supportive, although encourage him to keep quiet about it around his father and other Slytherins. And he isn’t really sure where his mum stands on sexuality in the wizarding world as a whole, what with all the pureblood stuff she follows.
Well- she only really goes along with it for his father’s sake, but still.

*

By the time Christmas holidays end, Draco still hasn’t come out to his mum. He decides he’ll tell her this summer, so he has time to decide how he wants to actually tell her, and mainly to get up the bravery to be able to.
Sometimes Draco wishes he is in Gryffindor, just so he can be a bit braver.

*

Just after all the students get back in January, there’s a break-in in Gryffindor tower.
When Draco hears from Pansy that it was Sirius Black, and that the convict had gone specifically to Harry’s dorm room, his blood runs cold. Luckily, Harry wasn’t in the dormitory, and Black had quickly left.

Pansy is telling him this in a worried whisper as they’re herded with the other Slytherins to the Great Hall, where every student is sent to sleep while the castle’s searched for Black. Theo is in on the whisper too and asks Draco if he’s okay, as he’s gone ‘pale as a sheet of parchment’.
Draco scoffs and shoots Theo a small smile, telling the other boy ‘Of course I’m alright. Black didn’t break into Slytherin, after all.’
Theo nods slightly at this, but Draco can tell that Nott doesn’t believe him.

Theo and Pansy share a knowing look as they reach the Great Hall and Draco mutters to them,
“Er, is it okay with you two if we set up the sleeping bags over there? Just so I can ask Harry and erm, Ronald and Hermione, if they’re okay?”
They both smile at Draco though and nod in assent.
He knows what their little shared look means, and he isn’t going to support their theory by acknowledging it, so he just nods back and moves towards the three Gryffindor’s.
Maybe he shouldn’t have gone on about Harry so much in his first year, as it cemented his two friend’s beliefs of his ‘obsession’ with Potter. At least they both think it’s some sort of obsession, and not the massive embarrassing crush it really is.

The three Gryffindors look up and smile as the three Slytherins put their sleeping bags near the trio. If everyone else in the Hall wasn’t in such a panic then this probably would have been a strange, gossip-worthy sight, three Gryffindors and three Slytherins that are sort of friends. Luckily no one else is looking, so Draco can drop his act for once and just be his (lovely) self.

Draco doesn’t have to worry about it being awkward either, as Pansy and the other three are friends too, seeing how much she comes and hangs out with the Gryffindor’s with Draco these days. Theo, too, is friends with Ron from the school chess club, which Draco hadn’t even known was a thing till now.
This is how he gets to talk to Harry quietly- the others are chatting and giggling, their sleeping bags arranged in a circle.

Draco asks to speak to the other boy with a worried tap on his chin.
Potter moves his sleeping bag over slightly so he’s almost right next to Draco, who forces himself not to reach up to touch Potter’s hair or look at the other boy’s lips. Strictly business, Draco, he tells himself.

“You’re okay, then? If you were there when he was I don’t know what…”

Harry looks at Draco and seems to be staring literally into his thoughts. Draco hurriedly Occludes in case Harry has somehow spontaneously learned Legilimency. The moment passes, and Harry smiles slightly,

“Worried about me then, Draco?”

“Yes”
Draco breathes the word, wishing he hadn’t said it as soon as he does.
Harry doesn’t seem to react oddly though, just smiling and saying,

“Mm. Well, it’s okay, I doubt Black will try to get into Hogwarts again, assuming he’s gone now. Annoying though, that he was so close I could’ve faced him, but he had to run away..”

Draco shoots Harry an annoyed look.

“You shouldn’t be chasing him, Potter, honestly, he’s killed people before and will try his best to kill you. I understand you wanting to kill him if he comes for you, but don’t chase him, please. Promise me, Harry. That you won’t go after him.”

Harry is giving Draco his most Gryffindor look- the one that is pure defiance, chin jutting out. But Draco doesn’t break eye contact, and Harry eventually sighs and murmurs,

“I promise, Dray.”

This is a new nickname from Harry, and it has the desired effect of making Draco unable to form an understandable sentence, probably so that he doesn’t keep going on about Harry’s safety (someone bloody has to!).

He’s still staring at a quietly smiling Harry when he feels something hit his back.
Draco rolls over to see the rest of their friends grinning at him and Harry. They had thrown an empty packet of Bertie Bott’s jelly beans at him to get his attention, the scoundrels. Pansy is giggling but trying not to, so she has to be the culprit.

“What?”

Pansy grins evilly at him and says,

“Draco, darling, just wondering if you two have stopped your lover’s quarrel and if so would the both of you like to join in with a game of Whist. We can’t really play Exploding Snap since we’re supposed to be sleeping.”

Draco gives her his most evil glare, reserved for Blaise when he bullies first years and other similar occasions. Pansy winces but doesn’t cease smirking. He doesn’t look at Harry sitting beside him, or the amused faces of everyone else, before replying.

“Not a lover’s quarrel. Not even a quarrel, okay, so you can stop with that, Pansy. And yes, we would like to play Whist, thank you so much.”

At this, everyone seems to relax and move onto dealing the cards et cetera, Ron noticing Draco’s red Weasley jumper and complimenting it. Everyone else turns to look at Draco at this, Pansy grinning and telling everyone that Draco ‘never ever wears red on principle so must really love the jumper’. Harry doesn’t move his sleeping bag back, staying next to Draco’s, which is nice but also scary because what if he has another dream about the Chosen One….

The six of them have a blast playing cards, Theo surprising everyone by winning three rounds. The fourth one, Pansy wins, grinning her evil grin.

*

Draco wakes up feeling warm and better rested than he ever has been, despite sleeping on the Great Hall floor.

He blinks, yawning, to realise that his limbs are all tangled up with someone else’s. He leans on one arm to see that Harry had rolled off of his sleeping bag at some point last night and was currently curled around Draco.
Merlin and Morgana. He feels a blush crawling up his neck and face, looking at Harry’s peaceful sleeping face and long eyelashes.

He suddenly remembers that they’re in the Great Hall, and glances around to see that luckily most other people are still asleep, but Hermione is up (reading a book, obviously). It must still be early.

Hermione gives him a humorous smile when she notices he’s awake, but thankfully doesn’t say anything about Potter, the slob, sleeping all over Draco.
He mouths at her, ‘What do I do?’, and Hermione laughs quietly, before mouthing back, ‘How should I know’. She goes back to her book.
Ugh- he can’t stay like this- imagine what Ron and the others would say, let alone the rest of the school!

So, Draco very carefully extracts his legs from under Harry’s, making sure not to wake the other boy. He leaves Harry’s arm draped over his chest, though, as he doesn’t know how to move it without waking the Gryffindor. It’s really comfortable anyway.

He’s humming a French nursery rhyme under his breath and watching the morning sky on the Hall’s ceiling when Harry wakes up.
The green-eyed boy looks different without his glasses, Draco notices, his eyes an even sharper, brighter, shade of green.
‘Mmph’ is Harry’s morning greeting to Draco, who blushes even further.
Draco glances sideways to see if Hermione’s looking over, but she’s fully absorbed in her book.
Harry lazily reaches out an arm and flicks Draco’s hair before twisting it playfully in his fingers. Oh Circe, he must have terrible bed head! The Gryffindor mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like, ‘Soft’, as he plays with Draco’s hair, who sighs in defeat- he’ll just have to wait for Harry to properly wake up.

The other boy takes a good while to do so, smiling sleepily at Hermione (who’s still reading) and then again at Draco while searching for his glasses. Only once he finds them does Harry seem to clock that he basically spooned Draco last night.
The blond waits to be pushed away or given a horrified look, but Harry just looks slightly bemused as he tells Draco,

“Sorry I seem to have slept on you last night, Dray. I guess you’re just too comfy…..”
Draco notices Hermione look up from her book and raise an eyebrow at Draco at this. Salazar.
Draco decides he’s going to assume that Potter is just like this in the mornings, and will probably (hopefully) forget about it later. Harry is quite oblivious about anything to do with romance or relationships- he’d thought that ‘third base’ was marriage, which had Ron laughing for days.
It’s not as if Potter would have actually wanted to sleep wrapped around Draco- that’s just what his massive crush on the boy wishes.

Luckily, Harry eventually groggily gets up and stops playing with Draco’s hair (even though it felt so nice) to go and get breakfast, which has just been delivered by the house elves.

Not a moment too soon, either, as Ron and Theo start to stir as Harry gets up, the rest of the Hall filled with the sounds of other students awakening. Pansy always sleeps in late, so Draco knows she won’t be waking up any time soon.

Now that Harry’s gone to get breakfast, Draco turns to Hermione, who is about to speak, interrupting her to say,

“Hermione. Not. A. Word. Please.”

She looks about to protest, but instead sighs and nods, responding quietly,

“But you need to talk about it at some point Draco, at least with Harry- I honestly think that he might, um, feel the same, but just not realise yet. I’m always here to listen too, you know that right?”

He sighs defeatedly and nods, avoiding her eyes. He hasn’t come out to her yet but he knows he sort of wants to and should, considering she seems to know something already.

*

Draco decides the day after the ‘Spooning Incident’ that he needs a distraction. Honestly, anything will do.
Harry has acted the same as normal since aforesaid incident, and it’s making Draco go a bit crazy.
So, he goes to the Forbidden Forest and transforms into his cat form, hunting mice and voles.

After a while of this, he pauses to clean his paws and feels something nearby watching him. The hackles of the white cat go up and he stays very still, before sprinting off towards the castle.
He shoots a glance back to see a shaggy black dog, and it’s chasing him. Ugh, could this day get any worse?

At least it doesn’t seem to be gaining on him… if it does, he decides he’ll turn back into his human self.
Suddenly, he turns back towards the castle and sees none other than Harry Potter, standing near the Great Hall doors and looking amusedly at the scene of dog chasing cat.

Draco inwardly sighs, but Harry’s closer than the castle, so he changes course, jumping onto the boy’s shoulders and hissing at the dog that comes to a stop just in front of Harry.

Potter is laughing, the git, and starts talking to the bloody dog, when all Draco wants is to get into the castle and go sulk about his ‘Harry problems’ somewhere, preferably alone.
He hears Harry ask the dog if he’s hungry, and the infernal creature wags it’s tail and seems to even nod it’s head. Harry is now telling the white cat that they’re off on a detour to the kitchens to feed the evil, cat-chasing dog.
Draco is annoyed, digging his claws slightly into Harry’s shoulder to show him so. Potter winces, and adds that ‘you can have a saucer of cream too, deal?’. Draco is slightly mollified by this- he doesn’t normally go in the kitchens as a cat because he can’t get through the painting in his cat form. He removes his claws from Harry’s shoulder and jumps to the ground, padding after the dog and the boy.

In the kitchens, the dog eats a veritable banquet (it must have been starving, poor thing, is Potter’s explanation for its greediness- Draco does not like dogs).

Draco self consciously laps up the promised saucer of cream, Harry munching on a treacle tart next to him.

Draco keeps telling himself there’s no reason to worry, there is literally no way Harry knows that this cat is him, or that Draco’s an animagus. No way José. Nope.

When he finishes the cream, he meows a ‘thank you’ to the house elves and then to Harry, who just grins at him, and it’s a frustratingly knowing grin, one that Harry has taken to using in Potions when he has to help Draco with some step because he is simply better.

Harry grins now, and taps his chin- their secret signal for ‘We need to talk’.

Draco is shocked- but there’s still the vague possibility Harry is just testing out a theory and doesn’t actually know the cat is him.
Best option here is to deny, deny, deny. Like Dorian Gray with all the questions about how old he is.
Draco flicks his tail at Harry and pads out of the kitchens, leaving the boy to his theories and what not, off to find Pansy and Hermione and figure new ways to try get Buckbeak acquitted.