Book 4
Draco sent the first letter a week after Summer started. He didn’t know if Harry was able to go to the Weasley’s yet, and he was dying to know. Draco made sure not to make the letter too long, he was scared that Harry would think he was a loser.
Harry sent a three page long letter in response.
It wasn’t long before they were mailing each other every week.
Sometimes the letters were long, sometimes they were not. Sometimes they talked about the deepest moral questions, and sometimes they talked about a cute dog they saw.
Draco liked it. It was easier to talk to Harry this way, without the pressure of human interaction.
---
Draco came home from a small celebration with Mother for his birthday, only to find Father standing in the living room, by the fireplace.
In Father’s hands, were all of the letters. He held them carelessly, wrinkling the perfectly persevered papers.
“Draco. What are these?” Father asked, his back turned to Draco.
“They’re… they’re nothing, I swear. Just some letters from friends,” Draco said hurriedly, reaching for the letters.
Father pulled his hand away, and backhanded Draco across the face. Draco fell to the ground, slightly shocked. Mother and him were barely out, maybe an hour or two. There was no way Father had already read the letters.
“Friends? You must be joking. Do friends say shit like this?” Father said, shoving a certain letter in Draco’s face.
Draco knew which letter it was immediately. The one where Harry brought up the kiss. Explained how he felt about it, explained that it hurt when Draco pretended it didn’t happen. How he wanted more.
At least Father didn’t have Draco’s response letter.
“He- he meant to send this to another person, not me I swear!” Draco tried, but Father just got angrier.
“Liar! He addresses you by name in this letter several times. Just as he does in every other letter!” Father spat in Draco’s face.
“Kissing the boy who lived? Flirting with him relentlessly in these letters, and for months? It’s ridiculous! I didn’t raise you to be a fag!”
The word rang in the air. Father was seething, waiting for Draco’s reaction.
But all he did was stare at him.
“You are a traitor, not my son. You will soon regret this, Draco,” Father said, before he threw the letters into the fire.
Finally, Draco reacted, just like his father wanted him to.
“No!” He cried, lunging for them, as if it weren’t already too late.
Father struck him against the back with his cane, pushing Draco closer to the fire. He grabbed Draco’s hair, forcing him to watch the letters burn. Draco couldn’t stop the tears, even though it made him look weaker in Father’s eyes.
Once the last of the letters were nothing but ash, Father dragged Draco by his hair up the stairs. Whenever Draco tried to stand, or fight against the grip, Father pushed him back down with the sharper end of the his cane. Draco’s knees were bloody by the time Father stopped in front of Draco’s room, his hair screaming in pain.
Mother was begging Father to stop the whole time, but did not try to stop him. She knew better than that. Her tears meant nothing to Father.
Father entered Draco’s room, and grabbed Draco’s wand off of his desk, along with all writing utensils.
“You are going to stay in here until you decide to be a better son,” Father growled, throwing Draco to the floor, locking the door behind him.
“Please Father, I’m sorry! It won’t happen again, I promise. Please!” Draco begged, banging on the door.
The door opened, Father glaring down to where Draco kneeled on the floor. Silently, he kicked Draco in the chest, knocking him over, and relocked the door.
---
Draco cried on the floor for a while. What could he do?
Nothing, he supposed. He couldn’t leave without his wand or broom, as his bedroom was on the second floor. A fall from that height would be deadly. He couldn’t unlock the door without magic, and his wand was gone. Only one thing he could do.
Draco stood, the adrenaline finally escaping his body. The pain was immense. He stumbled to his bathroom door, where he had a advanced first aid kit.
First, he assessed the damage. His scalp was sore, but not much he could do about that. He carefully removed the small chunk of hair that had been torn from his head. Next, he had a large bruise and several small cuts along his face. Draco lifted his shirt to reveal a bruise in the middle of his stomach, and turned around to see the bruise and cut on his back. They were bad, but could be worse. His knees were okay, just badly scraped on the carpet and the sharp edges of the stairs.
Draco took his time cleaning and bandaging every wound. He put a special cream on his bruises to help heal them faster. They didn’t really work, but it was better than nothing.
When he finished, he looked in the mirror. Draco felt like he looked like he should belong in a hospital, not a kid trying his best to survive.
---
That evening, when Draco got very hungry, he decided to ask for food.
“Father? Father I’m hungry. May I please have some food?” Draco called out. He stayed silent for a moment, listening to footsteps.
Father entered, a plate in his hands.
“Oh thank you Father, you are so merciful-” Draco started to say, stopping himself when Father took a bite of the food.
“Father?”
Father continued to just eat the food, watching Draco sit there, dumbfounded. He watched as Draco’s stomach growled, and watched when Draco started to drool in hopes for food.
When Father finished the plate of food, he placed it on the floor, and left.
Draco tried the door first, trying to see if Father forgot to lock it. He did not.
The plate had tiny little crumbs on it, and if Draco really wanted it, he could make one full bite out of what was left on the plate.
Draco decided to go to bed hungry.
---
Draco woke to Father yelling at him about how ungrateful he was for not eating the food that Father had so gracefully left him.
He ended the screaming by saying, “You better not ask for food again unless you are truly hungry,”
Draco cried, again. It probably didn’t help, crying, and Father probably thought it made him look even more like a…
Draco needed to stop thinking. He needed to talk to Harry.
Harry would know what to do. Harry always knew what to do. He would tell Draco that everything was going to be alright. That he and the Weasley’s would come and whisk him away. Save him.
Draco fell back asleep with dreams of a life where he lived with the Weasleys instead.
It was a happy dream.
---
The next day, Draco begged for food. On the floor, his head bowed, pure begging.
He did everything he could think to do. He apologized, he said he would never have those thoughts again, he would never talk to Harry again, everything. He even kissed Father’s shoes.
Father looked at him for a moment, before slamming the door in his face.
Draco sobbed, banging on the door, pleading with Father. No response.
Ten minutes later, the door opened to reveal Mother, with a bag of food.
“Father doesn’t know I have this. Hide it when you aren’t eating it. Be careful,” She turned to leave, before pausing, “I love you, Draco.”
She locked the door behind her.
---
A total of four days. That’s how long Draco was locked in his room.
When he was finally released from the punishment, it came with a price.
“Draco, I know how we can use this situation to our advantage. Although it is… unpleasant that you think that you are gay, we also know that Potter likes you. Do anything to get information out of him. I want you dating him. It’s clear he’s already infatuated by you, so it shall be easy,” Father declared, expecting Draco to agree with him immediately.
Draco hesitated.
“If you do not prove your loyalty to me boy, you will never leave this room. You will die here, do you understand me?” Father was serious. Draco could tell by the murderous look in his eyes. Father doesn’t get it much unless he was really angry. Draco had been unlucky enough to encounter it on more than one occasion.
“Yes, Father. I shall do what you say,” Draco said obediently.
Father shoved Draco’s writing tools into his hands. The ink spilled all over his hands.
---
Draco felt dirty, fake, writing new letters. Father watched as he wrote them, told him what to say.
As much as Draco wanted to be with Harry, he couldn’t anymore. Not unless he wanted a voice in his mind saying how he’s doing exactly what Father wanted. How he’s helping Father.
Harry was none the wiser, sending his same cheerful letters. Father read every single one of them before Draco could even been in the same room as the letter.
Draco wished he hid the letters better. Wished he didn’t let Mother convince him to go out on his birthday, so Father couldn’t have possibly found them.
Draco felt like he had ruined the one good part of his life by being so careless.
---
Mother wasn’t allowed to come to the train station this year. Father escorted him there, hand tight on Draco’s shoulder the entire time.
“Draco!” a familiar voice called from behind him.
Harry crashed into him, giving an engulfing hug that nearly knocked Draco over. Father’s hand slipped away, as if it was never there.
“Come on, let’s sit together!” Harry pulled Draco away, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Draco felt safe.
---
Ron was the first thing Draco noticed when they entered the booth. He didn’t mean to stare, but Ron’s usually short but unkempt hair was longer, nearly reaching his shoulders, brushed neatly and had a small butterfly clip holding his bangs out of his face.
Harry wasn’t surprised, and Draco wasn’t sure what emotion Hermione was feeling, because all she was doing was staring at Ron.
Draco probably looked a little too long, because Ron spoke up.
“I wanted to try a new look. And I couldn't see with my bangs so Ginny dared me to put a clip in it,” Draco believed Ron, but Ron still fidgeted and looked nervous.
“I like it. The pink butterfly really suits you, I think,” Draco said, gesturing awkwardly, but still watching as Ron’s face light up.
“Thanks, Draco,” Ron replied.
The trio then talked about their summer, mostly filling Draco and Hermione in on anything they missed in the letters. Harry mentioned something about sending Draco a birthday letter with a present.
Draco didn’t mention how he never received it.
He considered telling Harry, all of them, really, about Father. About everything. But, Draco was scared. Father would find out, he always did. He knew that Draco helped Harry with the Chamber, he knew Draco was lying in the letters, he knew about Harry’s letters. If Draco told the others, Father would find out.
Draco was lost. It was too late for him, and only hoped that he could somehow help the others from himself.
Harry leaned close to Draco, distracting him from his thoughts. Maybe, just maybe, he would be okay. Maybe Harry would really save him.
Yeah, right.
---
The first Quidditch match of the year of was Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Harry was totally playing with Draco the whole time. Sending him cringey winks and blowing him kisses the entire time. Draco was sure this was a plot to distract him from the Snitch, so he tried his best to ignore him.
Draco and Harry spotted it at the same time. While chasing it, Harry came right along side Draco.
“Give me a kiss for luck,” Harry teased, making Draco blush deeply.
They made jokes about it often, but Draco still blushed every time.
Which was exactly what Harry was counting on. He pulled ahead and reached for the Snitch, just out of his fingertips…
Draco came out of nowhere, hitting Harry slightly to the side. Now they were both seconds away from grabbing the Snitch.
They both grab at it, their hands connecting, as they trapped the Snitch in their hands.
And immediately crashed into the lawn.
Draco could help but laugh, still holding Harry’s hand. Harry just smiled back at him.
They stood up, showing off their hand.
And then Harry kissed him.
Their hands still high in the air, they kissed in front of the whole school.
The silence seemed to last forever.
But for once, Draco didn’t care.
---
Neither team won the game. Both sides tried to argue, but ultimately decided that neither team won. They had a rematch later that week, and no, Draco and Harry weren’t allowed to play.
---
After that, they were always together. Everyone could see how much they liked each other.
Harry was the one who asked. Draco couldn’t say no.
So, it was Draco sitting next to Harry when the names were called from the Goblet of Fire.
At first, Draco just thought Harry was being a stupid reckless idiot again, but Harry looked just as surprised as him.
Before Draco could say a word, Dumbledore grabbed Harry by the wrist and dragged him away. Draco made eye contact with Ron and Hermione, before following them.
Dumbledore had locked the door before they got there, so they just had to sit outside.
“He thinks I somehow put my name in!” was the first thing that Harry said when he was finally released.
“And, I have to compete! What?” Draco stood and hugged him.
“It’ll be alright, how dangerous could this be?”
“Very dangerous, it’s said that past participates have been seriously maimed or-” Hermione cut herself off when she saw everyone staring.
“Not helpful, got it.”
“I know you didn’t put your name in it, I was with you silly,” Draco whispered, his head against Harry’s.
Harry gave a light kiss, and whispered thank you right back.
---
Draco knew who put Harry’s name in the Goblet. It had to been Father. The only time Draco wasn’t with Harry was when Harry was with Professor Lupin.
He went there once a week for updates on Sirius. And extra DADA lessons. Draco was sure he was gonna need it, especially now.
Father had been quite pleased with Draco’s developments in the relationship, but never mentioned anything about setting Harry up for danger.
In Draco’s latest letter, he mentioned the Goblet and subtly asked if it was Father’s doing. He waited anxiously for a response.
---
Harry was never the most observant type. But he did notice when his boyfriend was nervous.
“Draco, what’s wrong?” Harry asked for the millionth time as Draco fidgeted.
“Nothing is wrong, I swear. I’m just… I’m just waiting for a letter,” Draco avoided, without looking at Harry.
“From who?” Harry prodded, trying to get something out of him.
“No one, it doesn’t matter,” Draco said, desperately trying to change the subject, “Do you know what your first challenge is?”
“Yes, I do. Hagrid warned me of something,” Harry allowed Draco to change the subject, albeit, not a subject he wanted to share.
“What is it?”
“I’m afraid you won’t like it,”
“Harry, what is it?” Draco pressed.. Harry gave in and leaned closer, as for others not to overhear.
“Dragons,”
“Dragons!”
“Shhhh, keep it down. I’m not supposed to know,”
“Fucking Dragons? Are they trying to kill you all?”
“I-”
Before Harry could finish, an owl dropped a letter in front of Draco.
“Hold that thought, I’ll be right back,” Draco said, grabbing the letter and rushing out of the hall.
Harry thought it was a bit rude of Draco to do so, but didn’t follow him. He could tell Draco was worried about something, so he let it slide.
---
The letter confirmed Draco’s fears.
Father had set it up so that one of his contacts put Harry’s name in the Goblet, and it was a plot to kill Harry.
What Father needed out of Draco was Harry’s plans for each one of the events so that Father could rig it for Harry to lose. To die.
Draco was overwhelmed. If he didn’t do what Father said, there would be terrible consequences.
But worse than that, if he did do what Father asked, Harry would probably die.
Granted, Harry has survived some shit, but Draco knew his boyfriend was a dumbass.
Draco had two ideas.
First, was to come clean with Harry, and work together to keep him alive. That was the ideal of the plan. The reality would probably be Harry feeling betrayed because their whole relationship was a lie, how could he ever trust Draco again, there would probably be a physical fight, then they break up officially, and Harry still ends up dying and Draco would be heartbroken.
No, if Draco wanted to tell the truth, he should have told it a long time ago. It was too late now.
His second, was to tell father the exact opposite of what Harry’s plan was. Learn was Harry was going to do, tell Father the opposite. Honestly, Father might even help Harry win.
It was the best he had.
“Hey handsome,” Draco heard Harry from behind. Draco quickly burned the letter in his hands, before turning to his boyfriend.
“Hey, what’s up?” Draco whispered to Harry.
“Just checking in, you seemed really anxious for that letter,” Harry whispered back, his tone becoming less playful and more serious.
“Oh it was nothing, just a letter from my father. I was anxious about it because I… I finally told him that we were dating. I didn’t know how he was going to react,” Draco made up on the spot, which was entirely plausible, he hoped.
“Oh, wow, I… How did he react?” Harry stammered, clearly unsure if this was good or bad news.
“He was happy for me,” Draco breathed, not sure if yet another one of his lies stuck.
“That’s amazing!” Harry practically jumped up with joy, kissing Draco eagerly.
Draco just smiled.
---
Harry was definitely sabotaged during the first event.
Draco knew it was coming, but it was still terrifying to watch as a dragon chased his beloved around Hogwarts.
When Harry barely made it out alive, Draco ran up to him and kissed him passionately. Draco wasn’t a huge fan of public affection, but if Harry needed him, then by Merlin, he would be there.
The golden egg was magnificent. Harry wasn’t the only one who had managed to get it.
---
That night, after celebrating the victory, Harry led Draco back to his dorm, where he locked the door behind himself.
“Draco, I want to… celebrate,” Harry whispered against Draco’s ear. Draco shivered at the thought of what that could possibly mean.
Draco took off his robe and tie, watching as Harry looked at him with hungry eyes. Those irresistible green eyes.
They made out for a while, getting more passionate with every second. Harry’s mouth explored down Draco’s neck, something they had never done before, even unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt.
But the moment when Harry moved to remove Draco’s shirt fully, Draco grabbed Harry’s hand.
“I’m sorry, I can’t,” Draco found himself whisper, his voice shaky.
He didn’t want Harry to see the faint but still visible bruises, the new and the old scars from that wretched staff. He couldn’t let Harry see.
Draco knew that Harry had experienced his own horrors in a place that was also supposed to be safe for him, but if Harry found Draco’s horrors, then it would lead to him finding out everything.
And he couldn’t lose Harry. He couldn’t.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered again, realizing that he was crying in that moment as well.
Harry stopped immediately, moving his hands from around Draco’s waist, to Draco’s face.
“Hey, hey it’s okay. We don’t have to do anything, I swear, it’s okay,” Harry said, holding Draco closer.
Draco just sobbed into Harry’s chest until they both fell asleep in Harry’s bed, cuddling the night away.
---
When Draco woke the next morning, he found that Harry was still sleeping. Draco quietly got up, and moved to leave.
As he stood outside of the veils on the bed, he buttoned the top buttons of his shirt that had come undone, turning around.
There stood Ron, Neville, Dean, and Seamus staring at him.
Draco turned bright red, realizing what it looked like.
“It’s not… we didn’t…” Draco squeaked out, each moment he got redder. He ran out of the dorm, only to come back a few moments later. The boys had not moved, still staring with their mouths open.
“I need my uh… my clothes,” Draco stuttered, as he grabbed his shoes, socks, and robe. Very incriminating.
Once Draco had escaped and ran all the way back to his own dorm, he practically screamed into his pillow. Why did they have to see him?
There was nothing Draco could about it now, and he started to get ready for the day.
He screamed loud enough to draw the attention of Blaise when he saw the several hickeys that were very apparent on his pale skin. Damn it Harry.
Blaise started laughing hysterically once he noticed what was happening.
“Damn Draco, you finally sealed the deal with Harry?” Blaise asked once he had calmed down.
“No, we didn’t, we just… celebrated a little. This was a big victory for him,” Draco tried to convince him, while also trying to configure his robes to cover his neck. They didn’t quite cover them, no matter how hard Draco tried.
He also couldn’t find his tie, no matter where he looked.
---
Draco eventually asked Pansy for help, and she used makeup to cover the hickeys. Draco didn’t want to use a glamour because if someone discovered it, it would be even more humiliating for Draco.
At breakfast, Harry walked up to Draco, and awkwardly shoved Draco’s tie into his hands.
“You uh… you left this in my dorm,” Harry said, his face just as red as Draco’s been that morning.
“Thanks,” Draco awkwardly said, quickly tying the tie. Harry just nodded, and scurried away.
By first class, everyone knew. They had to, because they kept staring at the two, laughing and nudging them, and whistling.
Harry avoided Draco a little bit, obviously embarrassed that people found out that Draco had stayed the night in Harry’s bed. And that he had to return Draco’s tie in the morning.
It hurt, a little, but Draco understood. He was kind of enjoying the space because people didn’t give as many knowing looks when they were apart.
---
The news died down eventually, and then everyone was talking about the Yule ball.
To both Harry and Draco’s surprise, Hermione immediately asked Ron to go with her. Ron was surprised but excitedly said yes.
They were spending more and more alone time together, and Draco was starting to get the feeling that they had a secret. Draco wasn’t worried about it though, because it couldn’t be about him. If they knew the truth, they wouldn’t be this friendly.
After Hermione asked, Draco knew that he had to ask Harry.
Harry had been the one with all the initiative so far. Besides the first kiss, Harry had been the one pursuing him, sending the first letter to flirt, asking Draco to sit with him, hell even asking Draco to be his.
Draco needed to ask Harry. And, he needed to do it quick, otherwise Harry was going to beat him to the punch.
It was stupid, he knew, but he wanted to do a big ask, not just a presumption that they were gonna go together, or just asking causally. Draco wanted to go big.
Maybe it was his guilt. He tried not to think about that.
Anyways, he had an idea. He didn’t want to do it in front of everyone, they had enough attention.
“Whatcha smiling about?” Harry asked, as Draco had started to smile thinking about his idea.
“Nothing, just you,” Draco said, purposefully sounding cringey to make Harry laugh.
“Oh you big flirt,” Harry played along, pushing Draco to the side.
---
They were in the Gryffindor’s common room when Draco asked to talk to him alone. That question scared him a little bit, but he knew he hadn’t done something, right?
Shit, was it Draco’s birthday and he forgot? Now Harry was panicking, just a little bit.
“Harry, my wonderful boyfriend,” Draco started once they were alone, in Harry’s dorm. “We have been dating for three months, but with the amount of time we spent flirting, it feels longer.” Harry laughed a bit at that, and Draco just smiled. Harry knew now that he wasn’t in trouble.
“You have been truly wonderful, and I keep thinking about what I did to deserve this. I want you to know how much you mean to me,” Draco said, then pulled out a ring box, then kneeling on one knee.
Harry started to panic again for a very different reason.
“Will you, Harry Potter, go to the Yule Ball with me?” Draco said, opening the box to reveal matching rings, a snake and a lion, the tails intertwined.
“You asshole, you scared the shit out me, making me think you were proposing. But yes, of course I’ll go to the Yule Ball with you,” Harry said with a playful anger. Draco only laughed and stood up.
“You knew I was an asshole when we started dating,” Draco replied, sliding the snake ring onto Harry’s pinky finger.
“Now these,” Draco said, putting the lion ring onto his own pinky finger, “are Pinky Promise rings. They are a promise to love and protect. When you interlock pinkies, the rings connect,” Draco demonstrated, grabbing Harry’s pink with his own. The rings came to life, moving to connect their tails.
Draco looked up to see Harry wasn’t looking at the rings, only at him.
“Do you.. do you like them?” Draco asked, his voice soft.
“I love them,” Harry said, moving in closer to Draco, his usually bright green eyes seemingly darker than usual.
Harry kissed Draco, hard. He held Draco’s face, his ring cold against Draco’s skin.
Draco kissed back, just as strongly as Harry. They stumbled a little bit, before making it all the way to Harry’s bed.
While they made out, slowly losing layers of clothes, the robe, the tie, a few buttons, Harry could still see the remnants from the last time they were this close. He pushed Draco down, straddling him as he continued to kiss Draco.
Harry knew they wouldn’t go all the way. The way Draco reacted last time concerned him, but he hadn’t found the possibility to talk about it yet. It was okay if he wasn’t ready, hell Harry wasn’t ready either. But he needs to tell Draco that it’s okay not to be ready for everything.
That didn’t stop Harry from painting a beautiful picture. Harry pulled away to admire his masterpiece.
Draco lay there, hair messy from moving hands, face red from fluster, shirt slightly unbuttoned to reveal the dazzling array of love bites decorating his neck down to his shoulders.
“What?” Draco breathed, watching as Harry watched him.
“You are just… so beautiful,” Harry said, smiling.
He fell beside Draco, laying flat on his back.
“Do you… not want to go further?” Draco asked, and Harry could feel the worry behind Draco’s seemingly normal tone.
“Nope. I’m not ready, and that’s okay,” Harry said, turning towards Draco. Draco sighed, and sat up.
“Is this about last time? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to freak out like that, and I like you so much, and I’m ready!” Draco declared, even though his voice was shaky, unsure.
“Well, I’m not. Draco, I know you’re not ready, but that’s okay.” Harry grabbed Draco’s hands, their rings hugging, “We’re fourteen, we don’t need to be having sex right now. We have plenty to worry about besides that. I just want to be here, with you. I don’t need sex for that.” Harry promised, leaning into Draco, giving a soft kiss before falling back down on the bed. Draco smiled, exactly what Harry wanted to see.
“Now, are you going to cuddle with me until we fall asleep or not?” Harry teased, and Draco just rolled his eyes and climbed on top of him.
---
“Have you seen Hermione today? Or Ron?” Harry asked Draco while they waited to enter the Yule Ball.
“No, I haven’t,” Draco started, then changing his tone when he saw how worried his boyfriend was, “but, I’m sure that they are getting ready together, or something. There’s nothing to worry about,”
Harry accepted this with a nod, but Draco could tell that he was still worried.
Luckily, Draco spotted Hermione right at that moment.
“Look, I see Hermione. I told you-” Draco cut himself off when he also saw Ron walking next to Hermione.
He wore a bright orange dress, the skirt and sleeves were puffy and flowed down his body elegantly. Ron also wore a huge smile, and an orange butterfly hairclip. Hermione wore a matching orange dress, with hints of violet decorating hers. Hermione’s smile was smaller, but just as bright as Ron’s.
Ron got visibly more nervous as he approached Harry and Draco, and the hands that held his skirt up started to fidget and shake.
“Woah, Ron… you look amazing,” Harry was the first to speak, and at his words, Ron relaxed, his shoulders falling from the tight position.
“Thanks Harry,” Ron started, pausing to completely calm himself before continuing, ”I’ve wanted to tell you guys something for a long time. Around second year, I realized that I am not a boy. I’m a girl. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I told Hermione first because, well, I kinda love her,” Hermione squeezed Ron’s hand as encouragement, “I knew she would be okay with it, because…”
“Because girls stick together. And, because I love her too,” Hermione finished, a loving look in her eyes as she stared at Ron.
“So, what does this mean? Do we call you a different name, or…?” Draco asked, trying his best to show his support, even though him and Ron had never been particularly close.
“Well, I use she/her pronouns, and I like the name Ron, so I reckon I’ll keep it. ‘Mione’s been calling me Ronnie, and I quite like that, so you can call me that too. Over winter break, I’ll tell my parents and then we’ll tell the school. That means we won’t be roomies anymore, Harry” Ron spoke, with a confidence Draco hadn’t seen in her before.
“Oh that’s fine, more room for Draco and I,” Harry said with a wink, making Draco blush.
“Oh shut up. Let’s go dance,” Draco responded, shoving Harry a little. He only laughed, and raced Draco to the dance floor.
---
The Yule Ball was a fantastic night. Everyone exhausted themselves dancing, and then calmed down with several slow dances.
Harry took every opportunity to kiss Draco, as much as he could. Draco only laughed, holding Harry close.
Ronnie and Hermione were happy too, Draco could tell. The way they looked at each other, so full of love and trust.
It hurt, just a little. Harry looked at him that way, but Draco knew he shouldn’t.
Merlin, Draco couldn’t have one good evening without feeling like an impostor, or traitor. But he was. He was an impostor, and traitor of Harry’s love. As much as his feelings may be real, he wasn’t honest. He told his father Harry’s secrets, justifying it with his fear.
Fear is such a powerful emotion. Some fears were silly, irrational. Some were built after years and years, given a reason for such a fear to exist. Draco found that the later was the strongest of them all.
“Draco? Are you okay?” Draco heard from the distance. Blinking, he refocused, all the lights and sounds coming back.
“Yeah,” Draco breathed, finally looking back into Harry’s eyes. Draco kissed Harry gently, trying to make it seem like he wasn’t hiding anything.
---
Draco didn’t go home for the holidays. He didn’t tell Harry that.
---
Harry came running down the hall, jumping onto Draco, sending them both crashing into the floor.
“I figured it out! I know what the next challenge is!” Harry said excitedly, holding Draco’s face from where he sat on top of him.
“That’s great darling, what is it?” Draco said absentmindedly, smiling up at Harry.
“It’s in the lake, I need to figure out a way to breathe underwater- wait did you call me darling?” Harry said, finally fully processing what Draco said.
Draco turned red.
“No, no I didn’t, you're dreaming. Let’s focus on the challenge,” Draco tried to distract Harry, but Harry just started laughing.
“You totally did! Oh my Merlin, you really like me, huh? Ronnie is going to flip when I tell her,” Harry teased.
“No, don’t! I hate you, I don’t like you, at all,” Draco replied, completely embarrassed.
Harry just laughed, standing up and helping Draco up as well.
“Do you have any idea how to breathe underwater?” Draco asked, brushing off his robe.
“Nope! But, I think my friend Neville does,” Harry said, “Want to come with me to find him?”
Draco was about to say yes, before he paused. If he didn’t know what Harry was going to do, then he technically wouldn’t be lying to Father.
“No, I can’t, I’ve got homework. But I’ll see you later, when it starts?” Draco said.
Harry nodded, gave a quick kiss goodbye, and ran down the hallway.
Draco barely had time to smile before everything went dark.
---
When Draco woke, he had the sudden realization that he couldn’t breathe.
Opening his eyes, he found that he was underwater, and tied to the bottom. The saltwater stung his eyes. In his panic, he also opened his mouth, tasting the saltwater, which made him gag.
Draco struggled a bit before noticing that they were more people tied at the bottom of the lake. People he didn’t quite know, but they were all still, their eyes closed.
Draco calmed himself, and started to piece things together.
Here is what he knew.
He is tied to a weight at the bottom of what he assumes is the lake outside of Hogwarts.
He is not the only person there, there was three other people in the same position.
Harry’s next task was in the lake. Draco had to assume this was part of it, and the other three people were important to the other contestants.
That means, Draco was not supposed to wake up yet. Either something was wrong with the magic in the first place, or someone had messed with it.
Draco also knew that now he was awake, he couldn’t breathe, not like the people next to him. So, unless he was saved in about a minute, he was going to die.
Draco doubted that the event had even started yet. No one would notice until Harry found his lifeless body at the bottom of the lake.
Draco’s mind began to go foggy as lack of oxygen was making it hard for him to think. He began to involuntarily thrash around, trying to find air.
But, he was stuck. Draco Malfoy was going to die.
Maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad, Draco thought, succumbing to the sudden tiredness he felt.
He didn’t notice a boy frantically swimming towards him.
---
When Draco awoke, he was on the bank of the lake, with Harry on top of him.
He coughed up the water in his lungs, turning to his side.
“Oh thank Merlin you’re alive!” Harry shouted, hugging Draco.
There was a crowd forming around them, and at the front was Dumbledore.
“Draco, do you know what went wrong?” Dumbledore asked, kneeling down by Draco and Harry.
“I’m not sure, I was talking to Harry in the hallway, the next I was underwater, drowning. I woke up early, the other’s were asleep. I ran out of air quickly. I’m not quite sure why I’m not dead right now,” Draco said, still trying to catch his breath.
“Strange, very strange,” was all Dumbledore said in response.
Draco didn’t like Dumbledore very much. He was always so vague, and didn’t seem to do much to actually help his students.
It didn’t help Dumbledore’s case that it was him that forced Harry to grow up in that awful place.
---
“We have got to stop almost dying,” Draco joked, trying to lighten the mood.
He was in the Medical Wing now, making sure that he was truly alright. It was there that he learned that Harry did CPR on Draco as soon as he got him out of the water.
Harry tried to smile, but it didn’t really work. Ronnie and Hermione had joined them as fast as they could, along with Blaise and Pansy. They all just looked worried, and sad.
“I’m alright, really. It was just scary, that’s all,” Draco tried to reassure.
“Draco, you could have died-” Pansy started, but Harry cut her off.
“He did die! I had to revive him!” Harry yelled. He was facing Draco, but he knew that was not where his anger was directed.
“I’m not dead, Harry. I’m okay, you aren’t going to lose me,” Draco reached out to hold his hand. Tears sprung to Harry’s eyes.
“I can’t lose another one,” Harry whispered.
“I know,” Draco whispered back.
Harry climbed into Draco’s bed, laying beside him.
Blaise made some joke about needing to leave them alone, and everyone left. Draco was grateful for him.
Ronnie lingered a little longer, Draco bet it was because she and Harry were like siblings. She was always protective of Harry, and had even threatened Draco after he and Harry had officially started dating. The memory made him laugh, even if it did scare the shit out of him when it happened. The truth made the threat worse.
Draco’s laugh turned into coughing that hurt, but he didn’t really care. Harry was with him, and he would be alright.
Draco waited until Harry fell asleep before he wrote the letter.
He wasn’t sure how, but he knew that Father was behind this.
Draco tried not to think about the fact that Father was probably hoping that Draco died. He knew what Father’s plan was. If Draco died, then Harry would be devastated. Distracted. Grieving people are easier to kill.
Draco hoped that this wasn’t the case. That it was some freak accident. That his Father still loved him. Wanted him. Needed him. Draco’s hope grew smaller every day.
The letter was short and sweet. He made it seem like he already understood the plan, but needed to make sure that it was what father wanted.
---
This Rita Skeeter is getting rather annoying. Harry hadn’t mentioned her to Draco before the second task, but after the incident, Harry finally told him.
She had written countless articles about Harry, saying untrue things, along with crazy rumors. First she said that Harry was in love with Hermione, then said very mean things about Ronnie, constantly misgendering her. Now, she revealed to the world that Draco Malfoy is madly in love with Harry Potter, faked the drowning as a stunt to get Harry to kiss him, and that Harry is disgusted.
Draco had to laugh at all of this. It was ridiculous, nothing was true, but that didn’t stop people from sending hate mail to all four of them.
To Hermione, it was stuff about breaking Harry’s heart, and how she should give him a chance. She would reply with one sentence, “I am a lesbian.”
To Ronnie, it was a whole load of transphobic bullshit. She replied with insults about their mothers.
To Harry, it was begging him to get with Hermione, or yelling at him for being a homophobic asshole. He would also respond with one line, “I am a homosexual.”
To Draco, it was homophobic insults, slurs, calling him an abuser for forcing Harry to kiss him. Draco didn’t respond to his letters.
He only waited for one person to mail him. When that day finally came, Draco told everyone it was another hate letter, and that he was going to throw it away.
The letter was what he feared. Father confirmed he was behind the botched sleeping spell. He didn’t say he wanted Draco to die, but Draco knew.
Yet again he thought about telling Harry. They’d been together for six months at this point, maybe Harry’s love for him was stronger than the betrayal he’d feel? Maybe he’d be too scared for Draco’s life to care about it?
Draco knew he was just fooling himself. He wouldn’t be able to get past the part where he betrayed Harry before Harry would breakup with him and never speak with him again. Maybe even get Draco sent to Azkaban.
Draco found that in first year, lying was exhilarating. Exciting, freeing.
Now, lying felt like a prison he couldn’t escape.
---
The third task had officially started. Draco sat at the front of the maze, frustrated that he couldn’t be in there, truly see what was happening.
Fleur and Krum left the maze first. Something was wrong. Krum was dazed, confused. Fleur was crying.
Draco waited. And waited. And waited. Something was definitely wrong. They had been in there for too long. Much too long.
Finally, Harry returned. With Cedric’s body.
Draco’s heart stopped. He couldn’t hear anything besides Cedric’s father cries. All he could see was Harry sobbing over Cedric’s body.
Draco didn’t notice how he was beside Harry, but he was. Holding him close, rocking with him. Draco didn’t notice his own tears as Harry yelled about Voldemort being back.
Everything came back into to focus when Harry looked him in the eyes, and said,
“Your father was there,”
---
Draco couldn’t remember what happened next. Whenever he tried to think about it, all he got was a blur of lights, people with smudged faces, unintelligible yelling.
All he knew, was that Harry was in the medical wing, for the bruises and cuts he got from… from Voldemort. And that he was laying right next to him. Draco vaguely remembers Ronnie and Hermione being there for a while, before leaving to go to bed.
Harry had long since calmed down, but clearly he was upset. He saw his friend die in front of him, and his boyfriend’s father was there. And the man that had murdered his parents was resurrected. It was a lot.
“I’m sorry,” Draco said, watching Harry’s face.
“For what? You didn’t do anything, and you couldn’t have helped. It’s not your fault,” Harry reassured.
“It’s not your fault either,” Draco said, trying to make out Harry’s emotions in the low light. “You know that, right?”
“I know, I just- I feel like if I had done something differently, been someone else, I could have-” Harry tried to say.
“No, there was absolutely nothing you could have done. Hell, you’re lucky to be alive,”
Harry just nodded, looking away from Draco. A silence fell over them.
“I’m worried for you, Draco,” Harry said suddenly, “Your father was there. I saw him. Does he know were dating?” Draco shook his head, one more lie added to his collection, “Good. If he could do something like this, side with people like this- Draco, I worried he’s going to hurt you… Has he hurt you before?”
The question hung in the air. Draco stared at Harry, his mouth slightly open. This was the moment. He could do it, he could escape, save him and Harry.
“No, he hasn’t,” Draco lied, hoping his voice didn’t crack.
Harry just watched his face after that. Draco knew that Harry didn’t believe him. He couldn’t, Draco’s lie was weak.
They both fell asleep without another word.