In Vino Veritas
It was one thing to see Draco Malfoy drink, but it's another thing to see him drunk. Theo knows his best friend can handle his alcohol but he rarely drinks in public. It’s even rarer for him to get drunk. That night however, Draco himself suggested he, Blaise, and Theo go out pub hopping.
“Draco, mate, you need to stop” Blaise warned, taking Draco’s latest serving of firewhiskey. Theo followed along, rubbing his back. The blond looked nauseous but continued to drink nonetheless.
“But…I here to drink.” He replied, his words slurring. “And drunk I shall.” He took the firewhiskey back from Blaise, spilling half its contents on himself then downing the rest.
Having enough, Theo crouched in front of Draco and sighed.
“Alright Draco, you need to tell us what’s wrong.” he said, his voice firm and steady. Theo wanted to be there for his friend. Draco had gone through a lot already, with being coerced by a murderous aunt and her master during their teen years, to Astoria passing away, and then raising Scorpius alone… the man has had enough and Theo feels like he hadn’t been the best friend he could have been.
“Nnno.” Draco simply said. “What could you possibly have…” he pauses and looks straight into Theo’s eyes. Grey looked straight to cinnamon brown and then Draco smiled. He smiled warmly and longingly before caressing Theo’s cheek. Theo froze at the odd gesture.
“Hi.” Draco says. Theo looked to Blaise who was as clueless as he was. Shrugging his shoulders, Blaise motioned for Theo to play along - much to his reluctance.
“Er… hi?” Theo replies.
Draco caresses his cheek again but this time, continuing to his lips. “Granger, how could you do this to me?”
At that point, Theo already wanted to pull away. As much as he liked both women AND men, Draco was definitely not his type at all, and certainly not when his mind was pickled with whiskey. “Mate… I… Draco, you need to snap out of it.” he said, trying to get his friend back to his senses. Unfortunately, Blaise had other ideas.
“No, mate, just play along,” he urged. “In Vino Veritas. This is probably the most honest he’s ever been. And besides, I need blackmail material.”
Reluctantly, Theo agreed. Draco had been quite of a recluse, especially after his wife died and this was an opportunity they cannot let pass. It was all for Draco’s greater good.
“What do you mean, Draco?” Theo said, in the worst impersonation of Hermione Granger-Weasley ever. Blaise tapped him and signalled no. “Ok, yeah, maybe impersonating Granger is too much.” he agreed.
Draco didn’t seem to notice. He just kept looking at Theo with longing and sad eyes. “How could you make me fall in-love with you?”
Blaise and Theo could only exchange glances. Was this really happening? Did Draco Malfoy, former Death Eater and one of the princes of the Sacred Twenty Eight really just profess that he had fallen in-love with none other than the Muggleborn Heroine Extraordinaire herself? Now they really need to press on.
“What do you mean, Draco?” This time, it was Blaise who asked. And Draco seemed all too willing to answer.
“How could you ask for my well being every time we see each other?” he said. “How is it that you managed to charm my son and care for him so much? How could you have the most beautiful golden eyes I’ve ever laid my eyes on, huh? How dare you do this to me!”
“But Draco, Granger has been married to Weasley for years now.” Theo said, not bothering anymore. At this point he just wanted answers.
“EXACTLY! The Weasel can’t even treat you right! I should have been the one you married. Im a pureblood too, y’know!” Draco stood up but lost balance and fell back to his seat. “I mean, I would see him have all these girls at Diagon Alley, parading around and you still defend him when I’ve told you so many times he does not deserve you.”
Theo heard a small sob escape from his best friend’s lips. He could tell that this was unrequited and his heart bleeds for his friend. The sob turned into a snore and soon enough, Draco had draped himself over Theo, fast asleep.
“Well, shit.” was all Blaise had to say.