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Non-fluffy Advent fic, part 2
Erm, just a short one today. And then nothing for a few days, sorry. Blame Harry...
Summary: Harry has almost forgotten what it is to be happy in love and life, until Draco gives him twenty-four chances to remember.
Word count (this part): ~530
Rating: G (Probably will be NC-17 overall. Yeah, baby!)
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
<<Part 1
2.
Standing under a tree, hidden away from the others, Harry watched as his younger self laughed with his friends. They were sitting by the lake at Hogwarts, and the laughter grew louder as Dean pushed Seamus into the cold water. Ron and Hermione sat to one side, Hermione wrapped in Ron’s arms, his head resting against hers. It was the year they had gone back to finish their NEWTs, the year they learned to relax, finally. Beside the tired and older Harry watching from the shadows stood Draco, the expression in his eyes unreadable.
Harry pulled out of the memory, confusion and anger beginning to build. Why was Draco showing him this? He knew that Draco had found it hard after the war. He knew that Draco’s extra year had been lonely, and unhappy. But a lot of people had a tough time after the war. And Harry had needed that laughter, he had needed a bit of time before facing the world. He couldn’t wish it away just because Draco had been miserable at the time. Harry thought back to his words of the day before. I didn’t see. He hadn’t seen, and he didn’t know what purpose it served to make him see now. Unless it was just to make him squirm.
He stood, and walked away from the Pensieve, frustrated. It had been a long day, and he was too tired to deal with any of this.
Later that night in bed – alone as Draco was on nights – Harry thought back to the memory of Draco standing alone, watching everyone else. Why had he reacted so strongly to it? In the dark of the night, Harry twisted with unease. At the time, he hadn’t really noticed Draco, or thought too deeply on what his life was like. But looking back, he could see just how lonely Draco had been. He’d never really had to confront that before. There had been Malfoy-from-school – infuriating and prejudiced – and Malfoy-the-adult who had been many things over the years. Intriguing, sad, funny, and the focus for more love than Harry had ever known before. Somehow Draco had always seemed like two different people, but now Harry realised that wasn't quite true. Harry sighed and tried to get comfortable. The past was so long ago. Why dredge it all up now?
When he saw the Pensieve as he was looking for his shoes the next morning – without Draco around to remind him, Harry forgot to put them away – Harry paused, toast in mouth, and glared at it. Guilt almost instantly tugged at him, and he swallowed his toast with difficulty. He put the Penseive up on the side, out of the way. He wasn’t going to watch any more memories. He didn’t have time for Draco’s self-indulgent trip down memory lane.
Draco came in just as Harry was leaving. Draco’s face was wan, his eyes drooping as if ready for sleep. He rubbed his hands through his short hair and nodded at Harry before stumbling past, in search of his bed, presumably.
Harry left, and put all thoughts of memories and Pensieves and Draco out of his mind. He had work to do.
>>Part 3
Summary: Harry has almost forgotten what it is to be happy in love and life, until Draco gives him twenty-four chances to remember.
Word count (this part): ~530
Rating: G (Probably will be NC-17 overall. Yeah, baby!)
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
<<Part 1
2.
Standing under a tree, hidden away from the others, Harry watched as his younger self laughed with his friends. They were sitting by the lake at Hogwarts, and the laughter grew louder as Dean pushed Seamus into the cold water. Ron and Hermione sat to one side, Hermione wrapped in Ron’s arms, his head resting against hers. It was the year they had gone back to finish their NEWTs, the year they learned to relax, finally. Beside the tired and older Harry watching from the shadows stood Draco, the expression in his eyes unreadable.
Harry pulled out of the memory, confusion and anger beginning to build. Why was Draco showing him this? He knew that Draco had found it hard after the war. He knew that Draco’s extra year had been lonely, and unhappy. But a lot of people had a tough time after the war. And Harry had needed that laughter, he had needed a bit of time before facing the world. He couldn’t wish it away just because Draco had been miserable at the time. Harry thought back to his words of the day before. I didn’t see. He hadn’t seen, and he didn’t know what purpose it served to make him see now. Unless it was just to make him squirm.
He stood, and walked away from the Pensieve, frustrated. It had been a long day, and he was too tired to deal with any of this.
Later that night in bed – alone as Draco was on nights – Harry thought back to the memory of Draco standing alone, watching everyone else. Why had he reacted so strongly to it? In the dark of the night, Harry twisted with unease. At the time, he hadn’t really noticed Draco, or thought too deeply on what his life was like. But looking back, he could see just how lonely Draco had been. He’d never really had to confront that before. There had been Malfoy-from-school – infuriating and prejudiced – and Malfoy-the-adult who had been many things over the years. Intriguing, sad, funny, and the focus for more love than Harry had ever known before. Somehow Draco had always seemed like two different people, but now Harry realised that wasn't quite true. Harry sighed and tried to get comfortable. The past was so long ago. Why dredge it all up now?
When he saw the Pensieve as he was looking for his shoes the next morning – without Draco around to remind him, Harry forgot to put them away – Harry paused, toast in mouth, and glared at it. Guilt almost instantly tugged at him, and he swallowed his toast with difficulty. He put the Penseive up on the side, out of the way. He wasn’t going to watch any more memories. He didn’t have time for Draco’s self-indulgent trip down memory lane.
Draco came in just as Harry was leaving. Draco’s face was wan, his eyes drooping as if ready for sleep. He rubbed his hands through his short hair and nodded at Harry before stumbling past, in search of his bed, presumably.
Harry left, and put all thoughts of memories and Pensieves and Draco out of his mind. He had work to do.
>>Part 3