Chapter Text
It was beautiful here. Vibrant green and full of life. The weather was crisp and the air smelled faintly of ozone, smoke and magic.
Harry sighed, looking around and shivering a little in his winter robes. This was not what he had signed up for when he enlisted in Auror training and graduated top of the class. He’d envisioned fighting crime and genuinely making a difference in a post-war world where some of Voldemort’s followers still roamed free. He’d imagined chasing criminals.
Not lost little girls, who happened to be the daughter of a Wizengamot judge.
Eloise Montgomery disappeared on an otherwise ordinary Tuesday morning while on vacation. In Norway. Near a reported dragon lair.
How that necessitated that Harry go there alone instead of leading a normal, formal team of Aurors still managed to escape him.
Well, not exactly alone.
“It’s a dragon sanctuary. You’ll need to be escorted by the locals.”
“The keepers?”, Harry frowned.
“They call themselves Dragon Riders. They feed, tend to and protect the dragons. Only they also fly on them. I know what and who you imagine, Harry, but Norway is not Romania. And while usually dragon keepers are associated with a certain amount of control… we’re talking about full submission here. And you of all people know that it takes a lot to make a dragon submit to you.”
“Just what are you telling me, Hermione?”
“Just… be careful, okay?”
And here Harry was, waiting at the border of the sanctuary for the locals to meet and welcome him.
The rumors and fan theories about the dragon riders seemed to be all the world knew about them. Wrapped in a fine layer of myths and mystery, their community was very closed. Dragon riders were said to be stoic and unapproachable, very strict about their rule to never let an outsider behind the tall walls of their sanctuary.
An outsider like Harry.
On the other hand, they were known to often work with the local Aurors if a look from above was needed in an investigation or when a faraway mountain region had to be reached and searched. And Norway was known for its many, many mountain regions.
If they worked with the Aurors they couldn’t possibly be as… well, hard to work with, right?
After all his Auror training he should have seen and heard the danger coming, swooping from above. He should have noticed the change of wind, the whisper of an attack, the swift dive of something deadly aimed right at him.
But as lost in his thoughts as Harry was he had no chance against such a power of nature as he was about to face.
There was a rustle of wind, a flap of giant wings and a thunderous roar as something huge and powerful landed right in front of him in a matter of seconds. A second voice joined the beast’s cry, a stern and just as powerful “Nok!” The dragon quieted, its horned head turning to inspect Harry with narrowed yellow eyes. Its body was covered in shiny green-gold scales. The giant wings lowered and a man jumped from its back, took a few steps towards Harry and then promptly stopped.
Wide green met just as wide and surprised stormy grey.
He was just the same and nothing alike that broken 17yo boy Harry last saw in a dark courtroom.
He looked like a mythology character come alive, like a Viking from the Old Times. His strong thighs were clad in leather, his boots having more laces than strictly necessary. He wasn’t wearing a robe but a warm coat with fur: Harry guessed it was too cold up there for anything flimsy and billowing.
But the most stunning thing in him was his hair. It was long and shiny, like a golden waterfall. Part of it was weaved into tiny braids tied with beads made of natural stones and wood. The braids were pulled back into a half-ponytail with the rest of his hair free and flowing down his shoulders.
Shoulders that were wide and strong, proud like the man had always been, yet now they hinted not of a haughty heritage but a warrior’s stance.
It made sense, Harry’s mind helpfully supplied somewhere at the back of his head, since dragon riders often aided the local magical law enforcement.
Strong arms crossed above a muscular chest. The blonde took a deep breath.
“So go on. Out with it”, he looked resigned, “Give me your best ‘so a Dragon Rider named Draco’ speech. Not like I’ve heard it a thousand times before.”
And, sassy as he’d always been, Harry expected himself capable to come up with something smart and funny and sarcastic. Something not quite like,
“I like what you’ve done with your hair.”
Draco blinked slowly, owlishly, stunned. Harry expected a mocking comeback of some kind, a cruel hashing-out. Not the snort, turning into a warm full-belly laugh.
“Thanks. Also thank you for not saying that it makes me look like my father.”
“It doesn’t”, Harry simply said.
The smile that got him was warm and real. Draco nodded at the dragon.
“This is Skuld.”
“He’s er… very beautiful”, Harry said.
Draco chuckled again. “She is a queen and you better treat her like one for as long as you’re here.” He reached a hand. “Ready for a ride, Potter?”
The hand, the wording, the thinly veiled hope in those stormy eyes – it all looked so symbolic to Harry. Maybe it was time he took that chance and maybe things were going to be different this time, with no war and no meddling adults between them.
Harry took the offered hand.