Draco Malfoy and the Return of Evil

Harry’s Birthday Boy button, pinned on the front of his shirt, digs into Draco’s chest uncomfortably, but Draco doesn’t care. Harry’s mouth is hot against his own, his tongue licks at Draco’s teeth, and his hands are worming their way under Draco’s shirt, Draco squirms under Harry’s touch and he laughs into Draco’s mouth. 

“What?” Draco demands,

“Nothing, you’re just cute” Harry pokes him in the side and Draco pokes him back and soon enough they forget completely about snogging and are now poking each other wherever they can reach. Draco wins of course and Harry collapses into his side from where they lie on Draco’s bed, 

“Who d'ya reckon our D.A.D.A teacher is going to be this year” Harry asks, voice muffled by Draco’s shoulder, 

“Based on who Dumbledore has hired in the past, probably a Muggle Crack-whore?” Harry laughs and pokes him in the side again, 

“And you say I’m an idiot” Harry groans and shoves his face into Draco's neck.

“Do you think the Dementors are going to get us?” Harry asks, and Draco stiffens, remembering why they had been snogging in the first place: they had been attacked earlier, out in the open, in Muggle London where they had gone out for Harry’s birthday and snogging always managed to make Harry feel better.

“No, Harry, I don’t thi-”

“Draco!” Dora bursts through the door to Draco’s bedroom, Draco yelps and jumps up, Harry goes flying and falls to the floor with a harsh thud.

“Harry!” Draco hurls himself onto the floor beside him and sits him up, “Are you okay?” Draco takes Harry’s face between his hands, 

“I’m fine, Draco” Harry grins and rolls his eyes, 

“Stop being sappy! We need to go, come on!” Dora shouts and Draco stands instantaneously, pulling Harry up with him. Over the years Draco has learned not to fuck with Dora. 

The three of them use their brooms to get to Grimmauld, somehow Draco’s parents are already there, along with most of the Order. 

“Harry,” Mrs. Weasley smiles, she lurks forward and closes the door to the Dining Room behind her,

“Mrs. Weasley,” Draco shoves Harry forward and Harry and Mrs. Weasley share a hug, 

“Heavens, you’re alright,” 

“Jealous?” Dora whispers into his ear jokingly, he pinches her side. Mrs. Weasley pulls back and grabs Harry by his face, 

“Bit peaky, but I’m afraid dinner will have to wait until after the meeting’s finished,” Mrs. Weasley looks over Harry’s shoulder, “You too Draco, dear. I outta get some meat on your bones, boy” She laughs, but Draco has a suspicion she’s not joking, 

“Up, Up you two, first door on the right, I’ll take Tonks for myself” Mrs. Weasley ushers Draco and Harry upstairs, and then she opens the Dining Room door and pulls Dora through, 

“Tonks? I thought her name was Dora?” Harry asks as they make their way upstairs, 

“She only lets me call her Dora, everyone else calls her Tonks” Draco explains, he smiles upon seeing Kreacher dusting a picture frame, muttering to himself, 

“Oh Kreacher!” He exclaims and wraps his arms around Kreacher’s frail body, “I’ve missed you!” 

“Kreacher had missed Master Draco as well, he wishes Master Draco would visit more often in the future,” Kreacher croaks, Draco scowls at his use of the word ‘Master’, 

“Of course, Kreacher, I’ve been busy, but I promise to visit more often, and don’t call me Master, you’ve been freed!” Kreacher nods, Draco stands and motions for Harry to walk into the room Mrs. Weasley had instructed them to, Harry has just barely pushed open the door when Granger jumps up to wrap her arms around him,

“Harry!” She exclaims, she pulls back and holds him by the arms, “Are you alright? We overheard them talking about the Dementor attack, you must tell us everything,” Hermione peers over Harry’s shoulder to glare at Draco, “Both of you” she squints, 

“Let him breathe, Mione” Weasley jokes and then sends an  unsavoury glare at Draco, 

“And this hearing at the Ministry. It’s just outrageous! I’ve looked it up, they simply can’t expel you! It’s completely unfair” 

“Expel?” Harry asks, head whipping to look at Draco, his eyes widen and he shrugs, he’s just as confused as Harry is, 

“Did they not tell you, Harry? They’re trying to expel you because you cast a spell on the Dementor!” Granger’s palms hit the sides of her legs, exasperated, 

“That’s ridiculous,” Draco drawls, “It was self-defence” Draco crosses his arms over his chest, 

“Exactly!” Granger agrees, Harry grabs Draco’s wrist, pulls him into the room and shoves him onto the bed, Harry sits down next to him.

The double Weasley’s appear out of thin air with a Pop, 

“Do you guys want-”

“-to hear something interesting?” 

(*******)

They lower an ear attached to a string with an ear on the other end down the staircase, and the distant voices of members of the Order can be heard through the ear at the top of the string, The She-asley joins them as Mrs. Weasley tears into Sirius about Harry not being James, some distant arguing can be heard before Granger’s idiot cat attacks the ear at the end of the string and rips it clean off, 

“Bad Crookshanks” She scolds from the top of the banister, the cat most certainly cannot hear her, but she continues to scold him anyway. 

A few minutes later Mrs. Weasley opens the door of the Dining Room, 

“Well, We’ll be eating in the kitchen” The Double Weasleys appear behind her and she screeches, 

“Just because you’re allowed to use magic now does not mean you have to whip your wands out for everything!” They shove their way past their Mother and into the kitchen, she kisses Harry and Draco on the head before Sirius shoves the poor woman aside and squeezes Harry so hard Draco’s scared he might pop, 

“Uncle Padfoot, you’re going to kill him,” Draco complains, Sirius lets go of Harry and grabs onto Draco, Remus takes a hug from Harry, then Draco, and then they all shuffle their way into the kitchen.

Granger and the She-asley laugh as Dora morphs her face to become several different animals, Weasley shouts out several different animal names and Dora delivers every time. His Mother passes by their chairs and gives Draco and Harry kisses on the head before she sits down at the other end of the table to eat with his Father. 

“I don’t understand, why has the Ministry got it out for me all of a sudden?” Harry whispers into Draco’s side, their chairs pressed as close together as they could possibly be, 

“I don’t know, but I can’t say I like it” Draco intertwines their hands under the table, they’ve not announced their relationship yet, but they're not keeping it a secret, either. 

Draco picks up the copy of the Daily Prophet that sits on the table, the headline in big bold letters;

THE BOY WHO LIES? HARRY POTTER LIES ABOUT DEFEATING VOLDEMORT?

“WHAT!” Harry and Draco shout in unison, 

“About that, Harry” Sirius moves in closer, “There have been sightings of Voldemort all across England, Scotland and Ireland”

Draco’s eyes go blurry, a flash of white and then darkness. 

(*******)

When he wakes up the entire Order stares at him expectantly, he lays on one of the hard couches in Sirius and Remus’ living room, Harry kneels beside him, both hands firmly gripped on Draco’s arm, 

“He’s awake,” Harry whispers as Draco opens his eyes, 

“Fucking Voldemort is still alive?” Draco uses his free arm, the one not being held onto by Harry, to wipe at his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose, 

“Yes, My dear boy; I’m afraid so, and even more afraid to tell you that Minister Fudge is refusing to do anything about it; telling everyone he can that Voldemort is dead,” Sirius says carefully, frowning down sadly at him,

“Fuck.” Draco winces, 

“I am so getting murdered by the Dark Lord, holy fuck” Draco runs through his chances of surviving if the Dark Lord really has returned. Again: There is a very high chance of getting murdered, Draco realises.

“We won’t let that happen, we can all protect each other” Remus attempts to comfort but his efforts are in vain, 

“Like you protected the Mckinnons?” Draco snaps, “Fuck, I am so very sorry, that was so uncalled for, I am very stressed out right now” Remus nods at him sadly and Harry pulls Draco to sit up, he squeezes onto Draco’s arm tight, as a scolding for what he said to Remus, Draco knows he deserves it. 

“If Voldemort has returned, for what, the third - fourth time now? He will want to build up his army again,” Draco states, his head aches and the number of people in the room is not helping, 

“When we first fought Voldemort 14 years ago he had huge numbers at his command,” Sirius begins, 

“But not just witches and wizards, no, but all manner of dark creatures” Aunt Andromeda adds, 

“If he gets his army to be even half of what it was during the first battle we will all be dead” His Mother adds, Harry gulps, Draco squeezes his hand, 

“Does this mean I was wrong about the Horcruxes?” A pang of guilt hits Draco in his chest. 

“There most definitely are Horcruxes, but we think that there is another Horcrux, a newer one, made after Regulus’ discovery” Draco’s chest tightens as he thinks of Regulus, the poor boy, all the work he did just to die before destroying even one Horcrux, his secret affair with James Potter; which Draco still hasn’t told Harry about, he probably should, but he doesn’t know how to approach the topic, ‘hey Harry, your dead mum and dad weren’t actually together and your dad was actually dating your godfather’s dead brother’ Hell no, fuck that!

“Another Horcrux?” Harry asks and looks to Edgar Bones, who had been the one to answer Draco's earlier question, 

“Yes, we have no idea what it could be, though” Draco groans, where's Regulus Black when you need him?

“We believe Voldemort may be after something,” Sirius starts, 

“Sirius,” Moody, real Moody, warns, 

“Something he didn’t have last time,”

“You mean like a weapon?” Harry asks, 

“No, that’s enough!” His Mother cuts in and stands behind Harry, who’s still kneeling in front of Draco, she grabs his shoulders.

“He’s just a boy, Sirius” She reminds and squeezes his shoulders a few times, turning her head around to glare at Sirius, 

“You say much more and you might as well induct the boy into the Order” Mrs. Weasley scolds, 

“Good! I want to join, if Voldemort’s raising an army I want to fight!” Harry declares and Draco glares at him, 

“Absolutely not! You’re going to get yourself killed!” Draco grabs him by the elbows, Harry rolls his eyes, 

“I’ve fought Voldemort before Draco, I’m sure I can handle it, besides, he’s even weaker now because he only has one Horcrux left” Draco scoffs, 

“We aren't sure if he only has one left, there could be a lot more out there, I don’t want you to put yourself in danger, again” Draco argues, 

“Draco, who am I if I’m not putting myself in danger?” Harry grins, Draco pokes him in the armpit, 

“Not Harry Potter, I’d suppose. But I can’t let you do it alone if you’re joining so am I” 

(*******)

They sleep at Grimmauld that night, they share a bed, which goes unnoticed by everyone except Granger and the She-asley, who gives them looks the next morning. He gives them the middle finger, which the She-asley returns enthusiastically. 

(*******)

“Trains! Underground! It’s brilliant!” Draco looks around excitedly as they move down on the moving stairs that Harry calls an ‘Ess-ca-later” 

“Ingenious these Muggles” Mr. Weasley agrees and shoves his elbow into Draco’s side. 

They walk through this strange machine that Harry has to tap a plastic card on before they can enter it, Mr. Weasley brings them to Muggle London and then to a tall red rectangle that has the word ‘TELEPHONE’ written at the top of it, Draco thinks it’s unprofessional how they’ve misspelt it.

“Here we are,” He opens the door to the box and waves Draco and Harry inside, “I’ve never used the visitor's entrance before. Should be fun” Mr. Weasley grins and shoves a coin into a slot on the Telly-Phone and they begin to sink under the ground. 

The Ministry of Magic is bustling with Witches and Wizards, Harry interlocks his arm with Draco’s and mumbles something about not getting lost, Mr. Weasley leads them to an elevator and they are packed in tight, he’s nose to nose with Mr. Weasley and Harry’s face is pressed flush against his neck, 

“Morning Arthur,” A man greets, 

“Morning Bob,” Mr. Weasley returns, a burst of fire comes through the holes in the box that the man, Bob, apparently is holding, Draco presses himself further into Mr. Weasley to avoid being burned, he doesn’t seem to mind. Dozens of paper aeroplanes fly over their heads, Draco looks at them in confusion, Mr. Weasley notices, 

“Interdepartmental memos. We used to use owls. Mess was unbelievable” Mr. Weasley raises his eyebrows and Draco snorts a laugh, the elevator stops, two people exit and Kingsley Shacklebolt, who Draco realises was at the meeting from before, pushes his way on and whispers something into Mr. Weasley’s ear, 

“Merlin’s beard,” Mr. Weasley mumbles and then looks to Harry, “They’ve changed the time of your hearing”

“When is it?” 

“In five minutes” Mr. Weasley responds nervously, he can hear Harry gulp from behind him, the elevator stops, moves backward, then left, then goes down some more, when they finally get to the floor they need the elevator kindly tells them that they’re at the Department of Mysteries, Draco thanks it and Harry laughs at him for some reason. 

“Remember, during the hearing speak only when you are spoken to” Mr. Weasley reminds Harry, 

“Keep calm, you’ve done nothing wrong” Draco pulls on the lapels of Harry’s blazer, 

“As the muggles say: Truth will out!” Mr. Weasley exclaims excitedly, Draco smiles, he’s never heard that Muggle phrase before, he makes a mental reminder to write it down in his Muggle Phrases notebook.

“Draco and I are not allowed in, I’m afraid, Good luck, Harry” Mr. Weasley pats Harry on the shoulder, Draco grabs his hands, 

“Good luck,” He says and pecks Harry on the side of his mouth, Draco lets go of Harry and stands next to Mr. Weasley, Harry walks forward and disappears through the large door. 

“You and Harry, huh?” Mr. Weasley grins and shoves him in the side, Draco rolls his eyes but can’t hide his grin, 

“Yeah,”

(*******)

Harry pops out of the courtroom an hour and a half later, 

“Cleared of all charges,” Harry smiles, Mr. Weasley gives Harry a hug and tells him that he’s glad he’s safe, after Harry pulls back from Mr. Weasley he jumps to wrap his arms around Draco’s neck and kisses him with fervour, and then:

Flash!

(*******)

POTTER AND MALFOY DATING?; THE BOY WHO LIVED AND SON OF EX-DEATHEATER LUCIUS MALFOY KISS IN NEVER SEEN BEFORE PHOTO

(*******)

Draco sets the paper ablaze and Dora laughs in their face, Harry rubs Draco’s back sympathetically, 

“Sorry, Draco. I was very excited” He says sheepishly, Draco rolls his eyes and kisses his hair, 

“It’s fine, Weasley is gonna be pissed though” Draco laughs. 

He was. Weasley was very pissed, he didn’t speak to Harry for nearly an entire week after, or Granger, or the She-asley, claiming they were all traitors. Weasley only came around after a very stern talking to from Mrs. Weasley.

Harry and Draco stay at Grimmauld the night before they return to Hogwarts, his Mother and Father had wanted him to stay at home but agreed once Sirius had practically begged for them to stay at Grimmauld. Remus, Sirius, and a few members of the Order drop them off at the platform, Sirius as Padfoot, of course. Before they enter platform 9 & ¾ Sirius pulls Harry and Draco into a strange room of plastic chairs which are all connected, Moony and Moody keep watch at the door, presumably so no Aurors enter and snatch up Sirius. Sirius gives Harry a moving picture, it’s of the order, the original one. Sirius points out Marlene Mckinnion and Longbottom’s parents and the Potters’, Draco shutters looking at James Potter’s face, the photos he had taken from Regulus’ box flash in his mind over and over. Sirius gives them both sappy goodbyes before he turns back into Padfoot and then slobbers all over both their faces. 

Once they get to the train, he and Harry kiss briefly and then split to find their friends in separate compartments, Astoria, Blaise and Pansy all pull the copy of the Daily Prophet out from their bags as soon as he enters the compartment, they spend at least the first hour of the train ride mocking him for it; their own way of showing support. Theo never shows up, they worry, of course, but they also know that Theo is old enough to deal on his own. 

Harry pops by their compartment after changing into his robes, Draco’s friends tease him, of course, but he doesn’t seem to mind. Harry agrees to give Pansy insider information on Granger and then laughs in Blaise’s face when he asks if Weasley’s single, 

“There is no way you’re getting with Ginny” Harry jokes, Blaise raises an eyebrow, 

“Not that Weasley, Idiot” Blaise rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest, 

“Oh? Oh. Ron, you mean?” Harry’s eyes widen and he coughs into his elbow awkwardly, his hand coming to rub at the back of his neck,  “I think he’s single, yeah” Draco snorts a laugh and Harry gives him a side eye before kissing him on the cheek and wandering off back to his friends.

“Do you think I have a chance with Weasley?” Blaise asks and Astoria scoffs, 

“Blaise, did you not hear Draco say it took him nearly a week to get used to Potter dating Draco? There is no way he’s going to want to date you, dumbass” Astoria glares and Draco watches as Blaise lurches backwards, hand coming up to his chest in offence, 

“You doubt the Zabini charm?” Blaise scoffs, “I bet I have Weasley bagged by the time we graduate” Draco snorts, 

“Three whole years, how will you be able to do it in such a short amount of time!” Draco mocks and Blaise makes a face at him.

Astoria laughs, “Deal, Zabini, 50 galleons to whoever wins” Astoria reaches across the table to shake Blaise’s hand, Draco rolls his eyes and pulls out his book on the Muggle Dentistry Industry, it’s really quite interesting. 

(*******)

Harry and Draco find excuses to stay behind on the train, they snog for so long that their lips are numb and both of their groups of friends get on the carriages without them. They get lucky, of course, Harry has his Boy Who Lived luck, and they get the last carriage, they share it with Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, Draco likes Luna, a very strange girl, her mother was in the Order, she died a few years ago, her father runs a very strange newspaper entitled “The Quibbler” Draco has read it a few times before, it’s a very strange piece of writing every time, but always enjoyable nonetheless. 

Draco and Harry sit next to each other on the carriage, Harry leans into his side and Draco stares at the creepy winged-horse-like animal that pulls the carriage, none of his friends can see the creature, no one else he knows can see the creature, everyone he’s asked says the carriage pulls itself, Draco knows he sees them, but after five years and no one else seeing the grotesque creatures Draco is starting to think that the Black Family Madness is finally starting to catch up to him.

“You’re not going mad” Luna lowers the paper from her face, he white-blond hair is parted at the side of her head and her blue eyes stare blankly between Draco and Harry’s faces, 

“I can see them too” She smiles, “You’re just as sane as I am” Luna turns her head to the side,

“Well that’s not very sane, is it then, Luna?” Draco jokes, Harry pokes him in the side, 

“Oh, Harry this is Luna Lovegood, Luna this is Harry Potter” Draco motions his hand between the two of them, Luna turns her head and smiles, 

“I know Harry Potter, silly” Luna extends her arm out and Harry shakes her hand awkwardly, 

“What an interesting necklace,” Harry comments, 

“It’s a charm, actually,” Luna looks down at her necklace lovingly, rolling the charm in between her dark-skinned fingers, “Keeps away the Nargles” She whispers and nods her head toward them. 

“Hungry” Luna mentions as she sits back, “I hope there’s pudding,” Luna stares out into the forest with blank-wide eyes, and Harry slots Draco’s fingers into his own, 

“What’s a Nargle?” Harry whispers, 

“No idea” Draco shrugs and brings their intertwined hands up to his mouth to kiss the back of Harry’s hand.

(*******)

The feast is delicious as usual, but never as good as the food at home, his chef, Mrs. Wanderspore, makes the best food in the world. 

“Good evening, children” Dumbledore starts his beginning-of-year speech, “Now we have two changes in staffing this year. We’re pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care Of Magical Creatures while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave. We also wish the welcome our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dolores Umbridge. And I’m sure you’ll all join me in wishing the professor good luck.” Draco looks to the Teacher's table and notices Umbridge immediately, she sticks out like a sore thumb, dressed completely in bright pink, the sheer amount of pink almost distracts from her mean pug-looking face, it doesn’t though. Draco thinks he’d rather have Barty Crouch as a teacher over her any day.

“Now, as usual, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you-” Umbridge clears her throat and Dumbledore freezes, Umbridge walks forward, her shoes click on the ground menacingly as she walks forward, “Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome,” Umbridge approaches the Podium and stops just infront of it, “And how lovely to see all your bright happy faces smiling up at me” Umbridge smiles, it’s a fake, Draco’s own Mother uses that same smile to manipulate people all the time, Draco rolls his eyes.

“I’m sure we’re all going to be very good friends” She fake beams and the Great Hall stays quiet, “The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young Witches and Wizards to be of vital importance. Although each Headmaster has brought something new to this historic school,” She nods at Dumbledore who bows his head, “Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be prohibited” She smiles and laughs evilly before walking back to her seat at the teacher’s table, Draco sends a look over to Dora, who is too busy scowling at Umbridge to look at him.

“Thank you, Professor Umbridge” Dumbledore claps, “That really was most illuminating” Dumbledore continues to speak but Draco pays him no mind, 

“What the hell does that mean? Blaise scoffs, 

“It means the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts” Draco tightens his grip around his fork.

(*******)

During the first Defence Against the Dark Arts class of the year, Padma Patil releases a flying paper bird into the classroom, Draco and his classmates watch in amazement as it glides through the air, effortlessly avoiding the attacks of students, it just about returns to Patil when the paper bird is hit with a red beam of light and falls to her desk as a charred, smoking piece of parchment, Umbridge tucks her wand back under her arm and smiles, clearly satisfied with herself, at this moment, Draco decides that he hates the woman. 

“Good morning, children” She smiles and begins to walk between the row of desks that leads up to her own, 

“Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations,” She says and she points her wand to the chalkboard at the front of the class, her words are written in white-chalk with swirly handwriting,

“O-W-Ls. More commonly known as OWLs” She stands at the front of the classroom and crosses her wrists over her waist, “Study hard and you will be rewarded, fail to do so, and the consequences may be severe” Umbridge flicks her wand at the stacks of books that sit on her desk and floats them to each table, 

“Your previous interaction on the subject has been disturbingly uneven. But you’ll be pleased to know, from now on you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic.” Draco looks at the book that has landed on his desk, ‘Dark Arts Defense’ and under it, ‘Basics for Beginners’ 

This cannot possibly be real. Draco is not a beginner! Neither is anyone in this class! Well, that could be debated, but the majority are not! 

Granger raises her hand, 

“Yes?” Umbridge smiles, her dead eyes stay dead, 

“There’s nothing in here about using defensive spells?” 

“Using spells?” Umbridge laughs wickedly, “Well I can’t imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom” 

“We’re not going to use magic?” Weasley asks, holding up the book, he sits next to Harry, Draco isn’t jealous, and he isn’t annoyed that he has to sit next to Astoria, who keeps shoving her knee into his thigh,

“You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way”

“What use is that? If we’re going to be attacked it’s not going to be risk-free” Harry says, Draco doesn’t hide his smile,

“Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class!” Umbridge demands, Harry slumps backwards in his seat and Draco squeezes his thigh so hard the pen in his pocket snaps in half, the ink soaks through his pants and runs down his leg, he breathes through his nose, trying to contain boyish anger, Astoria glares at him, he looks down and notices the ink from his thigh has spread all across her knee, Draco pays her no mind and calls it karma.

“It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which after all, is what school is all about.” Umbridge nods, 

“And how’s theory supposed to prepare us for what’s out there?” Draco argues, Astoria glares at him but he ignores it, 

“There is nothing out there, dear” She smiles, 

“Nothing? What about bloody Voldemort, then?” Draco braces his arms against the desk, his ink-covered hand leaves a print on the wood. Umbridge glares at him so hard he thinks she’s trying to explode him with her mind, “Detention, Mr. Malfoy!” Draco gasps, 

“So I get detention because the Ministry can’t kill Voldemort but also doesn’t want us to defend ourselves against Voldemort? Sounds mighty suspicious to me!” Draco bites, 

“Two detentions!” Draco slumps in his seat and bites his tongue, holding back all that he could say, 

“So you don’t think Voldemort is alive?” Potter asks, Umbridge’s head snaps in his direction as soon as he speaks,

“Minister Fudge has reassured us all that Voldemort has not returned” She squeaks, her voice hurting Draco’s ears, 

“He’s alive and you know it! and he’s gonna attack us! Attack Draco! Attack me like he has multiple times before!” Harry fights and Umbridge looks so angry Draco’s surprised there isn’t steam coming out of her ears, 

“Enough!” She screams, Harry straightens up his posture, 

“Detention. See me later, Mr. Potter. My office” She giggles a blood-curdling laugh. 

“And me?” Draco asks, 

“Just Mr. Potter” She grins evilly,

Harry turns his head around to look at Draco, bends his middle and pointer fingers into the shape of a half-heart, just like Harry had shown him how to during the summer, Harry smiles, and because Harry smiles, so does Draco.

(*******)

Draco sits legs out in the courtyard, back against the fence that leads into the Greenhouses, he’s reading a book on Muggle Ancient Egypt, the Ancient Egyptians were very smart, Draco realises quite quickly after opening the book. Draco is so immersed in his reading that he doesn’t realise Harry is approaching until he’s thrown himself over Draco’s lap, his back rests on Draco’s thighs, his shirt no doubt getting stained by the ink that Draco had pettily refused to dry, letting the chair and desk get stained with the pen’s dark ink, Draco shoves a bookmark between the pages and shuts his book, tossing it aside, then shoves one of his hands into Harry’s hair, the other intertwines with one of Harry’s over his stomach,

“How was your meeting with Umbridge?” Draco teases, Harry groans, 

“She made me write lines, but with a special quill that used my fucking blood as ink,” Draco’s smile drops in an instant, 

“What?” Harry raises his other hand to Draco’s face and there, engraved in Harry’s hand; I Mustn’t tell lies. Draco fumes, 

“I’ll kill her! Psycho bitch!” He almost stands but Harry holds him down, 

“No killing in my honour, idiot” Harry rubs his thumb across the back of Draco’s hand, 

“You’ve got to tell Dumbledore,” 

“No,” Harry says with a stern voice, “Dumbledore’s got enough on his mind, right now,” Draco sighs, realising Harry has made his mind up, 

“Anyways, I don’t want to give her the satisfaction,” Draco kisses the writing on the back of Harry’s hand, 

“Harry, please. Report this” He squeezes onto Harry’s hand, his face twists with an anger Draco hasn’t seen in a long time, 

“Draco, I can’t, it’s not that simple, you have to know that,” Draco hums and kisses up Harry’s hand to his wrist, 

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” He says, 

“Okay,” Draco smiles sympathetically and brushes Harry’s hair out of his eyes, “We don’t have to for now, but I’d like to talk about it later” Harry looks at his feet, 

“Okay”

(*******)

Luna drags him into the forest with an unexpected ease, she’s a lot stronger than she looks. He had still been reading in the courtyard, Harry had left about half an hour earlier, Luna skipped over, pulled him up by the collar and dragged him into the forest. Draco doesn’t protest, just mourns the loss of another book to the Forbidden Forest and hopes that whatever Luna wants him to do doesn’t end with her confessing a crush on him. Draco looks down, Luna's feet are completely bare, Draco scoffs in a mix of shock and disgust.

“Luna, where are your shoes?” She doesn’t stop dragging him as she replies, 

“When I awoke this morning they had gone missing” Luna stops abruptly, and Draco runs into her back, he looks up from her feet to see about a dozen of the bony, winged, seemingly skinless horse-like creatures that pull the carriages, he yelps and slips backwards, Luna doesn’t let go of his collar and falls on top of him, 

“Oh no,” Luna sighs offhandedly, Draco groans when she stands herself up, pushing her entire body weight on Draco’s chest.

“Don’t be scared, Draco,” She turns her head to the side and looks down at him, “They’re completely harmless,” She turns away, leaving Draco to pick himself up, he stands and fails to brush the wet dirt off his pants, Luna reaches her hand out to the creature and runs her hand down the expense of its ugly beak-like mouth.

“Hello, Harry Potter,” Draco looks behind him, Harry stands a few steps behind him and Luna, Harry smiles at him and walks up to stand beside Luna, 

“Your feet,” Harry motions with his head, “Aren’t they cold?”

“Bit,” she nods, “Unfortunately all my shoes have mysteriously disappeared,” She leans in closer to Harry and whispers, “I suspect Nargles are behind it”

“What are they?” Draco asks her, Harry’s head snaps in his direction, 

“You can see them too?” Harry asks, eyes wide with shock, 

“Yes, I’ve been seeing them since first year! I thought I was insane, nobody else could see them!” Draco steps closer and Harry intertwines their arms, Draco turns to look at Luna, awaiting her answer, 

“They’re called Thestrals. They’re quite gentle really, but people avoid them because they’re a bit…” Luna trails off, she looks into the distance, a baby thestral, with a bony chest, thin legs, and wings the size of its body tries to walk, it trips and falls on its face, its Mother comes running after it and lifts it up, Draco swallows harshly.

“Different.” Harry finishes.

“But why can’t others see them?” Draco looks at Luna, who walks further into the forest, he and Harry follow, intertwining their hands, warming Draco’s ice-cold fingers. 

“They can only be seen by people who have seen death,” Luna hums and Draco freezes in his tracks, Harry stops and looks at him, 

“Draco?” he asks, Draco gulps.

“Death?” He asks, Luna turns around and nods curtly, Draco shudders and tries to push the memory that ablizes him to see the foul creatures away. It was a long time ago, but it stays fresh in his mind, always.

“My Mother,” Harry mumbles, “I can’t remember it, but I guess it still counts,” Harry leans his head into the shoulder of Draco’s jumper,

 “Wait,” He mumbles, “What death have you seen?” Harry pulls his head away and looks at him expectantly, and then pulls his head back in realisation and then turns to look at Luna, “And you, what death have you seen?”

“My mum,” Luna whispers, “She was quite an extraordinary witch, but she did like to experiment. One day one of her spells went badly wrong. I was 9.” Draco’s chest tightens, 

“I’m sorry” Harry mumbles, 

“Yes, it was rather horrible” she shrugs, “I do feel very sad about it sometimes, but I've got Dad” She turns around and walks into the forest, reaching into her bag to grab a handful of fruit and then crouches down to feed it to a baby Thestral, Harry pulls Draco by his hand to follow him. 

“And you, Draco?” She sighs, not looking up from the Thestral, she runs her hand along the bony expanse of its back, Draco swallows his spit. 

“Long story, was nobody important,” He chokes, “Was just an accidental casualty of the situation” Luna looks up from the Thestral and Harry narrows his eyes at him, 

“Which was what exactly? The situation, I mean” Harry asks, Draco closes his eyes, 

“I was a stupid kid and I was bad-mouthing at a party and I said something about Bellatrix being, well, there’s no nice way to put it, crazy, and it was just my luck that her husband, Rodolphus was there and he got very upset at me. Long story short he used Cruciatus on me and then when the Aurors got called his brother, Rabastan stepped in and fought back against them and he died, Rodolphus got sent to Azkaban.” He doesn’t open his eyes, Harry drapes himself over Draco’s shoulders and squeezes him tightly, shoving his nose into Draco’s neck.

“Oh, Draco,” Luna mumbles and Draco can feel her wrap her arms around Draco and Harry, 

“We are group hugging, is that what we do now? Group hug?” Draco opens his eyes, Harry pinches his side,

“Shut up, git” Draco smiles and kisses the top of his head, and then Luna’s as well. Luna steps back and pulls a piece of meat from her bag, Draco scowls in disgust, 

“Luna, what is that?” He steps back, taking Harry with him, 

“It’s steak, silly” She smiles calmly and throws the piece of meat to the Baby Thestral, who swallows the whole steak in one bite, Draco gags and Harry rolls his eyes.