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Harry was still wandering around with his Luck tingling his blood when he noticed the blond git crumpled up in an archway ledge. He jostled his head back and forth trying to remember if Hermione had told him how long the Luck would last and if he had enough left. He shrugged, probably plenty. There was certainly plenty of curiosity to risk it.
“Draco,” he shouted. He didn’t miss Draco hastily wiping his face as his spine straightened to proper posture.
He sneered down at Harry, “That’s Malfoy to you, Potter.” Harry just rolled his eyes and hopped up onto the ledge beside Draco who stared back at him incredulously. “What are you doing?”
“Sitting with you.” Harry shrugged with flippant ease, he was determined to see just how far this Luck could be pushed.
Draco’s face was pinched like he smelled something horrid, “Why?”
“Because I’m worried about you?” He offered, swinging his legs back and forth over the ledge.
Draco gave him a sickly smile, “Worried I’m a Death Eater?”
Harry shook his head with sorrow, “I know you are. I’m worried because it clearly doesn’t agree with you.” Anyone paying even half the amount of attention Harry gave Draco could see that.
Draco huffed looking away from him as he snottily replied, “And why do you think that?” Harry took a moment to reply, watching how Draco twitched and frowned beside him. His weary body was rigid despite the evident exhaustion. The yearning to envelop his enemy in his arms so he may rest sung in Harry’s veins as loud as the Luck that gave him the resolve to try. Harry reached out to touch Draco’s face. Draco flinched from the movement, but Harry’s hand remained steady, frozen in the air relaxed with no ill intent, as Draco turned his head to look at Harry with wild eyes. Holding his gaze, Harry pushed his hand forward slowly until Draco shockingly allowed Harry to cup his cheek. Harry ghosted his thumb over one of the dark bags under Draco’s eyes careful not to put pressure on the tender skin.
He spoke soft as a down feather, careful not to startle the colt, “You’re so tired.” With just as much caution, he raised his other hand to run the back of his finger down the other side of Draco’s face, feeling the gaunt edges of his hollowing cheeks, “You’ve stopped eating.” Draco’s eyes fluttered closed, his breathing pressured through his nose. He really reminded him of a terrified thestral, if they were pale creatures. Harry kept his one hand cupping Draco’s face but used the other to softly sweep at the hair falling across Draco’s forehead. “You’ve quit Quidditch. You’ve quit doing well in school.” He let his fingers graze down the side of his face, and let all the suppressed warmth he felt for the boy rise and settle in his voice, “I haven’t seen you smile all year, it’s such a nice smile.” Draco’s eyes snapped open again, staring into Harry’s in quiet alarm but Harry pressed on. “I’m worried because you look how I feel. Trapped into a corner where the only way out is doing the impossible or dying.” Draco sucked in a sharp but rattled breath and Harry knew he was right. “I’m worried because I don’t think anyone else has been and that’s not okay.”
“But why do you care?” Draco whispered back his eyes widening at his own words, almost shocked that he had said anything at all. Even with Luck on his side, words failed to explain the same question his friends ask every time he tried to talk to them about Malfoy. Saying the wrong thing would break the fragile space he had found himself in. So, Harry took his time and tickled Draco's face with soft touches over his eyebrow, down his nose, and over his cheeks until Draco’s eyes fluttered closed again. As his thumb traced over pale lips, he knew how to explain better than with words and he leaned in pressing their lips together. When he pulled back, Draco was frozen into place with his head still cradled in Harry’s palm looking at Harry with owl-like eyes. Draco’s lips parted softly, “Oh.”
“May I kiss you again?” If the first kiss was Harry’s confession, the so slight nod was Draco’s. He nodded with such a minute movement into Harry’s palm that he could deny it if Harry were to take it back, but his eyes were already narrowed onto Harry’s lips while his tongue peeked out to wet his lower lip. Harry was unable to contain the smile that bloomed on his face as he brought their faces back together in a kiss. This time Draco reciprocated the kiss and brought his hands to Harry’s neck and waist. Harry had felt warm from the Liquid Luck, but that compared not at all to the floodgates of pleased happiness flushing Harry’s body from Draco’s kiss. It was a crackling fire in his veins when Draco’s tongue tasted his bottom lip and slipped into his mouth to dance with his. Harry’s hand that was cupping Draco’s face slid back to hold the back of his head, his fingers carded through Draco’s hair. Harry pulled Draco’s bottom lip between both of his and sucked, savoring the little whimper from Draco. He wasn’t close enough and Draco seemed to agree, shifting forward when Harry grabbed his hip to pull him over his lap. However, as soon as Draco’s leg settled over Harry’s hips, effectively straddling him, Harry’s wand fell from the ledge and clattered to the floor below. The echoed clacking startled the boys, their bodies flailing as teetered on the ledge. Harry barely caught the edge with one hand and ridged grip with his legs to straightened them out before they followed the wand. Harry’s other arm was secured around Draco’s waist possessively and protectively holding him to his chest. Draco’s muscles remained taut as he frantically looked and listened for anyone’s approach. As soon as Draco realized they were still alone, the tension seeped out of him and he sagged dropping his head to Harry’s shoulder and huffing a large sigh followed by a smattering of unbelieving laughs. Harry rubbed his hand up and down Draco’s back, chuckling along with him as his own heartbeat returned to normal.
Draco shook his head with lasting disbelief, face still tucked into Harry’s neck, “How did you know I wouldn’t deck you for kissing me?”
Harry shrugged his free shoulder and grinned, “Just went for it. Hoped Luck was on my side.” Draco pulled his head back looking at Harry like he grew an extra head.
Harry enjoyed being the cause of such a dumbstruck look as Draco strangled out, “Neither of us are publicly out, we’ve been schoolyard enemies for the past five years, and I’m currently branded to the wrong side of the war and you just went for it?”
“Well, when you put it that way,” Harry laughed, amazed at himself that he dared to push Luck so far. His grin only grew wider the longer Draco stayed in his lap with his body settling into Harry even if his mind was still wrapping itself around Harry’s bold choices.
“You’re absolutely barmy,” Draco breathed out. Harry could only laugh more and tugged him forward into a hug. Draco sank into the physical affection more than Harry expected but that just inspired him to hold him stronger.
Harry kissed Draco’s exposed neck from his head resting on Harry’s shoulder and he hummed, “Barmy, maybe, but I prefer the term brave.”
Draco shook his head in Harry’s neck, “Nope, just barmy.” Harry chuckled, squeezing Draco when he felt Draco’s lips split into a grin against his skin. Pleased silence fell over them as Draco remained comfortably slumped against Harry’s chest. Harry trailed his hand up and down Draco’s back careful not to rub over the bony spine of his too-thin frame. Harry knew they needed to talk about so much like the Death Eater thing, the kissing thing, and the intersection of those topics. Snuggling Draco after curfew was a secret fantasy come true which he didn’t want to ever end but he also knew that the Liquid Luck would be fading soon, and he seriously doubted their communication skills without a little Luck on his side. His body must have tensed because Draco groaned, “You’re about to ruin the moment, aren’t you?”
Harry nodded softly, letting his lips tickle this skin of Draco’s neck as he spoke, “Yeah, sorry sweetheart.”
“Well I guess, get on with it,” Draco sighed snuggling in tighter as if eliminating the nonexistent space between their bodies would protect them from whatever Harry was going to say.
“Honestly, I don’t know where to start. Would you be willing to tell me about what happened this summer for you?” Draco stiffened in his arms and Harry almost immediately regretted asking. Maybe not ruining the moment was more important than this conversation.
“Will you kiss me after I tell you?” Draco whispered with the faintest hope.
Harry sighed a breath of relief, “Yeah, Draco. I will.” To seal the promise, he pressed a firm kiss to Draco’s neck.
Draco nodded, “Okay.” Draco’s tight grasp of Harry’s shirt relaxed as he opened his hands to flex and stretch his fingers and palm against Harry where his long arms have wrapped around him. Draco fell silent for a minute longer, but Harry didn’t stop his striations on Draco’s back just waiting for him to be ready. With a shuddering inhale, but a steady exhale, Draco began, “When I got home at the end of last year, He had taken up residence in my home. The Manor used to be a place of societal balls and business deals but now it’s the home of a psychopath. My father has disappointed Him and in penance, either myself or my mother had to take the mark. I was chosen for my potential,” he spat. “My potential to be useful and easily controlled. He didn’t have to break my spirit first; I knelt the second he raised his wand to my mother. I’ve been on my knees ever since.” Draco's breath started to rattle, his words ending with a bit of a damp shake.
Harry kissed his shoulder and neck, reminding him of his promise, “What are they asking you to do?”
Distraught defeat drowned in his voice, “I can’t do it. But if I don’t, my mother will die. I’ll probably also die, but I don’t think that matters much.”
“Draco…” Harry chided.
Draco ignored him and continued his confessional, “I’m supposed to be fixing this cabinet so I can smuggle Death Eaters into Hogwarts but worse than that, I’m supposed to kill Dumbledore.” Harry froze, his hand halted mid-stroke, his breath mid inhale. When he didn’t pick up his movements, Draco shuddered a hurting but resigned sigh. He shifted to leave Harry’s lap which jolted Harry back into motion.
His grip on Draco tightened as he tried to hold Draco into place as he begged, “No, don’t leave. I’m sorry I froze. I just needed to process that. I don’t want you to leave.” Draco lowered his hips back down but didn’t lean back into Harry, pushing his body against Harry’s arms around his back until Harry dropped them. Draco sat in Harry’s lap with his shoulders curved in on himself, looking down at his hands where he was picking his cuticles. Since he wasn’t returning to the snuggle, Harry pulled his hips closer to Harry’s core to gain back some of the closeness Draco tried to create. Draco’s hands shot out to Harry’s shoulders for balance and Harry took the opportunity to try to catch Draco’s eyes. When he effectively kept his gaze away, Harry brought a hand to Draco’s face, cupping it like before but slipping a thumb under his chin to direct his face. Draco’s eyes flickered over to Harry’s trying not to look but unable to stop himself. However, once their eyes met, they were locked into the depths of their stares. Draco’s stormy eyes were cloudy with fear, wet with sorrow. Harry felt colder so he knew the Luck had finally run out so it was with his special brand of reckless bravery that he asked, “Draco, sweetheart, do you want my help?”
Unsurprisingly, Draco sneered albeit lackluster compared to his typical look, “Your help? You offering to kill your mentor for me, Potter?”
Harry rolled his eyes fondly, “No, that’d be barmy. I mean help you get out of this.”
Draco shook his head with terrified eyes and scoffed like Harry had not been listening properly, “If I don’t do this, he’ll kill my mother and then me.”
Harry pushed back the hair that had fallen into Draco’s face, and spoke calmly having to work harder to keep from spooking Draco without the Luck, “What if we got your mother to safety?”
“And my father?” Draco asked pulling his lip in between his teeth.
Harry pinched his own, “Isn’t he the reason you’ve gotten into this mess?”
Draco ducked his head down and whispered, “He’s still my dad.” Harry's heart hurt. Would he be willing to save his father if he had been poisoning his mind all his life if he had caused him to take up an evil mantel because he failed to be successful at evil? Harry sighed feeling the evident weight on his shoulder, because he knew the answer was yes, he would try to save his father even if he was in the position Draco was in. Harry couldn’t fault him that even if his father had tried killing Harry since he was twelve.
“If he is willing to be saved. I have a feeling that he’d rather die than allow Harry Potter, the boy who kisses his son, to help him,” he explained bobbing his head trying to catch Draco’s eyes again. Draco sucked in a wet breath.
“I forgot about the kissing part,” Draco muttered.
Harry squeezed Draco’s hips gently, “I feel like I should be insulted. You’re not even out of arms yet and you’ve forgotten our kisses,” Harry whined with a small grin that grew when Draco’s lips turned up slightly as his cheeks pinkened.
“I didn’t, I mean,” Draco stuttered as his face continued to blotch.
“I know, love, you meant that you weren’t thinking of how our kissing will affect your family’s willingness to be saved by me.” Harry worded for him, cupping his palm around one of those pink cheeks. Draco nodded and turned his head slightly to kiss Harry’s palm.
He nuzzled Harry’s hand before muttering into it, “So, Wonder Boy, how are you saving the fallen?”
“We’re going to have a meeting with Dumbledore and Snape,” he stated plainly.
Draco reared his head back, nearly toppling off Harry if it wasn’t for his quick reflexes, “Excuse me?!”
“If we are to be able to smuggle your family safely out of their own home, we’re going to need help and I’m not risking my friends again. As much as I don’t trust Snape, Dumbledore does and so does your family. He’s your godfather, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, and he’s a bloody Death Eater too! And you want me to just go up to Dumbledore and say what? Hey mate, I’ve been chosen to kill you, whaddya think about that?” Draco shrieked sarcastically.
He squeezed Draco’s hips, “Draco, do you trust me?”
“What?!” Draco cried frantically.
Harry grabbed Draco’s face with both hands rougher than he had been handling Draco to focus his panicked gaze onto Harry, “I need you to trust me. I’ll keep you safe and I’ll get your family out. But it’ll only work if you trust me.”
“I don’t know how to trust blindly. Why should I trust you?” He challenged with panic still tainting his defiant tone.
Harry dropped his face to shake Draco’s hips again with a rueful smile, “Already forgetting the kissing again, sweetheart? I kinda want to be able to continue doing that. Kinda have a thing for you and it’ll be a little hard to keep kissing you if you’re dead or in Azkaban for Headmaster-cide.”
Draco's tense shoulders dropped and his lips parted in shock, “You have a thing for me?”
Harry chuckled, “Yeah, Draco, I have a thing for you. I wouldn’t have risked getting decked for a kiss just for kicks.” Draco studied Harry’s face, touching his features with shaking but no less reverently as Harry had done to Draco. Harry kept his eyes locked onto Draco, watching him think and decide. Draco pinched his brows together pursing his lips before he held Harry’s face still and leaned in. His tight lips softened as he pressed them into Harry’s. They kissed soft and slow, ignoring the precipice they existed upon.
Finally, Draco pulled back to whisper against Harry’s mouth, “Okay. I’ll trust you. But you better not leave me tonight. I’m going to need reminding that this is real and that I should trust you.” Harry grinned swinging his feet around to hang off the other edge of the window ledge. He braced Draco in his arms and jumped off. He did this all in one fluid movement, giving Draco no chance to think of any other response but to hold onto Harry tightly and screech, “Potter!”
Harry clutched him tight and steadied them on his feet giving him a teasing grin, “Shush, sweetheart, it’s after curfew. You don’t want to alert anyone that we’re here.”
“A little warning would be nice. Also, you can put me down now, I can walk.” Draco complained. Harry grinned, plucking a quick kiss, and releasing Draco from his arms. He held back his snort as he watched Draco straighten his clothes and fix his hair while Harry scooped his wand off the floor. Jamming the wand back into his pocket, he grabbed Draco’s hand and lead him away. Draco followed but not without questioning, “Where are you taking me?”
“Room of Requirement. We need our beauty sleep, and I don’t think it’d be wise for one of us to sneak into the other one’s dorms so, hopefully, Hogwarts is feeling accommodating,” Harry mused. The Room of Requirement has helped Harry out in the past but he’s never gone to it for something like this and he truly wondered if the sentient room had purity opinions that would block them from use tonight. Draco twisted his hand in Harry’s to entwine their fingers and confidently followed beside Harry since he probably knew where Harry was headed. Watching the door form, Harry flashed Draco a satisfied smile, grateful the Hogwarts wasn’t a prude. They stepped into the room, smaller than he has ever seen it, but cozy with a plush bed beside a roaring fireplace, two pairs of pajamas on the bed, and two glasses of water on the nightstand. “Perfect, I’m wiped.” Harry pulled Draco into the room and closed the door behind them. He quickly began to shed his clothes for one set of pajamas, letting his layers drop to the floor without preamble. Draco seemed frozen watching Harry strip to his pants and redress into pajamas in front of him. Harry smirked at Draco, pleased beyond belief to have short-circuited him even if it was from accidental obliviousness, “Sweetheart, I know my ass is delightful but you’re gonna have to snap out of it if you want to change.” Draco shook his head out, blushing profusely as he bowed his head to work on his shirt buttons. Harry debated on teasing him further like oogle him as he changed but he decided to take pity on the stressed-out boy and crawled into bed, fluffing pillows and setting alarms. He didn’t look up until Draco was nervously crawling into bed beside him. Harry laid back on the pillows and opened his arms in invitation which was all Draco needed to clamber in and sag into Harry’s chest. His octopus arms wrapped around Harry’s waist and squeezed tightly. With all of the budding love and hopeful warmth, Harry squeezed him back and kissed the top of his head, “Goodnight, Draco. Sleep well.”
Draco yawned, “Goodnight, Harry,” rubbing his face sleepily into the cotton of Harry’s pj shirt, “You know, I just might.”