Realisation
In the dorms, Draco didn’t sleep easy that night. He was tossing and turning so much that he left the dorm dressed in black silk pyjamas Blaise had leant him (‘you can wear my clothes whenever you want, Malfoy’ Blaise winked at him). Wandering the school at night felt amazing. Everything was… calm. Quiet. There were no rambunctious first years, surly seventh years or chatty children Draco wanted to murder.
That night, he decided to explore the whole school, head lost in thoughts. For instance, what about Lewis? He hasn’t seen Lewis in quite a while and he must believe he’s dead! Draco didn’t want Lewis to go through that, not at all. Afterall, Lewis is (was?) Draco’s boyfriend. Then those feelings for Harry wound their way around Draco’s brain. Harry. Harry. Harry. “What do I really want?” Draco asked himself twice, “I’d really love a hint, a bloody crumb. Salazar, anything!”
A door appeared in front of his eyes.
Shocked, Draco didn’t think he should open the door: it was a door that appeared in front of him out of nowhere. However, there was that little part that wanted to go in, so he opened the door.
In a blank room with only dark walls and a candle chandelier, there was a lone mirror. A mirror that was bigger than himself and had writing underneath, reading ‘Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi’.
Looking at his reflection, Draco didn’t just see himself. Standing next to him was Harry, arm looped in his and looking at him like he was the world. Then, his other hand was shaking Lucius’ who was smiling at him, and had a comforting hand on Florian’s shoulder. Lovingly, Narcissa looked at Florian.
Running out of the room as fast as possible, Draco didn’t expect to collide with a hard, invisible wall and fall to the floor. “Oh my god I’m so sorry!” Harry panicked. Abandoning the cloak and map, Harry helped Draco up.
“Were you just… invisible?” Exclaimed Draco, wanting an answer.
Quickly, Harry began to stumble and stutter over his words, “Yeah- I erm- I have an invisibility cloak?” He held it up, showing Draco the cloak that had stars all over it, “It belonged to my dad.” He held it out for Draco to take and he held it with caution, then, Draco reached for the open map.
“Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs.” Draco muttered, “Moony and Padfoot, that’s Remus and Sirius, correct?”
“Yeah. Prongs was my dad and… Wormtail was their other friend in school.” Harry walked around to Draco, head over by his shoulder as he leant in to show Draco the map. They were so close. “It’s a map of the whole school that shows everyone in present time.” He pointed out himself and Draco. Looking at the map, Draco saw someone’s name coming to them right now.
“We need to go.” Draco said, pointing out Florian’s moving dot.
“What?” Exclaimed Harry, confused, “No, we’re not going anywhere.” Quickly, he dragged Draco under the invisibility cloak and Draco had to crouch so the cloak didn’t ride up.
“I hope you know how uncomfortable this is, Potter.”
“Oh, poor Draco, having to crouch. You’re not fifty for god's sake.” Rolling his eyes, Harry yelped when he felt Draco kick the back of his leg.
“It was only a kick, you’re not fifty, Potter.” Draco retorted. Harry didn’t have time to retaliate because they could hear Florian’s footsteps approaching.
Following his every move like watching a tennis ball, Harry and Draco followed him as he stopped in front of a wall, pacing back and forth three times. Stepping in, the door disappeared behind him. “What is that room?”
“It’s the Room of Requirement. You ask it three times for a room and it gives it you.” Harry explained. Well, Draco didn’t have to think too deeply into the implications of that. He wanted to see what he really wanted, and he got his answer. A family. Harry.
With that realisation, Draco scrambled from the cloak. “I should get back, I really need to sleep before classes.”
As Draco was getting further and further away, Harry panicked. Not knowing what to do, he called out, “I want to take you to Hogsmeade!” Draco froze on the spot. Like a date? Like as friends? As… associates? “On a date.” That answered his question then. In Harry’s mind, he did not know why he just did that. He just did. And it felt liberating yet fucking stressful at the same time.
It was the second Hogsmeade weekend of the school year. Draco had gone to the first one, seeing Neville and Harry together walking around the shops. He wanted to approach them, but Florian kept dragging him to places and telling him what to buy, what to wear, etcetera. If Draco knew having a twin would be that tiring he would’ve asked for an older sibling, preferably one out of Hogwarts.
“If that’s what your idea of romance is, romance is dead.” Draco deadpanned, “Some flowers wouldn’t hurt, neither would a grand gesture.” When Harry began to squirm, Draco sighed, “I suppose it will have to do.” Both of them let it settle in for a second, “Goodnight, Harry.”
“Goodnight, Draco.” Harry whispered, a dopey smile on his face. When Harry got back to the common room, Hermione, Ron and Neville were still up.
“Where were you?” Hermione rushed.
“It’s fine,” He reassured them, “I met up with Draco.”
“It’s midnight, Harry.” Added Neville. He had bags under his eyes.
However, Harry still had a dopey smile. Really, he could not believe it: that he had a bloody date with Draco Malfoy! “Mate. Hello.” Ron waved a hand in front of Harry’s face and he snapped out of his happy place.
“Sorry… I er- I… have a date?” Harry scratched the back of his neck.
“You sound unsure.” Observed Hermione.
“Are you sure you have a date?” Neville asked, crossing his arms.
“Yeah… Yeah, I do.” Harry was back to smiling again.
“Of course it had to be a fucking Malfoy!” Ron sighed, already heading for the stairs and wanting to go to bed.
On the day of his date, it was time to get ready. Harry threw on a jumper and some old jeans, ready to get going. Before Neville stopped him. “You’re wearing that on your date?”
Harry looked himself up and down. This is what he normally wore, “What’s wrong with it?”
Neville shook his head, hesitantly edging towards Harry’s wardrobe (when Harry said it was OK, Neville picked up the pace and began looking through it). He pulled out a clean, white jumper Hermione had brought him and a pair of black jeans that still had the tags on them. Then, Neville took a necklace from his own wardrobe and gave it to Harry: it had a crescent moon on it with a purple, blue, with hints of white planet to its side.
“Thanks, Nev.” Harry smiled.
He was meeting Draco in the courtyard. It didn’t take Draco much longer to arrive, and he looked like a Malfoy. He looked regal and posh and elegant like Narcissa, and carried Florian’s element of betterness, but it wasn’t pompous like Florian is. He had on a black turtleneck, a black so dark it stood out in the midday skies. Atop of that, he had a black blazer over it. Then, he had on black trousers and a belt with a silver buckle, the buckle matching the rings and the necklace he wore.
Quickly, while Draco was fixing his clothes, he cast orchideous and a bouquet of purple lilacs, iris’, and lilies.
“You look amazing.” Harry smiled.
“You don’t look awful. It’ll do.” But he was smiling, and the smile brightened when Harry offered him the bouquet. “Thank you, Harry.” Draco smelt the flowers. “Does this have any meaning?” He gestured to the flowers.
“Well…” Harry’s cheeks blushed brightly, “iris’ symbolises hope, the purple lilacs symbolise happiness and tranquillity, but they can also mean purity.”
“What about the lilies?” Asked Draco as they continued to Hogsmeade.
He cleared his throat, “My Mum… her name was Lily.”
“It’s beautiful, Harry.” Draco squeezed his arm.
When they arrived at Hogsmeade, Harry realised he didn’t plan anything. At all. Wow, now Harry was stressed. He was on a date with someone he wanted to be on a date with and hadn’t planned anything.
Quickly, he guided Draco to The Three Broomsticks. While Draco grabbed them a table, Harry ordered at the bar. Sitting at the table alone, Draco looked around, seeing Harry in conversation with his least favourite teacher. Someone came over to him while he was waiting for Harry. He wore a Hufflepuff scarf, black hair to his shoulders and dark blue eyes. “I’m Zacharias Smith.” He held out his hand to be shook and Draco took it.
“Draco.”
“Oh, I know.” He cheerily replied, “we’re in the same Muggle Studies class.” Happily, Zacharias welcomed himself to sit down. Draco scowled. “I wanted to say you’re amazing and wandless and wordless magic. Incredible, really.” Well, Draco gladly basked in the praise. “How do you do it?” He leant forward in interest. It was like Draco had his own fan.
“Well, it comes naturally to me.” He began, like regaling a story, “I’ve never needed a wand.”
“Could you teach me sometime?” He scooted closer and Draco backed away.
Before he could spit out how he’s on a date and that Zacharias should stop immediately before he pulls his eyes from his sockets, Harry came over. “Sorry I kept you waiting, babe.” Harry put emphasis on the last word - something he really never would call anyone other than in a situation like this - and put down the drinks. “You’re in my seat.” Harry cleared his throat. He’d always disliked the Hufflepuff, and now he had even more reason.
“Well Draco doesn’t seem to mind.”
“I do, actually.” Draco said with as much politeness as he could, “Harry and I are currently on a date together, and you are ruining it. Kindly, find someone else to pester.”
Scowling, Justin scampered away and Harry took his seat. “Sorry it took so long. Slughorn spotted me and-”
“It’s fine.” Draco sighed, “Justin was lovely company for a while.” Harry raised an eyebrow, “I had a fan!” Harry laughed. “What did you get me?”
“This,” Harry gestured to Draco’s drink, “Is called Colour-o-varia.” It was a mix of numerous colours, like different types of oceans meeting. “It tastes like loads of fruit together, apparently. I’ve never had one myself.” Harry pulled out two straws for the one drink.
“I didn’t think you ordered a platter of mozzarella.” Harry plonked the straws in with more aggression after Draco’s comment, seeing that Draco smirked out of the corner of his eye. “Where does the name come from?”
“From a spell.” Harry said and they both took a sip, almost laughing at how stupid this was, “It changes the colour of stuff.”
They sat and talked for hours on end, not wanting to move because they didn’t see a reason to. However, when Harry caught sight of Ron and Lavender in the corner, he stood up and asked Draco if they could leave. Harry liked Lavender: she was bubbly and fun and was a nice break from all the constant stress and worry he was going through. Alternatively, now her and Ron were together, Lavender had been very giddy over her first boyfriend and became obsessed. Not that Harry could say anything different. It was nice seeing her and Ron being happy, though.
Eventually, their date wound to an end and it was time to head back to the castle. Hand-in-hand this time, they walked up the pathway, and that was when they saw Katie Bell. Floating in the air, screaming.