Chapter Text
It was a beautiful sunny Saturday morning, and everyone was glad not to have too much homework. Some students like Hermione tried to study, but between the warmth of the sun and the laughter and sounds of everyone else having fun it was impossible.
Harry Potter was glad to return to Hogwarts, the place he felt safest and happiest, especially after the whole Voldemort shenanigan.
He was walking with Ron and Hermione to a place in the shade, near enough to the Black Lake that they could feel the refreshing spray of the cool water. They were all so eager to get into the sunshine that they just grabbed a few pieces of fruit to share while watching the rippling water.
They found a nice tree and sat under it, relaxing on the cool grass. Hermione brought some books out, as nothing was better than getting lost in a book. (To her anyway.) Ron had brought some sweets that seemed to always occupy the pockets of his robes and a pocket chess set. Harry didn’t bring anything, but was holding the fruit for all of them.
Hermione conjured a blanket to set the fruit and things on, but then quickly got immersed in her book. Used to this, Ron and Harry got out the chess set, Harry being perfectly content to just watch Ron’s miniature figures smash his to pieces.
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Draco Malfoy was more hesitant to come back to Hogwarts, but he wanted to see his friends and he needed excellent N.E.W.T.S. for a career worthy of a Malfoy. It was also a way to escape his house, with the terrible memories of being forced into service and the Dark Lord himself sitting in his dining room haunting him.
He also wanted to feel the warm sun on his pale skin this morning, so he grabbed a green apple, like always, and set out toward the lake with Pansy.
The sunlight felt so good, warming him from the outside in, making him feel like his worries were behind him. He was often shunned because of the mark on his forearm, and his family’s allegiance to the defeated Dark Lord.
He didn’t so much mind it, and he often felt bad about it himself, even if he didn’t have a choice in the matter. It was just he often felt even more lonely than usual, especially with Potter teasing him less and less.
He in fact spotted the Golden Boy in the spot where he had wanted to sit.
“Ugh. Potty, Granger, and Weasel have taken our spot.” Pansy spat. “Let’s find somewhere else, shall we Draco? Somewhere... FAR away?”
Harry scowled up at the pair, and Draco felt a pang in his stomach, from what he did not know. He was probably just hungry.
He and Pansy walked over to the other side of the lake and plopped onto the soft grass. They started chatting about all kinds of things as they stared out onto the peaceful blue water.
Draco looked down at the apple, glistening in the sunlight. So bright. So green. He took a big bite, his teeth sinking into the sweet flesh. The moment he could taste the perfection of it, he was overwhelmed by the fresh, crisp, tart amazingness. He sighed, overcome by the deliciousness of the apple.
“Umm... Draco?” Pansy asked, her eyes questioning.
Draco snapped his head up, towards Pansy but away from the apple, and suddenly everything seemed duller. The colors less vibrant, everything dimmed in comparison to that shiny green apple. He shook his head vigorously, trying to clear it.
“Yes, Pansy?” He inquired, trying to hide the fact that he had just been caught intensely, 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑦 gazing at a luscious green apple.
Again.
She gave him an odd look and continued blabbering on about something he just couldn’t focus on.
He looked across the lake at Potter, who was losing, yet again, another game of Wizards’ Chess. He thought it was strange that he kept playing, even though he kept on losing. But with every game, Ron’s grin got a little bit wider. 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡’𝑠 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑖𝑚 he thought and gave a small smile.
Then Harry reached for an apple, almost identical to his own, out of a small pile of fruit. He watched as Harry broke off a piece of the apple and HOLY MERLIN.
He didn’t know quite what it was, but as he watched Harry bite into the crisp apple, everything seemed to go in slow motion.
He could practically hear the pleasant crunch. Smell the heavenly aroma. See the colors erupt in his head whenever he ate one. Taste the sweet, tart juice. Feel the apple between his teeth as he chewed.
And MERLIN. It. Was. HO- No. No no no no no. He was not just about to say hot. He must just still be hungry. He did not feel that way about fudging ‘Saint Potter.’ No way.
“...do you?” Pansy asked, and Draco sensed he should have been listening for a while now. He took a guess.
“Umm...yes?”
“REALLY!? I fricken knew it! You’ve been ‘complaining’ about perfect ’Saint Potter’ for years!”
“Wai...what? Potter? What’s he got to do with anything?”
Pansy groaned and said exasperatedly, “You didn’t hear anything I just said. Did you.”
He gave her an apologetic look and said, “Sorry, I must have zoned out. What was the question?”
“Well I just caught you staring at Potter, and I asked if you liked him.” She said matter-of-factly.
“Me?! What!? Potter!? Noooo... Never.”
“Uh huh. Sure.”
In a hurry to change the subject, Draco asked, “So. Um. What’s your favorite magical creature?” Pansy quirked an eyebrow but answered the question, and they had an easy conversation once again. Draco let out a sigh of relief.
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“Ay mate! Why are you eating the green one?” Ron asked, gesturing at the apple in Harry’s hand. “I thought you preferred the red.”
“Oh, he just— I mean... THEY just looked good today.” Harry said with a tremendous blush. He was NOT just about to say DRACO looked really good eating one today. Absolutely not. No way no how.
“Alrighty then.” Ron chuckled.
Harry blushed deeper and looked back down at the apple, embarrassed by just the thought of if he said that out loud. He took another bite.
It was sourer than he would have liked, but something about the tartness reminded him of Draco. What. Eww. He chucked the apple into the lake, only for it to be snatched up by a giant slimy tentacle.
What was he thinking!? He must just be a little jumbled in the head after all the trauma he had endured. But he looked across the lake at Malfoy, he just couldn’t help it, and was surprised to find his silver eyes staring back at his emerald ones.
Draco quickly looked away and so did Harry. But Harry couldn’t help thinking that Draco had really had a glow up since last time he saw him.
Unburdened by all that was being forced upon him, his sharp features were more relaxed, his face peaceful as he stared out at the water.
Ugh! He was disgusted at himself! What was he thinking? He didn’t think he was gay, but the more that he thought about it, the more it made sense.
He and Ginny were really close, but they both had admitted that they loved each other more like siblings. And they were okay with that.
But Malfoy could never like him back. Malfoy HATED Harry! And Harry hated Malfoy! He had done so much to show that! He stalked him endlessly on the map, he had house elves just follow him around, he was just suspicious! With good reason! He hated Malfoy. Or at least he thought he did...
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Draco was thinking similar thoughts, how this was the first time he had really seen Potter decently groomed since sixth year!
He had gotten very slightly taller, and more muscled, his hair as crazy as ever, but it was clean. His emerald eyes were as vibrant as ever, and for the split second their eyes had met, the intensity of them had burned.
But Potter could never like him back. They hated each other! Always had! Draco had gone to such lengths just to display his hatred! He climbed a tree, he complained about how terribly perfect he was constantly, he spent hours making pins with Potter's face on them, he made snide remarks in the corridors every chance he got-
Oh. OH! Oh no.
Ugh. He had been falling for ages. Gosh dangit. He asked Pansy if they could go inside.
“But the day is so gorgeous!” Pansy whined.
“I have to do an essay for Flitwick.”
“Ugh. Fine.” Pansy gave him a nasty look but stood up and started heading towards the castle.
He did have an essay, but really he just couldn’t STAND looking at Potter for one more second.