Harry Potter sat down in his seat at the Gryffindor table for the Welcoming Feast of his second year. He tuned out the Sorting and only came out of his daze once Dumbledore professed his unusual speech of odd words and the food appeared before him. Harry was both glad yet irritated for the wide selection of foods spread in front of him. It was like a dream to him, being able to eat all he could.
Shaking his head from any troubling thoughts, Harry went to reach for the bowl of apples to the right of him. Hermione, sitting to his left, tutted loudly and began placing all sorts of foods atop his plate. "You're too skinny, Harry!" she exclaimed, as she always does. Harry slowly watched as the food on his plate piled higher and higher until eventually he just resigned himself to his fate and began eating. After a couple of seconds watching him eat, Hermione appeared to be satisfied and got along with her own meal, lecturing Ron on his eating habits and table manners while she was at it.
Harry sighed and, rolling his eyes with a small pout, discreetly summoned an elf to which he handed off the overloaded plate to be taken off to the kitchens. After that, Harry grabbed the bowl of sliced apples and put both green and red ones onto his plate. Putting the bowl back, he was about to fill his cup with a little bit of pumpkin juice before noticing a jug of apple juice beside it. Gleefully, he filled his cup with apple juice instead and then started on his small meal.
As the Dursleys didn't feed him much, Harry had to admit he didn't enjoy a big appetite. He usually stuck with bread rolls and soup but had decided over the summer he should have more energy instead, and began eating more fruits. It was a surprise to find his love for apples, he found them absolutely delicious and could rarely be seen without one in hand.
With a barely audible gasp, Harry managed to find the plate of treacle tarts out of the corner of his eye, almost out of reach, to his left. Scarfing down the small slices of apples Harry had on his plate, he let a Hogwarts house elf do away with it and replace it with a a smaller one for dessert which he filled with several tarts after 'accio'-ing the tray to his awaiting hands. No matter how much his love for apples grew over the recent few weeks, Harry's first love will always be treacle tarts!
Sitting back in satisfaction after finishing his juice and meal, Harry lazily took small bites of his last tart while scanning the Great Hall as he ate. He looked towards the teacher's table up front where he saw Snape with a disgruntled expression and looking to be moments away from murdering the glowing Professor Lockhart beside him. Flitwick and Sprout, the Heads of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff respectively, were calmly eating their meals and making small talk. Dumbledore sat with his grandfatherly smile and twinkling eyes as usual, and the rest of the professors were just eating their meals in peace.
Turning around, Harry switched his attention to the House tables. The Hufflepuff table looked to be having a great time, everyone chatting and sharing food together. The Ravenclaws... well, some were reading while eating and others just looked to be in a daze, 'probably thinking of some essays,' Harry thought. He already knew that the Gryffindor table was an absolute mess as the twins probably caused a food fight while Percy tried to reprimand them and get things back under control.
Looking straight across the hall from him, Harry saw the Slytherins eating in a calm and composed manner. 'Even their hands look dignified just holding a fork' Harry thought amused. His eyes wandered over to Draco, who was sitting next to Pansy and Blaise. Draco Malfoy, his school nemesis... the boy who'd offered his hand in friendship then proceeded to mock the first friend he'd made. Immediately Harry turned away, nibbling on the last pieces of treacle tart held in his hand.
Once the feast ended, Harry followed his House back to their tower to get ready for bed and welcome the firsties. After a long shower and changing into his worn out, second-hand muggle pajamas, Harry crawled into his bed and said his good night's before letting sleep consume him.
_______
For the rest of the year, Harry followed the same pattern. He ate little during meals, learnt nothing during Defence Against the Dark Arts, lost points in Potions, gained them back in Transfiguration and Charms, slept through History of Magic, and lied during Divination. It was a rather uneventful year, other than the fact that Ginny Weasley could be seen almost fifty percent of the time whenever he was about, trailing behind him. Other than the warnings written in blood on the school walls and students being petrified at almost every corner, Harry felt like this school year was quite uneventful. Ah... but that was probably because everyone was avoiding him since they thought he was the heir of Slytherin.
Because of that, Harry had a lot more free time - Ron hadn't tried to make him play chess or exploding snap together that often anymore, and Hermione was focused more on her own studies rather than Harry's, leaving him with more free time than he could remember ever having need of. Of course, he'd always had free time considering the Dursley's wouldn't give him time to do things he wanted, but usually that time would be consumed by the chores they'd set for every hour of his day apart from bathing and sleeping.
Although Harry knew Ron and Hermione would be back at his side eventually, considering they hadn't really left but instead made themselves less noticeable, Harry was enjoying his alone time. After all, he'd always been alone before coming to Hogwarts. So not only was being alone something that Harry both hated yet cherished, it was a familiar thing that comforted him in this time where the students seemed to be against him.
During these moments, Harry would have a few escapades of his own now and then. He found the Chamber of Secrets, and found out that Professor Lockhart was harassing some of the female students. He didn't really care much about anyone else, since they didn't care about him, so Harry hadn't said or done anything when he'd found either of the two.
Harry also found the kitchens. It was when he was trying to figure out Hufflepuff's entrance and he'd quite literally stumbled onto the entrance to the kitchens which was close by, and ended up with over twenty giant pairs of eyes staring at him. The Hogwarts house elves were in quite a shock for a few seconds before they began throwing out shouts of 'a visitor!' and 'master Harry Potter!' and all that, then proceeded to sit him down at a picnic bench in the middle of the wide room and prepare him some tasty finger sandwiches. After that, Harry had shyly requested for some treacle tart too, to which the elves had been overjoyed and baked more than enough to last him a week!
Since then, Harry had gone to the kitchens for lunch every weekend. He would sit there snacking on green apples while watching some elves explain how to bake different sorts of treats. He was only interested in the process for treacle tart, but after tasting an apple pie they had baked, he came to love that too!
Soon enough the whole fiasco of Ron making up with Harry and Lockhart obliviating himself once they'd gone down to the Chamber of Secrets came about. Harry saved Ginny, who seemed to think he was some kind of Prince Charming, and did away with Tom Riddle's diary. And then came along the end of year feast.
Draco Malfoy glared from his seat at the Slytherin table, watching as Harry bloody Potter snacked on some red apples with juice trailing down his chin since he appeared to be half asleep. Over the course of their second year, no matter what Draco did, Harry didn't seem to be interested! He didn't even realise he had come to call him Harry and not Potter since after one month of being ignored. And it wasn't as if Draco had done nothing, he had instigated a bunch of throwdowns between his lackeys and Harry's weasel and mudblood. But nothing he did caught Harry's attention.
Jerking back a little, Draco blinked rapidly as he listened to his own thoughts rise. He didn't care about Potter, why would he want to have his attention! It's just... he and Harry were enemies, light and dark, Gryffindor and Slytherin, so it was only natural that he'd be a little upset if someone else took that spot, right? Sniffing delicately, Draco shoved his thoughts to the back of his mind and focused back onto his meal, eating quietly with proper manners.
Harry blinked. Then blinked again. He had noticed Draco glaring at him from across the hall during the feast but didn't know what he had done this time to make the blonde look at him in such a way. Thinking back, he hadn't even paid attention to him much this year, so he was even more confused as to what he had done to offend the Slytherin.
_______
It was summer, and they were on the Hogwarts Express heading back home. Hermione was sitting across from Harry, reading a book and muttering to herself about what subjects she should choose for her electives. Ron was sitting beside her, a Quidditch magazine in one hand whereas the other was going back forth between picking up chocolate from his side and stuffing it into his mouth.
Feeling nauseous, Harry stood and excused himself from their compartment and headed towards the bathroom. His friends' insincere loyalty was one reason, but the thought of having to go back to the Dursleys and becoming a slave once more was making Harry feel beyond irritated. After the wonderful year he'd spent at Hogwarts, he didn't want to have to see those people's faces ever again and to have his precious trunk and schoolbooks locked away.
Along the way to the bathroom, Harry passed by several of his year mates who nervously greeted him before leaving. Usually they would've been nervous because he was Harry bloody Potter, but after this year's fiasco, the whole lot of them had become more nervous since they'd shunned their supposed 'hero' and 'saviour' when he hadn't done anything wrong.
Ignoring their awkward glances, Harry stepped into the empty bathroom and relieved himself, washed his hands, then stood there staring at himself in the mirrors above the sinks. His small, wet hands appeared pale against the cold basin of the sink, but the nausea he'd felt earlier still hadn't subsided.
Turning on the tap, Harry cupped the cool water in his palms and doused his face. He closed the tap and looked back at the mirror, watching as his short, soaked hair dripped over the sink where his glasses had been abandoned. He moved closer and stared at himself. He could see the green in his eyes swirling madly, the way his lips fell into a natural pout, and the jagged scar on his forehead that looked as though it were pulsing with life.
Shaking himself free from the hateful thoughts that invaded his mind, Harry retrieved his glasses, wordlessly cast a drying charm, and then made his way back to his compartment without any more interactions.
_______
A month had already gone by, and Draco was still sulking alone in his room at Malfoy Manor. Although he would deny it later, Draco Malfoy realised that his attitude towards Harry was not completely normal for someone fighting against his school nemesis.
Draco had come to the conclusion that, perhaps, just maybe, he still wanted to become friends with Harry. It would make sense of his recent thoughts and actions, if that were the case. It could be that he was feeling spiteful after Harry turned down his offer of friendship, and that's why he'd been mean to the boy the rest of the year. And now, since Harry had ignored him, he was feeling left out and alone. It could be that, even if he wasn't necessarily Harry's friend, he was content with being his enemy since it meant Draco knew a side to Harry that others didn't, and the fact that he could still have Harry's attention was enough to satisfy him at the time.
But now that Harry had ignored him, seemingly completely forgotten about him, Draco was feeling sour inside. And that left him agitated.
"Draco?"
He looked up and saw his mother, Narcissa Malfoy née Black, standing at the door to his room with a slightly concerned look on her face. "How are you feeling, darling? You haven't come down to have dinner with us these past few days. Is something the matter? You can always talk to us, Draco..." Narcissa began, walking further into the room and taking Draco into her arms. As she was unable to conceive after having Draco, Narcissa cared for and loved Draco as much as she could offer and more. No matter how old he would get, he was still her precious baby.
"I'm fine, Mother. It wasn't anything important, I was just feeling slightly unwell and decided to have dinner in my room in case it was a bug. I'm alright now, the elves have been feeding me properly..." Draco struggled to get out, his voice muffled due to his face being smothered by Narcissa's bountiful chest. The Lady Malfoy smiled gently and patted her son's back in acknowledgment. They stayed like that for a few more minutes, then Narcissa demanded he go to bed and rest for tonight so that he'd be all better by tomorrow morning.
Complying with his mother's orders, Draco got himself ready for bed. He kissed his mother goodnight, then lay there in the dark as the sound of his mother's footsteps became quieter and quieter until there was only silence remaining. He wanted to sleep, as his mother had asked of him, but he couldn't stop his thoughts from wandering.
After a while, Draco made himself a promise. 'When we go back to Hogwarts, I will do it differently. Maybe Harry has forgotten our rivalry from last year, since he didn't speak or even look at me this year. But even if he forgot, I will do it better this time! I'll start with classes – I know he's a Gryffindork and doesn't like to study, but he's a natural in Charms and I've seen him reading a few books now and then. If I ask him to teach me, we can get closer without him being suspicious of me! He might say no, but he might say yes... I should take this chance.'
And with that, Draco fell into a restful sleep with a small smile on his face.
_______
Third year, and the Welcoming Feast had begun. Harry was feeling worse than ever before; the experience with the Dementor on the train had shaken him immensely, and Hermione's constant glances towards him as if he were about to go on a killing spree for no reason both annoyed and confused him. He started to understand what drove his friends, but he'd decided to give them a second chance this year to prove themselves loyal to him.
Harry had changed over the summer – he was still Harry bloody Potter, orphan, saviour of the wizarding world, and vanquisher of the Dark Lord. However he was also Harry Potter, the boy who'd learnt how powerful magic and knowledge could be, and that with the right motivation, how to use those around him to further his own goals. Of course, he still didn't have any goals. No, Harry was content with eating apples and treacle tarts for the rest of his life, forgetting about the world around him. But these people wouldn't let him forget, and that's why he'd taken things into his own hands and make life easier for himself as soon as possible.
It had started with the Dursleys.
He'd kept his wand shrunk and tucked into his underwear when he went back, so they hadn't locked it away along with his trunk and schoolbooks. And because Harry had read a lot during all the free time he had last year, he learnt how the blood wards on the Dursley's house wouldn't acknowledge any magic performed within them as it would be considered accidental magic instead. So when his fat pig of an uncle tried to break his bones the first night back, Harry held him at wandpoint and told the man that he and his family would not bother Harry from now on. They would do all the cooking and cleaning themselves, make sure Harry got three meals a day, and would leave him alone the rest of the time. His uncle had refused at first but when Harry had charmed all the furniture to insult the Dursleys whenever they made contact, the Dursleys became rather compliant.
Harry summoned a House Elf to provide him with a jar of chocolate pieces, and proceeded to spend the rest of the feast chewing on them along with his apple juice. As he still felt jittery, he would look up and around the Great Hall from time to time, ignoring Hermione and Ron and mostly just the Gryffindor table as they caused his ears to ring.
When he made eye contact with Draco, who was sitting elegantly directly across the hall, Harry blinked in confusion as the blonde nodded minutely to him. Thinking he had imagined it, Harry would go back to his chocolate and then repeat the process. However every time he made eye contact with Draco, the Slytherin would either nod his head, let a small smile grace his lips, or just stare back in silence without portraying any hate or disgust or contempt Harry's way.
It boggled Harry's mind how his school nemesis was acting, but although he was wary about Draco's actions as he considered what might happen later, he mostly just accepted them without any issue since his main goal was to spend his life freely eating apples and treacle tart.
Once the feast ended and the firsties had been sorted and welcomed, Harry struggled to get to sleep that night as he thought over several times what Draco could've meant.
The next day, Harry had double Potions first thing in the morning and was paired with Neville, a disaster waiting to happen. Although he wasn't much better at Potions himself, he was at least able to keep the cauldron from exploding. Nobody would mention how his concoctions were still smoking each lesson.
After this class the Gryffindors had with the Slytherins, they all had a break of half an hour before they left for their next lesson which was Herbology with the whole year group. During this break, Harry had wondered off to the library in an attempt to get the last of his summer reading done.
As he'd been able to get the Dursleys under control, he was able to take back his trunk and schoolbooks so that he could do his homework and read ahead. However he got so into properly reading and understanding his first and second year content that he hadn't reached the third year content until the last day of the holidays. So now here he was, trying to catch up with Herbology while worrying about the time.
Draco stood a small distance away from Harry in the library, the rows of shelves in the aisle he was in hiding him from the raven's view. Reminding himself not to act too strange yet not too much of a pureblood either, Draco strode towards Harry's table and softly cleared his throat. When those shining green eyes landed on Draco, he felt himself subtly shiver beneath the intense gaze before he spoke up.
"Potter... er, Harry. I know we didn't exactly get off on the right foot, but I was hoping we could put our differences behind us. Well, what I mean to say is, um, that..." Draco stumbled over his words as Harry's expressed gradually changed, going from shocked to confused, then curious and finally settling on a small smile. "...I know you're struggling with Potions and maybe some other subjects, so I wouldn't mind tutoring you if you need me to save your hopeless backside, and in return I expect you to come to me with any issues you have with school," Draco rushed, slipping into his usual haughty attitude but still trying to convey what he wanted as clearly as he could.
The smile on Harry's face didn't leave, instead it seemed to get bigger even after hearing Dracl unintentionally insult him. "I'd appreciate that a lot, Draco. Here's to our truce," Harry said, offering his hand to Draco. He inwardly giggled at the face Draco made, one of surprise but also hidden glee and shame.
"Well, if you need me, I'll be around. Best we get going to Herbology now or you'll be late." Draco glanced at the textbook in Harry's hand. "Sprout won't ask any questions or have today's lesson relate to the topic she set for homework, that will most likely be next lesson, so you still have two days until then."
With that, Draco very elegantly flounced out of the library. Harry fought to keep the laugh from leaving his throat at seeing Draco's exit, however he really was grateful for the offer and advice Draco had presented him. He didn't want to spend his school life labelling classmates as either friend or foe, so it was nice of Draco to reach out to him. A big surprise, but a welcome one all the same.
_______
Months passed and the duo got closer as they studied together in the library, stealthily avoiding the persistently searching Hermione and Ron that never imagined Harry might like to read. Draco's own friends either didn't care where he was (Crabbe and Goyle) or ignored his secret endeavours as it was true Slytherin style (Parkinson, Greengrass, Zabini, Nott) to not ask questions.
Draco would help Harry understand the theory of Potions, patiently explaining how each ingredient was categorised and why they reacted in a certain way with other herbs, before they moved onto identifying and observing the knowledge through practise in unused classrooms during breaks. In return, Harry helped Draco with his practical application of charms and transfiguration, explaining how intent was the most important factor and that the wand and spell were just secondary.
Both boy's grades improved drastically - well for Harry, Snape continued to give him a Troll in all his actual potions in his petty revenge against James Potter's spawn, however he couldn't do the same for the essays submitted and grudgingly gave the brat the lowest decent grade he wouldn't be scolded for, Acceptable.
They continued to review the content they'd learned in first year for all subjects, both theory and practical, during the Winter holidays in which Draco had decided to stay at Hogwarts (giving his mother the excuse that he wanted to experience what Christmas at Hogwarts was like before he would leave).
Draco was immensely pleased with how far his relationship with Harry had improved. The lion often sought him out not just for questions relating to classwork but also for random conversations about the most strangest things, such as "I wonder why unicorn blood is silver" and "imagine if a wizard was able to fly on a broomstick all the way to outer space, Draco!" Although they were quite odd conversations, Draco greatly enjoyed them as he got to spend more time with Harry, who was obviously very comfortable with Draco now.
At the end of the holidays, Harry had hugged Draco for the first time and muttered "I'm glad we're friends, Draco!" before rushing off towards his dorm, tips of his ears blazing. Draco was left in a daze, first shocked that Harry had hugged him and then because he managed to process that Harry finally considered him a friend too. Suffice to say, Draco counted that day to be one to remember.
_______
It was the end of their third year and Draco had come a long way with Harry. Since they'd been labelled as friends, Draco would sometimes ask Harry seemingly meaningless questions during their study sessions such as his favourite colour or whether he had a distaste for coffee compared to tea.
It eventually led up to home life, such as whether he liked his cousin or not and how he found out he could speak Parseltongue. Harry, vague yet straightforward, explained how his home life was bad enough to make him wish he could live at Hogwarts for the rest of his life. (His excitement about Parseltongue made Draco smile though).
Due to such conversations, Draco was able to gauge how Harry's home life was and offered for him to spend the summer holidays together. Seeing the bright smile Harry directed at Draco for his offer made Draco want to see that smile everyday. However Harry had refused as he knew Dumbledore would make him go back to the Dursleys whether they wanted him there or not.
Soon enough, everyone was heading towards the Hogwarts Express as they left behind their third year at Hogwarts. Draco had promised to write and send letter to Harry over the holidays, making sure Harry would be able to get them even if he couldn't reply. Harry was grateful for Draco's consideration and the two separated on the train to sit with their friends.
_______
Over the summer, Draco kept his promise. He would send an elf to give Harry his letters, and made them wait for Harry's replies unless he was busy. Draco made sure he made his letters as fun and detailed as possible, writing about how things would've been if Harry were with him to join in. Harry could tell Draco wasn't just overcompensating, somehow the Slytherin had truly become attached to Harry and sincerely missed him. It made Harry feel like crying, because he knew Draco accepted him for being Harry and not the Golden Boy.
_______
Fourth year began and Draco realised that Harry was avoiding him. He wasn't sure why exactly, but he noticed Harry was extremely happy when faced with apples and treacle tart. Feelings of jealousy sometimes emerged, making Draco groan as he didn't want to be annoyed at inanimate objects, much less food!
It was only during the weekend of the second week that Draco was able to talk to Harry without being ignored or having the latter hide/run away. Harry had told him how his uncle was getting suspicious about his positive attitude, so he had to tell the elf to stop sending Draco's letters and leave him alone. Draco remembered when the elf had told him something about that, feeling upset and hurt that Harry didn't want or need him. Now that he knew the reason though, Draco felt angry on Harry's behalf.
"What's with the apples then..?" Draco questioned, burning with contempt at the mere mention of the green and red things that stole Harry's attention from him. Just the word was enough to make Harry brighten up, a toothy grin oblivious to Draco's silent displeasure resting on his face.
"Draco, apples are a blessing! A godsend! They can sweet one moment but sour the next! They taste soooo good! Especially in a pastry, I LOVE apples!!!" Harry continued to ramble, whereas Draco became rather salty.
_______
That year, Draco had made up his mind. He decided to learn how to bake, specifically with apples as the main ingredient, because he didn't want to be so easily replaced by an inanimate object.
Draco, having visited the kitchens with Harry previously, began to spend his lunches there. The elves were happy to teach Draco what they knew, cheering him up whenever he made a mistake or congratulate him when he succeeded. He spent two months learning how to bake general pastries and cakes, before moving onto more complicated ones (at least to him) like apple crumble and treacle tart. By the time Draco was a master at baking (because magic, okay), half the year had gone by and it was almost time for exams.
Draco found it hilarious when Harry searched high and low for him one afternoon during lunchtime so that they could go over the topics again. His flustered appearance made Draco want to tease him relentlessly, however the small tears the boy produced when he did made him feel both guilt and satisfaction so he ended up quickly fixing whatever problem Harry was panicking about at the time.
Exams came and went, and eventually their fourth year ended. On the train ride home, Draco ended up thinking of all the moments he spent with Harry since the moment he was rejected in their first year. He observed how strange some of his reactions were or how he was oddly persistent when Harry spoke about or wanted to do certain things.
Over the course of the holidays, Draco spent more time thinking about Harry. He mostly focused on his baking, surprising his mother with the treats he made for her which caused her to smile fondly at his antics. However a certain incident made Draco realise why he thought so much about and cared for Harry. It was a shock to say the least, but he was quick to accept it and move forward with a sly grin on his face.
_______
"Ohhhh..." he panted, arching his back and digging his nails into the soft flesh of the blonde on top of him. A groan left his lips and he squirmed under the heat of those wandering hands, begging for the blonde to touch him more.
"Merlin, you're so beautiful," the blonde murmured, his eyes raking over the pale figure beneath him. He trapped the figure's arms above their head, leaning down to softly kiss those plump lips before making his way further down. A pink nub was slowly licked before he began to suck, drawing out more lewd sounds from the figure that struggled to rest flush against him.
Biting the other's shoulder, the blonde smirked devilishly as he slowly began to grind their hips together. The figure beneath him was begging for him to stop teasing already, moaning loudly as they wrapped their pale legs tightly around the blonde's waist.
"Now... please... hurry up already!" the figure gasped out, breaking free from the blonde's grip only to wrap their arms around his neck and lean up for a passionate kiss. The blonde kissed them back even harder, his own hands trailing down before a finger poked gently at his entrance. Seconds after, he begun to prep the figure while stroking them at the same time, causing the figure to shudder and pant wantonly against their neck.
The blonde slid in finger after finger, the slim digits moving back and forth in a rhythmic manner before they hit that special bundle of nerves buried deep within. A low whine left the figure's lips as they lay spread out against the sheets of the bed, no strength left in them other than to tighten their legs around the blonde. A hushed curse slipped out as the figure felt the fingers brush against their sweet spot once again, eyes falling shut and lips parted in a silent gasp.
The sadistic blonde swiftly removed his fingers and pressed his length against the slick entrance waiting for him, getting harder as he listened to the begging of the other to hurry up and fu–
Draco shot up in his bed, sweat making his hair stick to his forehead as his breaths echoed in the large empty room. His body felt hot and uncomfortable but he wasn't even focused on that, his mind still on that unforgettable voice he heard in the dream he just had. The glazed look in his eyes slowly cleared and Draco looked down, staring in shock at the wet patch that covered his clearly hardened member.
After cleaning himself in the bathroom and ordering the elves to clean and replace his sheets, Draco sleepily made his way back to bed. While he was showering he'd easily identified the two people in his dream and ended up blushing in shame and embarrassment as he realised what it meant, before he decided that it could wait until the morning as he needed proper sleep to get over such a realisation.
It was safe to say that he severely underestimated his own thoughts and imagination as he woke up in the morning in a very similar situation, finding himself back under the shower later with a deep blush that reached his neck and dark circles beneath his eyes.
_______
Fifth year began and Draco had sorted out all he needed, his priority being to woo Harry in secret. What he means by 'in secret' was more of a bribe of sorts, if you were being technical.
Their second night back at Hogwarts, Harry was pleasantly surprised to see a small white box with green ribbon sitting on his bed, a beautifully decorated apple crumble sitting inside. Lik the fool he was, he didn't bother checking whether it was laced or not and immediately ate it, beaming at the treat. It was more delicious than anything he'd eaten so far!
Later, Harry had told Draco about it. The Slytherin had gently hit him on the head for not checking whether it was dangerous or not, to which Harry had sweetly apologised, but it was clear to see that the lion was in a much better mood after recieving what he considered a gift. Draco, having silently observed and taken note of Harry's reaction, felt like he might just break and ask Harry to marry him then and there had it not been for their lesson reminder going off.
Every Friday since, Harry would be presented with what he dubbed the 'green treat' on his bed. Although the Gryffindor was able to see the increasing amount of green that was included each time, he thought nothing of it and was absolutely mind-blown when Draco suggested that maybe his supposed secret admirer was a Slytherin. Harry had stared at Draco in shock before asking one of the stupidest yet somehow endearing questions Draco had heard leave his lips: "I have an admirer?"
With each treat Harry was given, the more and more ecstatic he became over the days. He was more motivated in lessons, appeared energetic when spending time with his friends, and was all around a bundle of joy as he looked forward to that treat he would get.
What Draco hadn't accounted for was how dense Harry really was. Although Draco had told Harry directly about the secret admirer, Harry had instantly forgotten it moments later as his only focus was on "I wonder what treat I'll get this week! Maybe it'll be another apple pie, or I might even get treacle tart this time!"
And so, their fifth year flew by.
_______
Sixth year and Draco was already at his wit's end. 'Fuck the consequences,' he thought, 'I'll take what I can get.'
And as if the universe was on his side, Draco found himself on a very empty corridor with a fluffy lion just steps away from him.
_______
"Mm..." Harry breathed out, eyes falling shut subconsciously.
Draco tensed at the sound, then tightened his grip around Harry's wrists and pushed himself even closer to the Gryffindor. His tongue explored Harry's mouth, dipping out now and then to lick those delicious pink lips before diving in again, tasting apples. Their breaths were the only sounds heard within the corridor, both boys panting heavily once they'd parted for air. Yet almost immediately Draco latched back onto Harry, wanting to hear those moans that drove him absolutely crazy.
"Haa, haa... ngh..."
A small whimper escaped Harry when Draco rubbed against him, spurring the blonde even further as his hands caressed the Gryffindor's waist then dipped under his clothes. The feeling of Draco's cold hands against his bare skin jolted Harry out of the trance he'd been stuck in and he quickly drew back, one hand pushing the Slytherin away from him as the other went to try and cover his red face.
Without a glance back, Harry hurriedly fixed his clothes then dashed down the corridor towards his dorm like his butt was on fire. Draco could only watch him go with a small frown on his face, slowly morphing into frustration and agitation, and then settling into a little smile. He wouldn't give up until Harry was his, and judging from the little lion's reactions to his touch, he knew the boy wouldn't deny him for much longer.
_______
A few days later, Draco was sitting in the library at a table in the back. There were a stack of books to his right and a smaller pile of parchment to his left, quill and ink laid out in front. He was doing his homework, Potions and Charms, until he heard that voice. Looking up, Draco saw Harry walk into the library with the mudblood and weasel following behind. He sneered. Those dumb lackeys were always around his Harry, stealing all his attention.
Within moments, the mudblood was settled at a table with a stack of books in hand as she dragged the weasel along to do their homework. Draco heard Harry say something about looking for material before he disappeared into the aisles, out of sight. Taking this chance, Draco jumped out of his seat and smoothly crossed the space between the tables and aisles to look for his Harry.
He found the raven-haired boy a few aisles away from the mudblood's table, slowly walking down and scanning the titles of the books he passed in what seemed to be boredom. Draco couldn't hold himself back after seeing such a display, he couldn't help but think how adorable Harry looked like that.
"Harry."
Said boy jumped and turned around so fast he was surprised he didn't get whiplash. Draco caged him against the shelf of books, hands automatically resting on the younger's thin waist and his left leg prying between Harry's. A fierce blush stole upon Harry's face, his green eyes widening in shock and embarrassment. He didn't move. He watched as Draco dipped his head, eyes closing of their own accord once more as the familiar cologne washed over his senses.
"Mmf!" Harry's yelp was muffled. Draco bit down again on the lion's already bruised lip, this time drawing blood. Before Harry could get a word out, Draco was already lapping at his stained lips like a man starved of affection. The slight sting made a small whimper escape his mouth, but he was soon a writhing mess as Draco sucked harshly. Harry wasn't used to such stimulation and moaned into Draco's mouth, his hands unconsciously coming to rest and then grip at Draco's broad shoulders.
"Harry," Draco breathed out, sucking harshly one last time on Harry's lips before he moved to his ear, neck and then jaw. He peppered small butterfly kisses along his jaw, sucked ravenously at the Gryffindor's neck, and nipped his ear often enough that Harry couldn't even process what was going on anymore. He was left in a daze, breathing harshly as Draco pushed himself flush against him.
"Mmm..." Harry couldn't help leaning in to Draco's touch, a fire igniting in the pits of his stomach and burning brighter the more Draco touched him. Hearing Harry moan and seeing him writhe beneath him like that, Draco really felt like he would lose control. His little lion was too delicious, so tasty, that he didn't want to stop. He wanted more, but he knew the raven wasn't ready yet. The fact that he wasn't rejecting Draco's advances was a surprise in itself, but Draco was not complaining and instead ready to take advantage of this. His sweet, innocent Harry would become his, no matter what.
Moments later, the two separated. Draco was delighted to see Harry subconsciously reach out for him, to keep going. He slipped his pale fingers through Harry's tanned ones and kissed his knuckles, jolting Harry from his stupour. The Gryffindor looked like a deer caught in the headlights, and Draco's pink lips quirked up in a grin at the adorable display.
"I'll make you mine, Harry, just you wait," Draco purred against his hand, their eyes fixed to each other. Harry trembled in shock and nervousness, and something else flashed within his eyes for just a moment too fast for Draco to recognise. But he knows it was something positive, something intimate or hopeful aimed towards him, and he'd take any sort of chance he could get if it meant Harry would become his.
Harry had ignored Draco for a week after that incident, but his traitorous body betrayed him by reacting with a fierce blush whenever he saw the blonde. Draco knew the Gryffindor liked him back as he didn't reject his advances, however he was unsure how to proceed from there.
'Do I just ask him to date me and be my boyfriend? Shall I declare it, since it seems like he won't say no? No, I should pose it like a question so he knows he has a choice. But... what else? If he keeps hiding, I can easily find him. But if he's hiding, is that indirectly him telling me no?!'
Several thoughts swirled around in Draco's mind until he became so confused that he felt as though he'd short circuited. Putting Harry to the back of his mind for now, Draco focused on the potion in front of him as he was in class and decided his thoughts can have free reign in the evening.
Evening came and Draco was sitting with his House mates in the Great Hall, watching his adorable Harry munching on treacle tart with a blissful expression on his face. The boy's addiction to treacle tart made Draco flash with envy for a moment before he chided himself for lowering himself to the point of food yet again.
Draco's eyes lit up when he made eye contact with Harry, who immediately choked on the tart he was nomming on and struggled to reach for his apple juice. Once he'd calmed down enough, the dark-haired boy shyly glanced out of the corner of his eyes towards where Draco sat. Seeing the smirk resting playfully on the Slytherin's pink lips, Harry nervously gulped and prayed that nothing bad was about to happen.
As the students were let out after dinner, Harry saw Draco moving slowly compared to the rest of his House and glancing meaningfully at Harry now and then. Deciding better than to provoke the beast, Harry gave his friends the excuse of wanting to walk around the castle before sleeping since he needed to stretch his legs, and waited nearby for Draco to join him. Moments later and Draco finally appeared, the corridors now empty of any students as most were either in the dorms already or still eating.
Grabbing Harry's wrist, Draco pulled him to an empty classroom on the second floor. He let go then turned to look at Harry, who was fiddling nervously with the hem of his shirt while looking at the ground. Draco smiled gently and took Harry's hands into his, eyes curving up as well when Harry glanced at him.
"Harry... I want to make certain we're both feeling the same way. So I'm going to ask you a very important question, and I want you answer me as honestly as you can, okay?" Draco murmured, caressing the pale skin he held. Harry nodded mutely, watching how Draco's actions and expression were both kind and gentle. "Do you... do you love me?"
Harry stiffened at the L word, the blush on his cheeks deepening as he seriously thought about it like Draco asked him to.
"I... I think so? I don't know what love is, because nobody has told me that before. But I believe it includes feeling happy and safe, which is what I feel when I'm with you. Sometimes I feel scared, like my heart is going to explode if I'm near you or that l won't be able to tell you my thoughts properly. I don't want to make you angry, and I think about what you're doing a lot of the time. I... miss your touch..." Harry whispered the last part embarrassed, trailing off as he expressed his feelings.
Draco felt all warm and fluttery inside, seeing how sincere yet apologetic Harry was towards him causing him to wrap Harry in a warm hug. He kissed the boy's fluffy hair and mumbled out "I love you too, Harry Potter. Will you be my boyfriend?"
Harry had actually squeaked when he heard that, then nodded as his own arms wrapped around Draco's broad shoulders. The two stayed like that for a while longer before Draco escorted him back to Gryffindor tower. Before Harry left, Draco gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek and wave goodbye before the portrait opened.
That night, both boys slept peacefully with giant grins plastered to their faces.