Chapter Text
The first time that Draco realized that he loved Harry Potter was when the other man was lying unconscious in a hospital bed.
Potter had done something stupidly, predictably heroic and shoved Draco out of the way of a massive greco-style pillar only to end up crushing himself.
It wasn’t romantic love, by any means, he didn’t want to go out on a date with the other man or anything. He just realized rather suddenly that somewhere along the way he’d started loving Potter the way you loved a brother. Or at least the way Draco imagined that he might love a brother if he had one.
Loving your auror partner like a brother (or sister) was common, Draco assured himself as he watched Potter’s chest rise and fall with each labored breath. No need to panic. It was just a surprise that he could ever find himself loving someone he’d once hated as much as he’d hated Potter in any capacity.
“Ouch,” Potter rasped and Draco looked up quickly to see him starting to move.
“Ouch is right, you absolute wanker,” Draco replied.
Potter’s eyes flickered open and he squinted at him, “Malfoy?”
“Yes, it’s me. The man you dove in front of a pillar for, you bloody lunatic. I can’t believe you.”
“Could you hand me my glasses?” he asked, his voice still a bit scratchy and he was holding himself carefully, obviously still in pain.
“I would,” Draco replied, “But they were crushed by the pillar and left at the crime scene.”
“Oh,” he said, closing his eyes and smirking a little. “Too bad. I like watching your face when you’re mad.”
Draco huffed. “What were you thinking? A stone pillar literally fell on you.”
“But you’re alright?” he asked, his voice turning serious, too.
“Well, I did scrape my hands and knee because you shoved me,” he teased, “But the healer expects me to make a full recovery.”
The corner of Potter’s mouth twitched up, “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Are you going to ask if you’ll make a full recovery?” Draco asked. “I bullied that information out of a first year resident so that I would be able to tell you when you woke up.”
“You did not!” Potter exclaimed, a surprised laugh escaping and then turning into cough.
“Circe,” Draco said, picking up a cup filled with ice chips, “Sorry. Here,” he said as he carefully held out a few chips to place on Potter’s tongue.
“Cheers,” Potter replied, gladly accepting them.
“And you’re right. I didn’t. I actually charmed the answers out of him.”
“You charmed him?” he asked with a little huff and a grin.
Draco’s own smile tipped up the corners of his mouth, “I did. He was so charmed in fact that we’re going out on a date next Wednesday.”
“My, my,” Potter replied dryly, “Me saving you from a falling pillar has really worked out well for you.”
He chuckled, “It has. And you’ll be fine, by the way, not that you seem to care.”
“I care,” Potter protested.
“Do you?” Draco asked. Then he asked again, because he just couldn’t help himself, “Seriously, what were you thinking?”
Potter shrugged then winced, immediately seeming to regret it, “I wasn’t. I saw that you were in danger and my body made the decision for me.”
“While I appreciate that,” Draco said, “You could have just used magic.”
“You’re right.”
“That’s all you have to say?” he asked incredulously.
Potter grimaced, “What do you want me to say? The thought didn’t occur to me.”
“But you could have died!” he exclaimed.
“Nah,” Potter replied, shaking his head, “Death and I are old friends. He’s not taking me anywhere anytime soon.” He said it in that peculiar way of his where Draco could never quite tell if he was joking or not. Before he could think to answer, Potter asked, “Do you think you could ask the hot boyfriend of yours if I could have something for the pain?”
“How do you know he’s hot?” he asked, even as he started toward the door.
“Well you’re willing to date him, aren’t you? I’ve seen the type of men you date.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” he asked as he reached the doorway.
Without missing a beat, Potter replied, “That you have good taste."
“Good answer. I’ll go ask.” And as he walked away he reminded himself that there was nothing wrong with loving your Auror partner.
Like a brother.