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Like an arrow in the blue sky
He found him sitting on the patio steps, a cigarrette dangling precariously between his slender fingers as he watched the sunset. He looked strange. He knew it was the same Draco he had fought with throughout his teenage years, the one he had competed with during their training as Aurors and had become his partner. They didn't have a relationship that could be exactly defined as friendship but it was close to it. Personally, Harry always felt that there was something between them, a fine line that separated them from becoming more. But now he couldn't feel it anymore. Not with everything that had happened.
"If you're going to say something, do it already" the bored voice of the blond pulled him out of his thoughts and he hesitated for a moment before approaching him, leaning against the wall next to the door so as not to invade his space.
"I thought the Healers would keep you a little longer. Or at least the Unspeakables. They seemed more than ready to put you in one of their little rooms and not let you out until they've squeezed all the information out of you.” He made an attempt at humor and saw Draco draw a half smile on his face, a gesture in between tired and arrogant.
"As if they could beat me" the man huffed, shrugging. Silence enveloped them for a moment more, both watching as the sun slowly disappeared on the horizon. "How much longer will it take you to ask what you want to know, Potter?" the dark-haired man frowned a little. Even the way he said 'Potter' didn't sound the same anymore.
"I'm not sure what to ask" he lied.
"Yes, you are"
Draco's voice was calm, without accusation. It was a simple statement. He was right, Harry knew exactly what he wanted to know, what he was dying to ask but at the same time he found himself reluctant to quench his curiosity because he had a feeling that the answer would only bring to the surface a lot of things that he had refused to acknowledge. And Harry didn't feel ready to hear any of those truths either.
"You weren't all that alike, you know," Draco began suddenly, his voice soft, withdrawn. "Physically I suppose so, same birds' nest on the head, same round glasses, same unshaven face that makes you look like a homeless person." He chuckled lightly, giving Harry a knowing glance before turning back to the dying sun. "So alike that I almost didn't realize what had happened at first, but there is were your similarities ended. He is…” he paused for a moment, thinking his words over carefully. “Immaculate” he finally said, his mouth twisting a little at that description but he had no other way to explain it.
"In what way?" asked the dark-haired man seriously, unable to contain his curiosity.
"He grew up with his parents, Potter," he said softly, and Harry felt his heart squeeze painfully in his chest.
"...Oh"
"He still has the scar but that sacrifice wasn't made by Lily Potter, but by his grandparents who took care of him under a Fidelius while his parents were in another secret place. He is confident, self-assured, somewhat arrogant and with a sense of humor very similar to mine" silver eyes were dull with longing and he had a sad smile on his face "He was a total bastard at times and was unapologetic for his selfish impulses. He has more enemies than friends. But still... he was perfect. He... he loved me. Loves me. And now I'm here, back in this damn dimension, with no possibility of going back and telling him..." he cut himself off, feeling a lump in his throat. Harry felt the same way, staring at him.
"That you love him too," he completed for him, feeling a strange emptiness inside. Draco's silence was answer enough. "Why can't you go back?" he asked through a dry throat, deciding to ignore for now the wave of feelings that wanted to wash over him after that information.
"The gap that maintained the connection between this dimension and his was closed. They closed it" he said contemptuously, referring to the Unspeakables and he threw the almost finished cigarrette on the ground, stomping on it "Now... now the other Draco should already be there. And I'm stuck here"
Ah. The other Draco.
After two days without hearing from the blond and with Harry on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a very confused Draco who spoke almost exclusively only French went looking for Neville of all people and seemed to have no idea why they were in England when they had been at a conference in Bulgaria. His friend knew that Draco was an Auror so he quickly contacted his department and they gradually put together the pieces of what had happened. Hermione had been fascinated. Harry had been furious and almost frantic because Draco was in another dimension and he didn't know how the hell were they going to bring him back. Moreover, that Draco didn't seem to know Harry or who any of them were. Apparently he had grown up in France, had gone to Beauxbatons, and Neville was a colleague with whom he was developing a project on miniature gardens. He had heard of Harry Potter, of course, but he didn't know him in person, he just looked at the Gryffindor with curiosity and some apprehension because it seemed that Potter was always around him. His knowledge of English wasn't the best, so it took him a while to decipher some things and find Neville. He also had no idea how he had ended up in this place, his last memory was of arriving at his hotel after that day's conference had finished and when he woke up, he found himself in a different country and in a strange apartment.
"If it was closed, it can be reopened"
"And how long will that take?" Draco snorted "Every second I spent in here, hours have passed in there. By the time we know how to open it... it may already be too late"
By the time the Unspeakables discovered where the breach was and then how to retrieve the Draco of this dimension, two weeks had already passed. The longest couple of weeks in the world, if you asked Harry. And when the French Draco disappeared, leaving an unconscious blond in his place, he felt as if he could breathe again. The healers quickly checked him over, determining that he was in good health, though they decided to keep him overnight to make sure. The Unspeakables had been in the hospital room the whole time so Harry had been prevented from visiting him, just waiting impatiently outside for them to finish so he could check on Draco. The news had been surprising. Whereas here it had only been two weeks, for Draco it had been a year.
"Do you think he won't wait for you?" He earned a glare for that question and tried not to smile, annoying Draco would always be his skill apparently "You said he loves you, waiting a year or more is nothing as long as in the end he can have you again"
Draco swallowed hard, looking away.
"And if I can't open it again?" he muttered in a low voice. Harry shrugged, moving closer to him.
"At least you tried. It's the least you can do for someone you love, don't you think?"
Draco watched him curiously, his eyes running over his face as if he was searching for something in it and Harry knew what it was. It hurt. He felt an emptiness in his chest and he wanted to scream but at the same time it was surprisingly easy for him to keep a smile on his lips. Right now he was only focused on Draco and how he could help him, and then when he is alone he will let himself be swept away by all the feelings he has stuck inside of him.
Harry offered him his hand.
"Let's go?"
The blond frowned a little but a smile was beginning to form on his face, taking his hand and getting up. His skin was warm to his touch and Harry suppressed the urge to tighten his fingers around it.
"Maybe you're not that different..." Draco said thoughtfully and Harry shrugged, ignoring the way his heart lurched on his chest.
"Maybe not"
Draco's smile widened a bit more and he followed him into the house.