October 2: Friends, Family, Loved Ones

It was Harry’s birthday, and as much he felt embarrassed when a big fuss was made over him, he loved that Draco had planned him a party out in the manor grounds, a big white tent lit up with sparkling fairy lights.

The food was good and the company even better. All of his friends, family, and loved ones gathered around playing games and telling stories; then once they were drunk enough, singing karaoke. He was giggling into his glass of wine (his favorite: Draco had given him an entire bottle just for him) as Hagrid finished a mopey ballad.

Draco was looking unbearably smug about how happy Harry was and Harry couldn’t help but find the smugness horribly endearing. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to his rosy cheek, warm from wine and happiness, “I love you,” he murmured before tucking his nose against Draco’s neck, “thank you for a brilliant birthday.”

“Sap,” Draco accused with a soft tsk, but he was pulling Harry closer, pressing kisses into his hair. “I have one more surprise for you,” he said, and Harry could hear the quiet undercurrent of nerves.

He kissed Draco’s neck, pausing to suck lightly at it just to hear him gasp and feel his body wriggle, “you’ve spoiled me rotten today already,” he said and he’d meant it to sound accusatory but it only came out ridiculously pleased and terribly fond, his whole chest like spun cotton candy, fluffy and light, and sticky sweet.

“Well,” Draco said, “this one is a little bit selfish.”

Harry hummed and just cuddled a little closer so that he was more in Draco’s chair than his own.

"I have to get up to give it to you," he said, chuckling softly and pressing even more kisses into Harry's hair.

With a heaving sigh, he forced his body upright once more with a piteous groan.

His boyfriend leaned down and pecked his lips, "Love you," he murmured against his mouth.

"Mmmh," he hummed, wrapping a hand around Draco's neck and drawing him closer.

"Menace," Draco murmured, kissing him, kissing him, kissing him, like there was nothing else that he'd rather do.

Harry grinned up at him when he pulled back, trailing the tips of his fingers over Draco's flushed cheeks.

"Tell me you love me," Draco requested, soft and sweet, smiling and open.

"I love you," he said, soft and sure, the truest thing he's ever known.

With a mischievous smirk, he gave Harry a wink and sauntered off. It was a couple minutes later when Draco appeared on stage, wearing a sequin top and a pair of short white shorts, tummy peaking out as he pulled the microphone out of the holder.

He cleared his throat, "I wanted to thank you all for being here to celebrate my very favorite person," he said and Harry's face stretched into a smile so wide it made his cheeks hurt. "And also for bearing witness to what's about to happen," he added as the choruses of 'awws' and whistling died down.

Draco gave a nod to Blaise who was standing at the ready by the karaoke machine waiting to hit play. And then Draco started singing, looking out at Harry with a huge grin.

"The moon is high, like your friends the night that we first met," he started.

And Harry laughed at the memory, they had all been high that night after they'd graduated. Lounging about or dancing around the club, causing all sorts of chaos.

"Now I've read all of the books beside your bed," he continued with a wink. Harry grinned up at him, because that was true too, they'd read most of them together, actually, curled up under the duvet. He hadn't been read to as a child, but Draco more than made up for it with the voices and the dramatic way he read.

"The wine is cold, like the shoulder that I gave you in the street. Cat and mouse for a month, or two, or three," he sang on, twisting his body to look at Harry coyly and Harry remembered the months between when he’d started to feel attracted to Draco and when Draco had started to believe him, "now I wake up in the night to watch you breathe."

There was another round of 'awes' and some pretend wretching but Draco rolled his eyes and sang on. Meeting Harry's gaze once more as he sang, "I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings," and Harry's heart flew into his throat at the implication, did he mean it? Was that even possible?

"And I hate accidents, except when we went from friends," he gestured between the two of them, "to this."

His heart burst, Draco did so hate the unplanned, abhorred surprises. That proclamation-

"Darling, you're the one I want in paper rings, in picture frames, in dirty dreams-" a chorus of laughter and whistling broke out and Draco's cheeks flushed bright red but he kept singing, staring at Harry with a naked devotion and affection.

He couldn't breathe with it, his heart rattled painfully around his chest.

Draco sang the next verse before jumping down off the stage and making his way to Harry, bending down as he sang "kiss me once, cause you know I've had a long night," Harry leaned in obligingly and kissed his cheek. "Kiss me twice cause it's gonna be alright," and there were those nerves tingling from Draco's consciousness and into Harry's. He leaned in and kissed his cheek again. "Three times, cause I've waited my whole life." And this time he leaned in to press a hasty kiss to Harry's lips like he couldn't help himself while they counted him back in.

He sang the refrain again, climbing into Harry's lap as he melted into the bridge, "I want to drive away with you, I want your complications too, I want your dreary Mondays-"

Harry's throat went tight around those words, around the way that Draco loved him when he couldn't make heads or tails of the darkness that threatened to overwhelm him.

"-Wrap your arms around me, baby boy," he said, giving one of Harry's arms a little tug.

He repeated the bridge, wrapping an arm around Harry's neck and carding his fingers tenderly through Harry's curls, making Harry tear up again as he stared up into those beautiful silver eyes.

Draco moved into the refrain again, slower and a little sweeter, like a promise. "I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings." Harry gripped him a little tighter, "you're the one I want," he sang softly. "And I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this, uh huh, darling.”

He jumped up, Harry’s fingers trailing after him as he went, singing the refrain again as he made his way to Pansy who was holding out a small box for him. “In paper rings, in picture frames, in all my dreams,” he sang as he made his way back over and dropped to his knees. “You’re the one I want,” he sang, looking up as he opened the box to reveal a gold band.

Harry’s hands flew to his mouth, like a complete cliche, “Draco,” he whispered as the crowd around them went unnaturally still.

“Marry me?” he asked, eyes tight around the edges like he thought Harry could possibly say no.

“Yes, of course yes,” he said, “you silly, perfect man. Of course.”

The room erupted into cheering but Harry could hardly hear it, too wrapped up in his love to notice.

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Written for @flufftober prompt 2 “friends, family, loved ones”

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Happy Tears

Draco had gotten used to carrying around tissues. It sounded silly because he took potions when he had colds or allergies, and so he very rarely had any cause to use them himself.

But the same could not be said for his husband.

Harry, to put it simply, was always crying about something. Draco hadn’t understood it at first but after years together, he didn’t even blink when he heard the inevitable sniffle, just handed his love a tissue.

Harry cried unapologetically when he was sad, hell he cried sympathetically when someone near him was sad. He cried when he was happy. He cried when he was angry. He cried when he thought things were beautiful; sunsets, the ocean, newborn babies, mountains, small animals. Once, he’d even cried when he saw a banana slug on a leaf.

He’d asked Harry about it toward the beginning of their relationship and he’d never forget his reply.

Harry told him, “I’m done living my life in a way that doesn’t make other people uncomfortable. I’m going to explore, I’m going to live, I’m going to love the things and people that I love without apology. I’m going to feel every emotion that I have to the fullest extent. I’ve allowed the world to take so much from me, I’m going to accept all that it has to give now.”

He’s spent the past 20 years experiencing the world with Harry in just the way that Harry wanted. He hoped to spend the rest of his life doing the same.

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Written for the @hdcandyheartsfest prompt ‘happy tears’

Love Langauge

There was something about the way that Harry always knelt down to greet Scorpius with a hug that Draco couldn't take. It was too much, too precious, it made him feel like his whole world was narrowed down to just two people, heart too full.

“Daddy told Auntie Pansy that people getting shit done is his love language.” Scorpius informed Harry primly and Draco promptly wished that he could just sink through the floor as Harry’s eyes, twinkling with mischief, found his over his son’s shoulder. He knew he shouldn't have had that floo call with Pansy about work while Scorpius was in the house.

“Did he?” Harry asked, before turning his attention back to Scorpius. “Sounds like acts of service is it for your dad.”

He shook his head, "Scorpius, it's your bedtime."

His 4-year-old turned and pouted at him, "But Harry just got here."

"I know," he said, understanding completely the desire to simply exist in the other man's orbit. "But it's past your bedtime already."

"Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked Harry, turning his pout on the other man, whom, Draco knew from experience, had no defenses against a pouting Malfoy.

"I would like that very much," Harry said sincerely, looking up at Draco, "if it's alright with your dad."

They didn't do this. Harry didn't stay overnight, he wasn't there in the morning when Scorpius woke up, as far as Scorpius was concerned, they were just friends. He'd been too afraid of his son getting attached, and how it would affect him when (if) Harry left. "Maybe Harry would like to meet us for ice cream at Fortescue's," he replied.

Scorpius spun around to look at him, literally jumping for joy, but Draco didn't miss the way that Harry's face fell before he caught himself.

"That sounds great," he said, smiling at both of them.

"Do you want to give Harry a hug good night?" Draco asked.

Scorpius nodded and Harry knelt down again, wrapping his arms around Scorpius. "Night, buddy," Harry said.

"Night, night, Harry," he replied. "I love you."

"Love you too, bud," he responded easily, and Draco's heart shattered in his chest.

He cleared his throat, "Come on, Scorp," he said softly, "bedtime."

His son's arms wrapped around Harry's shoulders tighter for a moment, then he was off, dashing toward the stairs. "I'm gonna beat you!" he called to Draco over his shoulder.

"Be right there, teeth first," Draco called back. He turned to Harry who was standing from the floor once more, "Hey," he exhaled.

"Hi," Harry replied, smiling at him and leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"I'll be back soon. Sorry that nothing went quite according to plan tonight and he's not down yet."

"It's fine," Harry said, shaking his head, "You don't have to apologize. If you'd wanted an extra set of hands, you could have owled and asked me to come earlier."

"That's not your job," he protested. "Harry, the lines-"

"Daddy!" Scorpius called, mouth sounding full of what Draco suspected was toothpaste.

"Coming!"

"Go," Harry said, nudging him toward the stairs. "I'll be here when you're done."

Draco nodded and turned, leaving everything with Harry until after bedtime. Bedtime was his favorite time of day, stories and singing, quiet reflection, cuddles in the rocker, before tucking his child in for the night and stroking his hair until his was fast asleep.

He lingered for a few extra moments in Scorpius' doorway, watching his son sleeping. He planned the whole speech in his head: Scorpius was the most important person in his life, his world revolved around his child, he wanted Harry but he couldn't put Scorpius' heart in danger. Bad enough to be putting his own heart in such a precarious position, he thought as he closed the door and headed downstairs again.

When he reached the living room, Harry was nowhere to be seen, so he wandered through to the kitchen imagining that Harry might be uncorking the bottle of wine that Draco had seen tucked in his coat pocket.

What he found instead, was Harry standing at the sink, up to his elbows in water as he washed the veritable mountain of dishes that Draco hadn't had the time or energy to take care of. That seemed to be the case with more and more things lately, he just didn't have the capacity to work and be a single parent.

"You don't have to do that," he said, embarrassment flooding his whole body.

Harry glanced over his shoulder and smiled at him, "I don't mind." Before Draco could protest, he continued, "I'm almost done anyway. Do you want to pour us some wine? I picked up that Merlot that you were fond of at that Italian place we ate at last month."

"I can't do this," Draco breathed, feeling like the air had been punched out of him. He stumbled back to lean against the doorway.

"Draco?" Harry said softly, voice full of concern, and Draco looked up to see him drying his hands on the towel as he looked at him.

And Draco wanted to cry. The image of Harry standing there, sleeves rolled up from washing the dishes for him, brows drawn in concern, was burned into his brain. Because this was it. It had to be. "I can't," he managed, shaking his head.

"Can't what?" Harry asked gently, moving a few steps closer but leaving space in between them.

Space that Draco wished he would close, wished that Harry would crowd him into the wall and make him forget everything else.

"Sweetheart," Harry murmured, "tell me?"

"I can't do it," he said and a tear slid down his cheek. "I'm so fucking tired," he added. "I can't be a good dad and run a business when no one is doing what they're supposed to be," he shook his head, "I'm a complete shit boyfriend-"

"You're not-" Harry started to protest.

"I am!" he exploded, throwing his arms in the air. "You're here and you're cleaning my house for me, and you brought me wine that you remembered that I enjoyed a month ago! And what have I-"

"Draco," Harry said, voice very calm as he closed the distance between them and cupped Draco's face in his palms. "Take a breath, love."

He shook his head, hot tears spilling down his cheeks.

"Sweetheart," he murmured, pressing kisses to Draco's forehead, his nose, his cheeks.

"I don't have anything to give you," he said, closing his eyes so he didn't have to watch the realization of that truth dawn on Harry's face.

"You are not what you do," Harry said softly. "Your value as a person isn't defined by what you give."

"But I can't give you anything."

"That isn't even true," Harry argued, pulling Draco into his arms. "Choosing to spend your free time with me when you could be doing a thousand other things is a gift. You give me your affection. You make me laugh, and you tease me, and you listen to me rant about my day. You open your home to me, your bed to me," he added softly, voice wrapping around Draco's fragile, bleeding heart. "You give me yourself, you let me see you, let me touch you, and hold you. You accept me in return. Circe, Draco, what more could I even ask for?"

"Harry," he whispered, wanting so badly to believe him.

"Your love language may be acts of service," he said, laughing a little and Draco huffed and rolled his eyes, "but mine isn't. Mine's quality time," he added. "And your secondary love language might be gifts, but my second is physical touch. We aren't the same," he said. "And that's a good thing," he added.

He gave in and wrapped his arms around Harry's waist, dropping his head to his boyfriend's shoulder. "I'm afraid," he whispered.

"Of what?" Harry asked, letting his hands slide up and down his back.

"Of getting in too deep," he said. "That I'm going to fall for you completely and I won't be able to recover when you leave."

Harry hummed and kissed his temple, "Who says I'm going to leave?"

"It's hard to imagine that you want to stay when I'm such a mess, when I'm too afraid of you leaving to let you spend the night, when-"

"Draco," he tried to interrupt, squeezing him.

"-when I am constantly pushing you away," he finished.

Harry was quiet for a minute, then he said, "you aren't really pushing, you know." He let his fingers tangle in Draco's hair, "I hear what you're saying, but I'm not going anywhere, Draco. You can push and I won't leave."

He laughed, short and bitter, "You say that now but you haven't seen me at my worst."

Harry laughed at that, "I think we both know that's not true." He pulled back, "Sorry, but pretty much nothing you can do now will compare to the time you smashed my nose with the heel of your boot and left me under my invisibility cloak. And," he added, "there's not really much that I can do that would be worse than literally cutting you apart with my magic-"

"Because I was trying to crucio you," he inserted.

He shook his head, and pressed their foreheads together, "If you want me to leave, now or ever, you will have to say the actual words. I won't read those words in your actions or in your other words. You pushing right now actually just feels like you're trying to love me, so," he shrugged. "I'm pretty stubborn." He nudged Draco's nose with his, "I'm here for good."

"Do you promise?" Draco breathed before he could stop himself.

Harry pulled back, just far enough that he could look Draco in the eyes. He reached up and tucked Draco's hair behind his ear, "I love you," he said softly. "We've been together for over a year," he said, "but Draco, I've loved you for so much longer. I fell in love with you over pub nights, and consults for work, and watching you with your child," he shook his head. "You're amazing and I don't want to go anywhere." He cupped Draco's face in his palm, stroking his thumb over Draco's cheek, "I promise, love. I'm in this."

He exhaled, closed his eyes, and tried to let himself believe that, believe that he got to keep this.

"Draco," he said softly, "I," he swallowed, "I want to give you stability, whatever I can to show you that I mean it. I've wanted to ask you if you wanted to move in together," he said, sounding nervous. "But it seems presumptuous since me moving in with you makes the most sense logistically. And I've wanted to ask if you wanted to get married, but I know you've said-"

"You want to marry me?" he interrupted, eyes flying open to search Harry's face.

He nodded, earnest and dear, "Of course I do. I just," he shrugged, "you said marriage was the worst thing that ever happened to you and that Scorp was the only good thing-"

"Stop," he said, kissing Harry because he couldn't quite help himself. "Harry, I meant political marriages," he kissed him again because this felt like a proposal, like a huge declaration. "My marriage to Astoria where she just fucked off after she got her inheritance that had been contingent on having an heir, that marriage was shit. And I wouldn't trade Scorp, but I wanted a partner-" he broke off.

"Draco, I-" he broke off, shaking his head, "I want to be your partner, I would do anything for him, I would be anything-"

"Harry," he breathed because this couldn't be real, this couldn’t be happening.

Harry shook his head, "I know that I can't just jump in and be his dad, but Draco I love him so much, I would do anything."

He stared at Harry for a long moment before he leaned in and kissed him.

The other man kissed him back, pressing him back against the wall and caging him in with his body.

"I love you," Draco managed against Harry's mouth. "Salazar. Yes, Harry," he gasped. "Yes to any of it, to all of it. Whatever you'll have of me."

"I'll have all of you," he murmured, "Any bit that you'll give me." He pulled back and Draco almost tipped over. Harry steadied him with his hands around his waist, "Stay right here," he murmured, giddy and breathless, dimpled-smile so bright that Draco was nearly overcome. "Don't move," he repeated before leaving the kitchen.

Draco heard the closet in the entry way opening, then Harry was skidding back into the kitchen. He fell to his knees in front of Draco, opening a ring box and displaying a simple silver band.

"Marry me?" Harry whispered, eyes wet and smile bright.

Draco nodded and Harry's trembling fingers held out the band to him, slipping it over Draco's ring finger. Once it was in place, Draco fell to his knees in front of Harry and cupped his face in his palms.

"Thank you," he whispered and Draco found himself wiping the tears spilling from his eyes.

"I think I'm really getting the better end of the bargain here," he whispered back with a little laugh.

Harry shook his head and more tears spilled out, Draco's heart felt like it was bursting in his chest. "This is everything I've ever wanted," he replied.

Draco wrapped him up in his arms and hoped that he'd be worthy of that love, worthy of that claim. "Stay," he whispered.

Harry nodded back, "Always."

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written for the @hdcandyheartsfest prompt 'love language'

Read more of my 2023 hdcandyhearts ficlets here.

Pillow

The eighth years decided that they were all going to have a sleepover.

They decided that a night of games and fun in the Common Room shouldn't end just because people started to feel sleepy, so they all brought down pillows and blankets, and changed into the pajamas before sprawling out across the floor.

Harry caught sight of Draco making a space for himself in the corner, piling the blankets on the floor, making himself a nest out of the way of the other students. He made a beeline for him, waving off the other students who invited him to set up camp near them. "Hey," he said, cursing himself for sounding so breathless.

Draco looked up and the concerned lines on his face smoothed out, Harry's heart clenched painfully in his chest. "Hi," he said, tucking his hair behind his ear.

"Can I sleep with you?" Harry asked, then spluttered, "Not like that!" he hastened to add. "Sorry, I just meant can I-"

Draco smiled at him, his face open and sweet in a way that Harry couldn't have imagined before this year, and Harry was on fire with embarrassment and with how attractive he found the other boy, "I know what you meant," he said, nodding at Harry, "I'd," he swallowed, "I'd really like it if you slept over here."

"Great," he whispered, spreading out his blankets and setting down his pillow.

"Here," Draco said, taking out his wand and casting a charm on the floor that made it feel significantly softer.

"Oh," Harry said, making himself more comfortable as he rolled on his side to face the other boy. "Thank you.”

"Love"

Draco was a mess and Harry's heart couldn't take it.

"And then," Draco sniffled, tears running down his face, strands of hair slipping out of his messy bun, "he laughed at me and told me that it hadn't been 'love'," he continued, making hideous air-quotes around the word and Harry had never wanted to punch someone in the face more than he wanted to punch that prick that Draco had been seeing for the past 5 months. "Of course he'd been seeing other people," Draco said, "how could he possibly be interested in someone like me?"

“That’s not love,” Harry spat. Draco looked up at him sharply, “it’s not,” he repeated firmly. “He's such a dick, Draco. He’s not worthy of you.”

Draco let out a wet laugh-snort-sob sort of noise, “right.”

“I mean it,” Harry said desperately. “You’re so amazing,” he said softly, “kind and handsome, and clever and funny. I-” he started then broke off swallowing. It wasn’t the right time.

The other man’s body stilled, “You-?” Draco asked, tipping his head down to catch Harry’s eyes.

“I would never treat you that way,” he whispered, heart shattering inside his chest. He couldn’t stand to see the way he was treated by other men, especially when Harry loved him so much it consumed him.

“Harry-”

“I wouldn’t,” he said, eyes stinging. “You deserve so much more, Draco. All the kindness and tenderness in the world. I would love you with everything-”

“Harry,” he tried again, “I-” he shook his head. “I’m not ready-”

Pink

Harry hadn't realized it would be quite so pink when he'd ordered it.

The giant snake plushy had promised to be 'the perfect Valentine's gift for your snuggly sweetheart' and Harry thought it was probably true that the plushy (that was more body-pillow than stuffed-animal) would be great for Draco to wrap himself around when Harry wasn't around.

But he hadn't expected it to be such a garish shade of pink.

Before he could ponder the dilemma any further, the floo flared to life and Draco was standing in their living room, looking at Harry like he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.

"Errm," Harry said, holding it out to Draco, "Happy Valentine's Day?"

Draco blinked before holding out his hands and making little grabby fists for it. "He's so cute!" he cried as he wrapped his arms around the snake. "Merlin and Morgana both, he's perfect," he said, squeezing it. "Thank you," he added, blinking at Harry past the fluffy head.

And Harry couldn't have been more in love with his perfect, sweet, soft boyfriend if he'd tried. "Happy Valentine's Day, love."

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written for @hdcandyheartsfest prompt 'pink'

Mementos

Harry Potter lived a simple life. He had one of those tiny houses without a lot of fuss. He traveled a lot but he didn’t bring back souvenirs for himself apart from a picture here or there.

Pictures were, in fact, the closest he got to keeping things, but even then the pictures had just been uploaded to one of those odd muggle frames that rotated images through. Draco didn't entirely understand how it worked, but he always got a pleasant swooping sensation in the pit of his stomach when one of the two of them (or even one of just Draco) appeared in the frame.

Draco, on the other hand, saved everything. He had the ticket stub from the first show at a cinema that Harry had ever taken him to. The petals of a rose given to him on their first date were pressed into the first edition of 'The Picture of Dorian Grey', a book Harry had found for him on one of his trips. He had seashells from beaches that Harry'd brought him, magnets and postcards that the other man had sent him. Hell, he even had a couple of post-it notes that Harry had scribbled notes on and left for him.

They'd been dating for eight months and Draco had kept so many tokens of that time together because it was time that he cherished.

He couldn't help but wonder if maybe Harry didn't quite feel the same. Rolling onto his side in bed, Draco enjoyed the fact that Harry's tiny house didn't have any walls except around the bathroom. The unobstructed view of Harry's bare broad shoulders and tapered waist while he made them omelets made his mouth water.

Harry scratched his hip and his sweatpants rode a little lower and Draco almost lost his train of thought.

Almost.

"Harry?"

"Mmm?" he hummed, glancing over his shoulder at Draco before going back to his eggs.

He swallowed down the nervousness, they'd been friends for half a decade at this point, what was the worst that could happen? Surely he’d asked the other man harder things than this. "Why don't you keep things?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, flipping the eggs with a flick of the wrist.

"Like mementos," he said, "trinkets, things to remember me by."

"Remember you by?" he asked, "Are you going somewhere?"

He huffed, "I don't plan to. I just-" he broke off, not sure how to finish that sentence without sounding incredibly needy.

Harry flicked off the burner and carried their plates over, climbing back into bed and handing a plate over to Draco once he was sitting. "Just what?" he asked.

"I-" he said, swallowing and trying a different tactic, "Like to keep things from our relationship because it reminds me of you and they make me happy."

"Like what kinds of things?"

He shrugged, "I dunno," he said, even though he could have listed a dozen things off the top of his head, "like the fortune that said, 'contentment will soon find you' that I got on our second date at that Chinese restaurant. Or that pretty green wine bottle from the wine we drank the night you got back from Greece."

"The night I kissed you," Harry said, grinning broadly at him.

"Exactly."

Harry was quiet for a few minutes, chewing his food while he thought. "I don't like things," he said finally, frowning a bit. "I don't like clutter and complications. I feel like I don't know what to do with all of the little things, or how to decide which are important and which aren't if I have to keep some. And when we were cleaning out Grimmauld," he shrugged, "I just kept thinking it was insane for someone to keep this much stuff. Stuff that mattered to them but not to anyone else. And when I die, I don't want to just become someone else's burden, you know?"

He frowned, “you’re not a burden.”

Harry shrugged, it was a battle they had often that Draco didn’t know if he’d ever win. “Maybe,” he conceded and Draco knew it was primarily because he didn’t want to argue. “But I don’t need stuff to remember you,” he continued. “There are so many places and things seeped with you. Restaurants we’ve been to, mud puddles that you’d jump in with both feet. Soft blankets and colorful scarves, the smell of books and earl gray tea,” he shrugged. “I think of you every time I dice tomatoes because I know how much you hate them,” he chuckled. “You’re in so many things in the world around me, I see you everywhere.”

Draco stared at him for a long moment before closing the gap between them and kissing him soundly. “I love you.”

Harry grinned brightly at him, “I love you too.”

And when they moved in together, six months later, it was a transition for both of them. But they both learned to love each other a little deeper because of the different ways they loved.

—————-

Written for the @hdcandyheartsfest prompt ‘mementos’

The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Know (Part Four)

Harry decided that he was just going to glue his mouth shut. Or maybe just make his whole mouth disappear, there must be a spell for that, right?

Because he just couldn't believe the way his mouth ran away without his permission when he was talking to Draco Malfoy. More to the point, he couldn't believe that Draco Malfoy was interested in listening to him. He couldn't believe that his lack of impulse control hadn't led to mockery and derision, that Malfoy hadn't used his silly little daydreams to embarrass him in front of their friends.

He combed his fingers through his curls before tugging on a hat and wrapping up in a scarf, mittens, winter coat, wool socks, and boots. Luna was having a winter campfire and Harry didn't quite know what to expect, but he assumed he would need the layers.

With a shrug he apparated and followed the trail from the front garden around the house and to the fire. The party seemed to be in full swing, everyone standing around it with their partner(s) and chatting. He moved to the drink table and poured himself a mug of hot chocolate, wrapping his hands around the steaming cup and taking a sip.

"Mind if I join you?"

He turned and saw that Malfoy had walked over, he must have been here for a while because his nose and cheeks had turned a delightful shade of pink in the cold. "Not at all," he replied, giving him a little smile that felt far too genuine, especially in light of what Harry had told himself about being detached and in control of himself.

"I've never been to a winter campfire," the other man said, moving a little closer to Harry so their shoulders were only inches apart.

Harry swallowed, the heat of Malfoy's body radiating through the layers of clothes that separated them. Rather forcefully, he was reminded of the feeling of Malfoy's fingers in the hair at the base of his neck. "Me either," he replied, in what he hoped was a completely normal tone of voice.

"I didn't anticipate it being quite so chilly," he confessed.

Charm Me

Draco let out a groaning sort of hum as he rolled over in bed, stretching and tensing his body before letting his muscles all go loose and easy again. He let his body conform to Harry’s, soaked up his warmth for a long moment and reveled in the feeling of Harry’s fingers trailing over his back, just slipping under his shirt when he reached the bottom.

“I should do something,” he mumbled, mouth moving against Harry’s T-shirt where his lips were pressed to his chest.

“Like what?” Harry asked, brushing a kiss over the top of Draco’s head.

He shrugged, “get out of bed, make you breakfast, charm you into staying,” he said lightly.

But Harry, as he always seemed to, saw past the words. With a hum he slid down lower in bed so the two of them were face to face. Draco blinked and looked away, fixing his eyes on Harry’s collarbone instead because he couldn’t quite meet his gaze. “Hey,” Harry murmured, soft and warm, full of that easy affection that Harry seemed to constantly exude until Draco was seeping in it.

“Hi,” he whispered back.

Harry brought Draco’s knuckles to his lips, “I love you.”

Draco’s heart stuttered in his chest, it wasn’t always hard to hear those words but sometimes it felt like something stabbing him in the heart, constricting his lungs until he couldn’t breathe quite right.

“Yeah,” Harry murmured, his voice warm like honey in Draco’s veins, “that’s hard today, isn’t it?”

He nodded once, felt his eyes stinging, which was utterly ridiculous. “I don’t know why-”

“It’s alright,” Harry said, tugging the blankets up a little higher.

“I just,” he blew out a breath, “I don’t understand. I know you love me but I feel like there must be something I have to do in order to keep it, and if you’d just tell me what it was, I could keep doing it. And then I could keep you,” he added, throat raw.

Harry was quiet for a long moment, “can you keep being a little grumpy in the mornings? That little pout you have before you put on your mask for the day really does it for me,” he said. “Could you keep talking with your hands when you get excited?” He continued. “Oh, and that little happy dance you do when you eat food that you enjoy, or that little exhale after you swallow a warm drink.”

“Harry-” he huffed, trying to interrupt and protest.

“Oh,” Harry said, “I know. Could you keep getting lost to the world when you read a good book? Can you keep talking to every animal that you see?” He grinned, “will you keep singing to the plants in your house and dancing while you clean?”

“That was one time,” he protested with a laugh.

His smile slipped a little as he looked at him more seriously, “will you keep loving me on my bad days, when I don’t remember who I am?” he asked softly. “Could you keep treating me like I’m a person, like I’m breakable and not something indestructible? Would you tell me I’m enough when the world says I’m not?”

“Harry,” he whispered, cupping the other man’s cheek. “Yes, of course.”

“Perfect,” he said, turning his face to press a kiss to Draco’s palm. “Then you can keep me.”

“Just like that?” he laughed.

“Just like that.” Harry replied. “What would you say to ordering takeaway and eating it in bed?”

He nodded, burying his face against Harry’s neck and trying to let himself believe that he got to have this.

“You don’t have to believe me,” Harry said softly like he’d heard Draco’s thoughts. “It’s okay to feel a little scared,” he added. “We’ve got our whole lives together. I’m happy to prove it when it’s hard to believe.”

And even though Draco didn’t know quite what to say in the moment, he was more than content to let Harry spend the rest of his life loving him and to love Harry in return.

————————

Written for the @hdcandyheartsfest prompt ‘charm me’

- Midnight Visitor -

I finally finished giving this piece some extra love. This is a unique little illustration of mine because I didn’t use any references, it all just came from my head. I’m rather proud of that. 

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