Unconditional

Draco Malfoy was sitting comfortably in a blue plush armchair in the Ravenclaw common room. He was reading a book, The Hobbit, and enjoying the warmth radiating from the fireplace. Loony Lovegood had tried to engage him in conversation earlier, but he had forestalled that. Nothing was going to ruin his mood tonight.

It had begun as an ordinary Saturday. Draco got up. Showered. Put on his long johns because it was December and mighty cold outside. He put some gel in his hair in preparation for a day of Hogsmeade visiting.

He never got there.

Harry, in his infinite wisdom, had waylaid him on his way while wearing his invisibility cloak. He drug Draco to the other side of the lake where there was a lightly wooded area on the edge of the Forest. Despite the clearing, it seemed very private.

Harry had packed a lunch, the sod, complete with Honeydukes chocolate and warm tea. They snogged for hours, it seemed.

And now he was spending the rest of the evening in his favorite chair with a book and a fire, feeling very relaxed indeed.

Long, manicured nails pushed his book down into his lap. Draco felt a sinking feeling. That was what his old girlfriend used to do when she wanted attention. He looked up and, sure enough, Padma Patil was grinning down at him. He wondered what horrible thing transpired. Padma hadn’t done anything but glare at him since he broke up with her over a month ago.

“Hello, Draco,” she said excitedly.

“Hullo,” said Draco, wary.

“I just wanted to let you know that I don’t, like, have any hard feelings or anything. You know, about us,” she declared loudly.

Draco looked around. His housemates looked like they were all studying hard for the NEWTS, but he knew every head was cocked, ears all angled, hoping to find out what was going on. Ravenclaw curiosity at its finest.

“Well,” Draco said. “Alright. Good.”

Her hand didn’t leave his book. He hadn’t expected her to be that easy, but he had hoped.

“I mean, how could I be angry at you, considering...” she said.

He knew he shouldn’t. He knew he was walking right into her verbal trap. He had to. “Considering what, Padma?”

“Considering, well, your predilections. I couldn’t possibly be upset if you leave me for a man. And Harry Potter, of all people—“

Draco stood up suddenly, book falling to the ground. Padma took an uncertain step back. “What did you say?”

“I just meant I’m happy for you, Draco,” she said hesitantly. “Was it supposed to be a secret?”

“It’s not supposed to be – it’s not an anything!”

Padma gave him one of her You’re Stupid But You’re Pretty smiles. She practiced them in mirrors. “But a lot of people know, Draco. We saw you two on the other side of the lake, picnicking and… whatnot.”

This was horrible. Draco was not ready for this. He wasn’t ready for people to know he was… well, anyway. He needed to talk to Harry.

---

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Scarhead—open this door right now!” Draco waited patiently for six entire seconds. BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG—

“Merlin, Ferret!” A sleepy Harry swung open the portrait and narrowly avoided getting struck in the face. “What are you doing here?”

“We’ve been caught out,” Draco said.

“Oh,” said Harry. They stood in a slightly awkward silence. “D’you, well, d’you wanna talk about it?”

“I just—“ Draco cut off. Now that the initial panic was wearing off, Draco felt a little foolish at the brash way he ran to the Gryffindor. “I just wanted to know what you thought about it,” he finished.

“I don’t really mind,” Harry said with a shrug. “So the school knows we like each other. What’s the worst that can happen? We’ve had to deal with worse than this plenty of times.”

Draco supposed that was true. And he couldn’t keep a small grin from spreading across his face when he thought of Lucius’ reaction.

“Plus, it will royally piss of Lucius,” Harry added with a knowing smile.

Draco looked down at his shoes, then up at Harry and smiled. “Alright, Scarhead. What’s the worst that could happen?”

---

Drake,

What the bloody hell you doin sendin a bloody owl into my shop in the middle of the day?? A customer ran out screamin today. Guess she don’t like birds. When you come back, I’m gonna get the truth about this weirdo school you go to. I mean, I heard of carrier pigeons but never owls! This is insane. I see now why you couldn’t get me a proper address before you left. What kinda name is Hogwarts, anyways?

No one’s moved into the flat yet. Actually, I haven’t even shown me da all the work you done. He still thinks it’s all horrible-looking in there so he leaves it alone. Hopefully he don’t look until it’s real close to when you come back, I’ll prolly be able to tell him to hold off and wait for you.

And he’s real open minded, too, so if you wanna bring this Harry bloke back with you, that’d be alright…

Draco smiled as he read Amelia’s letter. He was ecstatic to learn no one was living in his flat. He had hoped she would do everything in her power to keep it empty but the confirmation felt very good indeed. Her suggestion about bringing Harry with him, however, was worrisome. He hadn't been thinking that far in the future and he doubted Harry was, either. Draco knew the other boy didn’t have to go to his relatives after he graduated Hogwarts, but what he was planning to do Draco had no idea. There was plenty of time for that, though. It was only December.