Chapter Text
Tell Me a Secret
Harry can’t sleep. Nightmares are getting more and more vivid and it is hard for him to separate the nightmares that are caused by Voldemort’s intrusion into Harry’s mind and the nightmares of Harry’s own imagination. That’s why Harry finds himself strolling around the quiet castle during the nights. It’s also the only time Harry can get some peace from all the students’ worshipping and professors’ nagging about doing homework and studying.
So it’s no wonder that on a certain Thursday night, with his invisibility cloak in hand, Harry wanders around mindlessly. Completely lost in thought, he enters the Great Hall. Harry doesn’t notice where he is until he bumps into a table and stumbles.
“Bloody hell,” he mutters to himself as pain soars through his left leg. He rubs the leg and looks around. The place is empty and up on the ceiling a million of bright stars are illuminated. The Great Hall looks entirely different when empty and dark. Harry has to admit it’s quite a lovely sight. He walks around it, observing the details he hasn’t bothered to notice before and becomes completely engrossed in them. Suddenly the sound of footsteps reaches his ears and instinctively tries to put the cloak over his head. But the person approaching him notices the movement before Harry can completely disappear.
“Potter!” Draco Malfoy whisper-yells. Hurrying closer, he grasps the cloak and pulls it off of Harry. The green eyes meet Draco’s and a frown creeps onto Harry’s face.
“What are you doing here?” Harry asks angrily and pulls the cloak from Draco’s grip. He folds it and tucks it under his arm.
“What am I doing here? I could ask you the same thing, Potter!” Draco spats and crosses his arms in front of his chest.
“I couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to wake others up,” Harry admits quietly and lowers his gaze. Anger is still pulsing in him but slowly disappearing. Draco stiffens and looks at Harry in disbelief. He can’t believe Harry just admitted something to him without anger seeping from his voice.
“Hmm…” Is the only response from him. Harry lifts his gaze and meets Draco’s eyes again. Once again filled with confidence, he straightens himself and lifts him left eyebrow.
“You still haven’t answered my question, Malfoy.”
“I couldn’t sleep either,” Draco answers emotionlessly.
This time Harry is the one to respond with the “Hmm…” and laughter threatens to burst out as Draco sends him a scowling look. He is aware that this whole situation and conversation is bordering on childish but truth to be told, he needs these spontaneous childish moments and laughter episodes sometimes. So that’s why the laughter bubbles out of him and in mere seconds he is clutching his sides and doubling over.
Draco looks at him completely terrified of what is going on. “Potter? Is everything alright?”
Harry looks up and then laughs even harder. “Yes,” he whizzes. “Everything is fine.”
“Why are you laughing?” Draco is still confused and slightly concerned.
“I don’t know! It’s just funny,” Harry replies and tries to calm down. His face is red and warm, and his cheeks hurt a bit.
“You’re weird, Potter.” Draco mutters but Harry just flashes him a sincere grin.
“Believe me, I know.” The response shocks Draco even more and he has to sit down on a nearby bench. Harry follows him and sits down next to him. It seems like all the differences and disagreements had disappeared in this quiet place with just the two of them sitting next to each other. Draco finds it quite weird. He can’t recall a time when they talked without insults and anger. It feels like Harry had laughed in front of him, so openly, for the first time since they’ve known each other. A warm feeling spreads inside Draco’s stomach and he tries really hard not to read too much into anything. They’ve never been friends and this kind and comfortable silence between them doesn’t mean anything, he tries to reassure himself.
And next to him, Harry has very similar thoughts. He sneaks a glance at Draco and blushes immensely when he finds Draco looking at him as well. Draco flushes too and looks away. The silence stretches and while it is comfortable, Harry itches to say something.
“It’s the nightmares,” he suddenly blurts.
“Huh?” Draco asks and looks at him.
“I can’t sleep because of the nightmares. I’m afraid of them and I’m afraid of falling asleep.”
“Oh… I have those too…” Draco admits and looks down at his fumbling hands.
“You do?” Harry asks surprised, though honestly he shouldn’t be so surprised about it.
“Yes… ever since the Dark Lord has returned and started living in our house.” Draco stops. He is afraid of continuing and telling too much, revealing his weaknesses. But Harry takes Draco’s hand in his and offers him a consoling smile. The feeling of warm hands around his cold one encourages Draco to tell Harry more. So he does that, and they talk for a long time. They talk about the most random stuff, about Quidditch and about their professors. The initial awkwardness between them disappears after a while and they find themselves leaning against each other as they laugh at some fact that Draco tells Harry about.
Time passes and soon the hour strikes one in the morning. They don’t notice though. Fingers entwined, shoulders touching and their eyes locked makes everything in this world seem just about right. “Draco, can I tell you a secret?”
“Of course,” Draco whispers and smiles gently.
“I think I like you,” Harry whispers back and observes as Draco’s eyes widen and cheeks flush.
“Oh…” Draco sighs as he closes his eyes. “I think I like you too.”
Harry smiles as he releases a nervous breath. Their faces inch closer and suddenly their lips press together. They’re both trembling nervously as they pull away and look at each other. Their cheeks are flushed and expressions soften.
“Go out with me on Saturday?”
“Hogsmade?” Draco asks in return and Harry nods. Once again they kiss and then depart back to their rooms. They fall asleep with smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts.