Chapter Text
Harry woke up the next morning refreshed. As he lazily went about his morning routine, he thought about last night. The memories felt hazy and like he had an out-of-body experience. But those few moments just reinforced the idea of Draco actually liking him, so he took it as a win.
He cast a Tempus charm as he was putting on his shoes and saw that it was just a few minutes past seven. Draco is usually up by this time. He is one of the few people in their year who is a morning person. That was actually how Hermione and he had bonded. With no one around to talk to that early in the morning, they had no choice but to talk to each other. It had started with a small greeting which turned into discussing coursework and other wider world topics. Hermione got Draco interested in all kinds of Muggle books, and Draco in turn got Hermione books from his Manor's library that were hard to find.
As expected, when he touched down in the common room, Draco was seated by the fire, all ready in his school robes. How he managed to always look so put together this early was beyond Harry.
"What are you reading?" Harry asked as he approached the couch.
Draco looked up with a smile. "Just catching up on the Ancient Runes text. We have a quiz coming up at the end of the week."
"Wouldn't know. Ancient Runes is not really my thing," Harry shrugged as he sat down on the other end, his knees pulled up and hands between his thighs.
"Yes, I imagine running around chasing dark wizards is more your thing. The rest of us can't rely on our brawn and good luck as much as you, so we have to make the best use of our brains," Draco chuckled as he looked back down to mark his place in the text before closing it.
"I will have you know I use my brain plenty. I am almost on par with you in every subject we have together. Except Potions where you are light years ahead," Harry said with a scowl on his face.
"Almost isn't the same as actually being equal now, is it, sweetheart?" Draco smiled condescendingly as he put his book back in his bag and completely turned towards Harry.
Harry, for his part, didn't dignify it with a response. He just continued to look at Draco, who looked softer in the morning light. He should try waking up early more, so he could catch the morning light hitting Draco's face and capture the moment forever. (Nah, sounded like too much work. Maybe he could just set up a camera and watch the footage later.)
“Alright, airhead? You seem lost in your thoughts, which is concerning since you don’t have many.” Merlin, he hated that arrogant mouth.
“There are times when I think you are better than your snobbish 15-year-old self and then you prove me wrong the very next moment.”
“There’s nothing snobbish about me, whether it be in the past or the present,” he sniffed, snobbishly.
“Says the prick who ordered a custom cake of my face just to smash it in,” Harry said, without missing a beat.
Draco flushed red instantly. “Who the fuck told you that? Never mind, I know it was Blaise. That bastard can’t keep his mouth shut unless there is food between his teeth,” he seethed.
“Calm down, you drama queen. It wasn’t Blaise,” Harry said, laughing.
“I will have you know that that incident was right after you and I had that fight on the Quidditch pitch and I needed a healthy way to get rid of my anger,” he muttered, turning his nose up.
“You mean after that one match where you lost so pathetically you had to start throwing out all kinds of insults so you could see me all riled up and get close to me?” Harry smirked.
“Yes well, back then I didn't know calling you sweet names could just as easily do the job, now did I?”
Harry sat there for a moment. He had been waiting for this moment since yesterday. Draco was flirting with him again and now he could easily bring up the conversation.
So, he asked Draco if they could talk about what he wanted to say since yesterday night, in a slightly serious tone. Draco nodded, instantly focused again and waited for him to start.
Harry took a deep breath and started, “I have never done this before. Every person I have liked, we just kissed first as a way of confessing. Which, in hindsight, might also be the reason I thought that you flirting with me was just a new way of making me lose my mind. Pansy had to spell it out for me yesterday, and even Ron, the most oblivious person I know, saw the signs before me. I thought about it a lot yesterday, talked with our friends and realized I like you. A lot. Like more than I liked that new pastry me and Blaise tried last week. And believe me I liked it a lot. I almost asked the owner to marry me.”
“Are you asking me to marry you, darling?” Draco asked, chuckling. His cheeks were a bit pink, which Harry took as a good sign and continued on.
“No, it's too soon for that. But maybe a date? Would that be something you would be interested in? I promise to take you to the best place in town. Random rendezvouses with Blaise has ensured I know all the best places. It will be worth your time,” Harry felt like he was marketing for a cafe rather than asking the guy he likes out on a date.
Draco had a big smile on his face now and he took Harry’s hand in his own. “I would be delighted to go on a date with you, Harry,” he said as he pecked his fingers. Harry squeezed his hand and shifted closer.
“Really? This isn't a joke right? Because even if it is, I won't care about it. I am taking you out on that date, whether you want to or not,” he mumbled, his head coming to rest on Draco’s shoulder.
“It's not a joke, doll. I have been waiting for this for a long time. Some would say even before I actually met you. I am not a fool to let this fall through my fingers now. There is no fight we can have now that will make me hate you. Always remember that.”
Harry looked up at that. Draco was close again. His lips right in front of his eyes. He didn't think about it for a moment more before putting his hands on Draco’s jaw and kissing him. Draco responded almost immediately. He had one of his hands in Harry’s hair instantly and the other went around his waist. Harry was half in his lap by this point.
Harry had only kissed two people in his life until that moment. But he had never felt himself melting away like this. He had never made a silent vow to himself to never kiss another person, ever again. It was either Draco or no one.
One of Harry’s hand travelled up to Draco’s hair and he played with it, feeling the softness between his fingers. Draco broke away to gasp, take a breath and then started kissing down his jaw and onto his neck. He licked and pecked, while Harry kissed his jaw and cheek. He heard Draco take a deep breath, after which he whispered, “Always smelling so sweet. The things your scent does to me, Potter. Merlin. I want to eat you up in one bite.”
“Yea.. yeah,” Harry gasped, “I would like that.”
“Theo are you looking at this? The two lost souls have finally find their way to each other. That's my children, I raised them so well,” Harry heard Blaise’s voice, exclaim dramatically.
He jolted, looked up to see Blaise pretending to wipe a tear from his eyes, while Theo was resolutely looking in the other direction. Harry flushed more, if that was even possible and heard Draco groan into his neck. His hands around Harry’s waist wouldn't budge though.
After a moment or two of more silence, Draco finally loosened his grip and Harry slipped off him, back onto the couch, while he just threw his arms and head back, scowling at the ceiling.
The peeping duo made their way over to them. “Don't look so put out, Draco. The man of your dreams, which were all were dirty Harry so beware, finally confessed. That sour expression is going to send him the wrong message.”
“The said man was in my arms and kissing me for the first time, you prick. Couldn't you have just silently walked away?” Draco shot back.
Harry was going to die out of embarrassment. He would need to ask Hermione if there is a limit up to which someone can blush before exploding like a squished tomato.
“I said we should leave, but this exhibitionist pervert just couldn't resist butting his large head in,” replied Theo, giving Blaise a sneer.
“Well, if they didn't want anyone to see, they shouldn't have been putting on that show in such a public place. How am I the exhibitionist in this scenario?” Blaise asked, mock hurt.
That’s it, Harry couldn't take all of this talk anymore. He got up to leave, but had his hand instantly caught by another. He turned around to look at Draco, who also got up.
“Off for another round of nooky?” Blaise teased from his spot.
Draco just gave him the finger, pulling Harry along to the entrance of the common room. As they walked towards breakfast, they kept up a light conversation that Harry wasn't really focused on. All he could think about was how Draco was still holding his hand, and it didn't look like he was going to let go anytime soon. He couldn't stop smiling the rest of the way.
They sat in a corner of the Slytherin table for breakfast. When they had arrived, people were barely beginning to come in. It was too early, indeed. Harry usually was one of the last people to arrive and managed to gobble up a quick breakfast, so this was new for him. He urged Draco to continue with his routine and to not wait for him. He would eat a bit later. For now, he was just content on sipping on his pumpkin juice and sit beside Draco, practically glued to his side.
Draco piled on a few fruits on his plate and a couple of hash browns. Harry noticed that he also put two mini raspberry donuts on his plate, which Harry raised an eyebrow at since he knew Draco wasn't a huge sugar fan and preferred to stick to traditional breakfast foods. Draco just shrugged, said he was just trying something new, before continuing the conversation.
Soon, their friends started trickling in, among other students. They all joined the new couple, with extreme faces of delight. Pansy shrieked the moment she walked in, bounded right over to them and planted a kiss on each other their cheeks. “Congratulations, darlings.”
Blaise, sitting across the table, had pointed his fork at them and recounted the incident he had witnessed today morning. “You should have seen them Pans. That moment is what I think Draco will use to conjure his Patronus for the rest of life, mark my words.”
Harry glanced over at Draco, who was slightly pink but otherwise ignored Blaise. As Harry had a bite of the donut that remained untouched on Draco’s plate, he looked over at Ron, who was sitting on Hermione’s other side. He looked uncomfortable, having listened to Blaise’s tale, that honestly had a lot more extra spice than Harry remembered. But he saw Harry looking at him, over Hermione’s head, and gave him a small, encouraging smile, which was all he needed from his best friend.
The rest of breakfast passed peacefully. Harry had managed to finished both of Draco’s donuts and had even managed to sneak almost all of the second serving of hash browns Draco helped himself to. Draco nudged him, pointing his head to the entrance in a silent question. Harry was instantly getting up, and following him out. He chose to ignore the kiss-y noises Blaise and Seamus insisted on being so loud about.
They had Potions for their first period. They were a bit early, so they waited outside the classroom in a quiet corner. Draco leaned against the wall, pulled Harry in by his waist until the latter’s hands were on his chest.
“So,” he started, “I take it we are officially in a relationship?” he asked, a small bit of hesitation slipping in.
“Well, yes. Isn't that what the entire morning was all about?” Draco asked, confused.
“Okay. Yeah good. Like I said, I have never done this before, so you are going to have to spell out a lot of things for me. I want to make this work with you, and in order to do that, I am going to need a bit of help,” he mumbled.
“I am not going anywhere, darling. We will figure this out together. You and I,” he answered, rubbing Harry’s waist.
“You and I. Together,” Harry smiled, while pecking his now confirmed boyfriend’s lips.
They separated soon after, when they heard people coming closer. Draco hand, however, still lingered around Harry’s waist. Their friends found them, Hermione walking in the front, rubbing her forehead. Pansy was not far behind her, throwing a sneer behind her, at Ron and Blaise.
“What’s up with you?” Harry asked Hermione.
“Those two idiots have the most asinine, pointless debate going on for past 20 minutes,” she sighed.
“What's pointless about trying to figure out what kills a dementor?” asked Ron.
“They just die, Ronald. There is nothing more to it. They age and they die. Circle of life and all that crap,” snapped Hermione.
“Yeah but are there one’s who die prematurely, is the question of the hour Granger. Are you losing focus in your old age, dear?” Blaise gasped, from beside Ron.
“Bold of you to mention age with a face that’s halfway to parchment,” Pansy sneered, while pretending to check out her nails.
“Oh Theo catch me, I may not recover from this. Such inaccurate opinions about my looks these people seem to hold,” Blaise gasped, exaggerating like always.
Slughorn was walking towards the class now. As they all turned to walk in the classroom, Ron said, “Focus, Zabini. Reasons a dementor could die prematurely? We have stabbed with a knife and shot with a gun on our list. What else?”
“Well, one look at your degenerate faces should also do the job, I assume,” Draco smirked from beside Harry, who was so surprised by the unexpected laughter that bubbled out of him, he snorted all the way through it.
Draco looked at his laughing face, kissed his cheek, before saying, “Always so adorable, sweetheart.”
Yeah, Harry thinks as he puts his bag down and settles on his chair, they will be alright. They’ll figure this out. Together.