Chapter Text
Harry sighed in relief at the cold wind striking his sweaty skin; defusing the suffocation. All that silence felt like heaven after the loud evening.
As he looked down, he noticed his hand was still clasping Draco's and gave a shy smile to his companion, which was equally returned.
"I had fun tonight. Even with Ron exploding like that, I enjoyed it. A lot."
"Me too. I don't think I've ever had an idea as good as asking you out. What did the Weasel, I mean Weasley say? I don't want to be the breaking point of your friendship." Draco muttered,"Even though he was to what could have been ours on the train."
Harry gave him a playful shove and said,"That was more about you being a prat to the first friend I had ever made. As for tonight...well, he wasn't happy with my sexuality, my choice of date, my tendency to defend slytherin house and second hand anger over Hermione coming to the ball with Krum, even though he himself didn't even realize she was a girl until no one else was available." Harry sighed, "I know I should have warned him or something, but why does he get to decide whom do I befriend or go out with? I never asked him not to ask Lavender even though my ears are not made for that level of shrillness!" he exclaimed. "It's just that...for the first time, something feels right, and he has to go and ruin it. For both of his friends. That is, if we still are his friends. Especially me." Harry ran a hand through his hair.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Draco asked gently.
Harry raised his head to smile gratefully, when he caught sight of Draco's face. He looked like an angel in the moonlight. His hair, his skin, his eyes, his clothes; everything was illuminated in a heavenly way. The hair looked like those of the prettiest veelas and his eyes seemed to drown harry into what seemed to be infinity. He looked like the guardian angel Harry would sometimes hope for, when he was stuck in his small, dark cupboard. Harry raised his hand hesitantly and brushed his fingers delicately along the slytherin's cheek. A thrill went through him when Draco leaned into the touch.
"No", he whispered," I'd much rather be doing something else." He got closer to Draco's face; only a few inches between them; their breaths mingling. He left it as an opening for Draco. Please don't pull away. Take the offer. Don't. Don-
Draco's eyes gleamed and he absently licked his lips, staring at Harry's before he crashed his lips to the raven's. Harry shivered head to toe and the warm heat of Draco's mouth traveled down his spine; tickling his toe-tips. He wound his fingers in the blond hair; relishing the way the silky strands felt. Draco's hand circled his waist, and he licked his lips in a silent plea for entry. As their tongues met, Harry, in some part of his brain, realized why people preferred to be glued at each other's mouth all the time. He wanted to explore each crevice, each dip and valley, each little corner of Draco's mouth. So, as soon as Draco relaxed for a second, Harry chased his tongue back into his mouth.
Harry felt he had gone to heaven and burnt in hell. He felt like he was burnt to flames and reborn just to melt into a puddle of pleasure. They were making noises that none of them would own up later, and pulling each other as close as physically possible. Harry wanted to be stuck to those sensations forever. Never before had he felt so alive, so whole, so...right. That kiss was the answer to all of Ron's accusations and all of Hermione's worries. This was everything he had hoped for and more.
As they further, tried to mold into each other, Harry felt something hard poking his thigh and became conscious that he himself was sporting a hard-on. As they awkwardly disentangled, Harry's eyes landed on the kiss swollen rosy lips, the thin line of sweat, the flush lightening up the blond's face and the ruffled glowing hair. It was all he could not to jump him right there and then. Judging by Draco's half lidded eyes and dilated pupils, they were in similar situation.
Before they could comprehend, the decision was made for them as Snape and Karkaroff came out arguing. Harry and Draco were hiding behind the Beauxbatons' carriage and snickered at the snogging couples, who were exposed from behind the bushes. Though the conversation worried Harry and even Draco was frowning. As the men started walking back towards the castle, the boys sneaked into the Hall and sighed in relief.
Draco looked thoughtful about the conversation but Harry told him that they would worry about it, along with everything else, tomorrow morning and Draco smiled at him, beckoning him towards the Great Hall.
As they trudged up hand-in-hand, they saw Hermione sitting on the entrance stairs, crying her eyes out with her heels in her hand. Harry nodded to Draco before going to Hermione with a smile, and sat beside her.
At first, she stiffened at the person sitting close to her, but then she smelled the familiar treacle sweetness and relaxed. She looked up at him and threw herself into his arms; crying into his robes. Harry stroked her hair, murmuring sweet nothings to her. He kept telling her that she was such a brave and smart girl and everything will turn out okay. If not now, then eventually. To be honest, his heart broke for the girl who had not cried after passing though an obstacle course meant for Voldemort, not cried when she had been petrified by a 60-feet basilisk, not cried when a convicted murderer was trapped with them, not cried when the school had ostracized her along with him for standing with him, after the Goblet of Fire fiasco and now a petty boy had made her cry for his baseless jealousy. His insides were burning with anger for Ronald Bilius Weasley.
As she calmed down to occasional hiccups, he pulled back slightly, so his arm was still around her, but he could see her face and told her, "He does not deserve you. If he wanted you, he should have asked you out sooner. You deserve to go with someone who understands your worth. Don't waste your time over a jerk. Mione, I told you that you look like a goddess and goddesses hold their heads high; knowing that it is a privilege for people to even get close to them. I myself, at-least consider this a privilege to be your best friend, especially knowing that I would have died fifteen different ways, were it not for you." he smirked at her.
She gave him a watery smile and hugged him once more before pulling away and said," Thank you Harry. You are my best friend too!" She steeled herself a moment later, and said in her usual superior voice, "His loss. Let's see who helps him with his homework now." she humphed and Harry was relieved to see her usual self out.
"I should go look for Victor", she said wiping her tears before her shoulders slumped."That is, if he is still alone. I shouldn't have dropped him for my personal drama. I am such a bad date" she groaned.
"But I had a good time vid you, Herm-own-ninny."
They looked up to see Victor Krum being led by Draco towards them. Hermione looked borderline shocked and Harry snorted at her expression.
"Well before we rejoin the ball, may I have a word with you Victor?" Harry beckoned Krum side-wards meaningfully and he followed with a nod.
"Listen I know you must like her. Genuinely enough to not care about the fact that most of the school mocks her as the 'resident know-it-all', which believe me, I hate with a passion. But do tell me how long are the affections going to last, hm? You might be an International seeker, but let me tell you, if you break my sister's heart, or if you use her and discard away like a toy, you would have a personal taste of the wizard who Voldemort fears his power over. Am I understood?" Harry said in low and dangerous tone.
"I don't vant to haf, Vot you say, a fling with her. I like Herm-own-ninny. She is smart and pretty and good in nature. I haf liked her ever since I saw her in the library. I von't harm her. Promise."
"I will hold you on that." he smiled," Won't want you to end up hexed six ways through Sunday."
"What do you think they are talking about?"
"Most certainly, Harry threatening to hex Victor's balls off if he dares hurt you."
Hermione looked at him and chewed her words before blurting out, "Thank you, for bringing him to me. I didn't expect you would, but I shouldn't judge you that easily, I guess, if Harry is going out with you. He has good instincts normally, that one."
Draco nodded and swallowed," He was looking for you. He seems to care a lot. And before you offer me your gratitude, I need to make an apology." He took out his wand and said "Hermione Jean Granger, I, Draco Lucius Malfoy would like to make an official apology, with magic as my witness, for mistreating you calling you racist slurs in my jealousy and resentment that my ingrained values of pure blood supremacy were proven faux from the first day of classes. I apologize with the hope that you could look past my past offenses and start anew." He gave a small bow to finish it off.
Hermione was gaping. Bewildered. She knew those words. The formal wording, according to Pure-bloods and Principles, made sure that Malfoy had bound his words to his magic and he meant every word of it. This was proof enough of what Harry saw in him. She got up, gave the same 45-degree bow and said, "I, Hermione Jean Granger, officially accept the apology made by one Draco Lucius Malfoy under the omniscience of magic and hope for peaceful future."
He did look surprised by her knowledge of customs and oaths but shook her hand with a smile nonetheless.
Meanwhile, Harry and Victor returned and smiled at their respective dates; the quartet moved inside the hall again. It was nearing midnight, and only couples remained in the hall. The Weird Sisters stuck up a low, soulful chord and everyone got into pairs to softly move with the rhythm.
Harry had his hands circled around Draco's neck while the latter's arms wound around his waist. They green and the grey did not stray from each other and slow danced; lost in their own world.
Tomorrow, they would worry about Ron, Snape, Snape and Karkaroff, the school's reaction, Voldemort, loyalties, misunderstandings, traumatic pasts and everything and nothing. But tonight, with them lost into each other, the quicksilver and emerald seemed to whisper intimately "I'm here."
I'm here. Through it all, I'm here.
FIN