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During the summer holidays, Draco chose to go back home as per Narcissa's request through her owl. She stated in her letter that Draco needs to go back right away for a serious talk. Honestly, he doesn't know what the matter is. Draco is a bright child, he never bullies people like Atticus. On top of that he's smart and always placed first in exams. House Slytherin is thriving greatly with him.
"So you'll go back eh, Draco?" Aurora, from house Ravenclaw walked towards him. She saw Draco's suitcase and his panicked behaviour, standing still in front of the hall. "Something happens at manor? It's rare for you to go back on holiday."
"Yes, mother asked me to. She mentioned serious talk but I'm not sure what it is. Does it sound strange if i told you I'm really scared? Mother is scary." Draco brings his finger in his mouth, biting the corner of his nail.
"I heard you're different from your brother. It's very unlikely to be a school problem. Maybe, it's regarding your social life. You're a nerd who's burying one face in a book all day after all." She shrugged his shoulders, giving Draco an understanding look. "The train will be here, you should go by now." Aurora continues, watching her pocket watch with butterfly ornament ticking.
"Yes. I-i, should go now! Good bye Aurora, see you again." Despite his panic, Draco is still dragging his feet towards Hogsmeade Station. Murmuring a pray for his life.
"Good bye Draco!"
...
To his surprise, Harry was sitting near the station. Reading The Prophet while holding a coffee cup on the other hand. His hair disheveled into every other direction, life as an Auror must be hard or stressful for him.
Harry and Draco's relationship began shaping not just as 'younger brother of my bully—famous person i ever knew'. They have grown much more than that. First was at the Diagon Alley, and then they met again in Hogwarts because of Harry's mission, another met up in Forbidden Forest—Draco got lost while looking for herbs. The very recent one, Draco gets tangled up between Harry and an ex-Death Eater fight in Knockturn Alley. That happened 2 years ago, Draco sent him an owl afterwards.
Mr. Potter
I'm quite thankful for your help, or not. You must be helping me because you've been targeting that man from the very first, and i happened to be there, made it hard for you to handle. So this letter will be my gratitude for helping me and my apologies for my childish act.
With very much respect
Draco Malfoy
Little Malfoy
It's not your fault to be there when it's happening, and it's not that hard for me to handle. Fret not about it, just study hard and get the highest score in Hogwarts. If you have any other problems, feel free to send me letter. I don't want to hear nor see someone die in Forbidden Forest again.
HP
Then they kept sending each other owls, sometimes just letters and sometimes with a gift—mostly from Harry, new quill, parchment, robe, herbs. From all that interaction they become closer, even agreed coming to see each other on Three Broomstick every Friday evening. The night would be filled with Draco chatter and his question about Harry's student and Auror life, then ended with Harry escorting Draco to Hogwarts.
By the time went, a new feeling grew on Draco's chest, his heart would be beating very fast whenever Harry's face came near him. Face redden when hearing praise from the man, and his mind wandering, imagining about him in sleep. To the point he's tired and confronted Harry about it.
"I can't sleep last night."
"Insomnia?"
"No, apparently I'm dreaming about you." Draco's face flushed, he hid his face within his hand, not wanting to let it go and see Harry's eyes.
No response coming from Harry.
"You must've curse or poison me, or maybe it's just me being weird. Is it weird for you? You hate me for this aren't you? I'm pathetic." But then a hand cupped Draco's cheeks. He's shocked, heart skipping a beat.
"Your father and brother will kill me for having this feeling too surely." Draco put his hand away, his face ... Totally shocked and grey eyes staring right into Harry's. "I don't want to give The Prophet another rumour of me either."
"Tell me this is a dream."
"Fortunately it's not."
"No ... How come?"
"You're just— too sweet for me. I've tasted this kind of warmth from my friends, those who i address as my family, that's it. But yours, it's different and i think i want it." Harry let out a sigh. "I'm a pedophile, i should go and hex myself or ask Hermione to do it."
Harry pushed his chair back, almost standing when Draco's pale hand grabbed him. There's still a hint of shock, disbelief, and relief in his eyes. "Then wait for me?"
"Wait for you?"
"Yes! Our feelings are mutual, so why not? People won't accuse you being weird if i had reached twenty by then. Well maybe some will, but I've become an adult."
Flashback of what happened two weeks ago comes to Draco's mind, he hasn't seen Harry for the past weeks, any letter he sent didn't come back with a reply. Harry left him there, with his confused, absurd feeling. He thought.
But Harry saw him now in the station, he walked towards Draco leaving his coffee and newspaper behind. Some people greeted him but he ignored them. "Draco, I've been waiting."
"Waiting? Do i have a meeting with you, Mr. Potter?" Harry lifts his brow, Draco has come to the terms of calling him by his first name, but he can see Draco is mad right now.
"You're mad at me."
"I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"I'm NOT!" Draco's voice raised.
"I'm sorry for leaving you without any explanation, and I'm sorry for not writing back to you."
"At least you know what your fault is."
"Yes, I've been busy with something for the past few days. It's an important matter to me, and I've to prepare myself for it. I can't let go of this chance." He patted Draco's shoulder, gently, trying to reassure him.
"How important is it that you forgot about me?" He snap off Harry's hand from his shoulder. There's a pain in Draco's voice. A glimpse of tears shows up in his eyes, he blinks several times to hide it right away.
"I'm sorry Draco, i didn't forget about you. For Merlin sake i swear on it. You'll know the rest once we arrive at your manor." Harry pulled Draco for a hug, then lifted his body and took over Draco's suitcase.
"What are we doing in my home?" Draco's face rested in Harry's neck, breathing in his fragrance. No cry but he's definitely mad and disappointed. He already forgot about the matter that his mother wanted to talk about because of his silly meeting with Harry.
"To meet your family."
...
When they arrived at the manor, Draco was still in Harry's arm. He didn't let go of the man at all, wrapped his pale arms around Harry's neck tightly.
Two house elf comes to the door, one of them opens the door and takes Draco's suitcase away. The other one led the way "Madame and the Masters are at the dinner table, they ask Master Draco and Mister Potter to be there first."
"Alright, thanks for letting us know." Harry walks toward the dining room, following the house elf, but then he remembers something. "You have to get down or your parents will question us," he said but didn't even force Draco to get down, hands tight on Draco's back and leg.
"I don't care, let them be. So you'll get into trouble."
"Oh i love to."
By the time they came, a sudden gasp left Lucius and Atticus mouth, Harry gave them a big smile on his face, then nodded over Narcissa at the end of the table.
She raises her brows. "Draco, get down. You'll tire Mr. Potter," she said while glaring over her husband and son.
Draco wriggled, Harry let him go.
"Mother."
"Sit. You too Mr. Potter. We will eat first before discussing the matter." Food began served on the table, fancy dinner that Harry always sees at a 5 star restaurant.
Dinner was quiet, no one makes a voice, not even Atticus who's glaring over Harry, and Lucius with his dumbfounded face. The talk of Narcissa being the lead of Malfoy must be true, Harry has never associated himself with the Malfoy after the war. Except last week when he owl Narcissa a letter, and Draco of course.
"Is the food to your liking Mr. Potter?" Narcissa asks after finishing her plate. Her hand reaches out to the tea cup, inhaling the fragrance before drinking it.
"Yes, it suits me just fine."
"Good to hear that. So how's our Draco? Is he doing anything bad or being naughty in Hogwarts?" Draco who gets mentioned, glance over his mother.
"Is this what the serious talk is, mother?"
"Maybe it's, maybe not." She smiles teasingly at his son.
"Draco is a good kid, unlike his brother behaviour. He had high grades in almost every subject and exceptionally great at brewing potions. He's a seeker too in the quidditch team just like me before." Harry answered while getting a piece of treacle tart into his mouth.
"You know a lot about our son, i thought you work for the Auror? Switching job?" Lucius joined, he was surprised to hear Harry talk about Draco. A lot.
"I told him father."
"Should have guessed by how you came here in his arms." Atticus huffed. Clearly annoyed but say nothing more.
"Now, now. Boys. Listen to me, and no one shall interrupt what i want to say. Especially you two, Lucius, Atticus." Atticus rolled his eyes, and Lucius coughed in response.
"Last week, an owl came to me. There's a letter from our guest right here, Mister Harry Potter. The content of the letter is about proposing to Draco, Engagement. Personally i would let him do that, because of the benefits he stated at the letter. A quarter of the Black's wealth, clearing our name from the past matter, giving us some influence in the social world again, no force on both parties. If Draco says no or yes, then it has been decided." Narcissa finished her words and began to drink her tea again.
"There's too many shocking things happening today." Atticus held his head and let out a sigh.
"I will follow Draco's choice," said Lucius. "Beside, ekhem. I got no voice in this matter, we do need money to open and repair the manor south wing, replanting some flowers-"
Draco on the other hand was silent, his mind wandering everywhere. Did he hear that right, Harry proposed to him! Ah, no, this must be a dream. But this is reality! Is this why he disappeared for two weeks?!
"Draco, are you good?" Harry speaks up, silencing Atticus's fuss and Lucius talk. So Draco snapped back from his wandering though, everyone in the room watching him.
"I- er, yes, I'll accept t-the engagement. Mother ...." Draco's hand comes to his head, scratching the place that's actually not itchy at all, he just feels awkward.
"Then it has been decided, we will send the engagement document to your office, Mr. Potter. But i want Draco to marry after his 19th birthday, not now. I won't allow it." Narcissa places his cup back to the table and looks straight to Harry.
"Yes, it's okay by me. I'm not in the place to marry him in this age too. People would make a much bigger fuss over it." Harry gave back an acknowledged smile.
"Never in my life dream about becoming in-laws for Potter." Lucius coughed again, but his tone is warm.
"Nor do i, father." Atticus stands up. "We may still have our rivalry from the past, but i don't want to see you use it against my brother." He then stormed out.
"He's a bit dramatic isn't he?" Draco tugging Harry's sleeves, rolling his eyes with a tired face.
"He just acts like your father." Harry laughed a little over Narcissa's comment, which is very true indeed.
"Narcissa ...."
"Oh I'm sorry dear, didn't mean to do it."
"Mother." Narcissa goes back focusing herself on Draco. "Can Harry sleep here tonight?" He's giving Narcissa a starry eyes, begging in a silent way.
"He? No. You may be engaged now, but I'm not going to let you do it. Think of this as the time when you don't listen to me, I'm giving it back to you." Narcissa chuckles then stands up, followed by Lucius. "Mr. Potter."
"Noooo, mother. You can't!"
Harry understood and stood up too. Before moving his feet he patted Draco's blond hair. "I'll see you again after the holidays, meet me at the usual place ya."
"Promise me you'll write a letter." Draco followed them too, walking to the front door where his parents were waiting.
When Harry already outside of the door, he turns around and gives Draco a smile on his face. "It's a promise, Draco."
"See you around, Harry!"