Drarry- Chocolate and Chamomile

7

It was a Friday afternoon and Asteria had just left her room, bedhead and circles around her eyes so dark it worried Harry. "You and Draco get along well", Asteria said. "It's a surprise for me, too". "That's really nice. You know what they say: there's a fine line between love and hate. Of course, I am not insinuating that you're in love but.." Asteria never finished the sentence, still the weight of it felt heavy. "You're a real sentimentalist, you know that?", Harry smiled and scooted closer to her on the sofa they were sitting on, intertwining their feet. They giggled at the touch. Harry adored her, simply because with her he could pretend things were easy. Asteria then launched into a detailed explanation about her dream and what it could possibly mean, losing Harry when the words primary-process-thought and Freudian's reliance on symbolism fell.

"Harry, mate, there's someone on the phone for you", Francis called from across the apartment. Harry hurried towards the phone in the hall, leaving the pile of laundry he'd been folding the Muggle way behind. "Hello?"
"Harry, it's me! How are things at home? You didn't call, so I figured you were either kidnapped and strangled or sharing a blanket with Draco Malfoy, counting stars", his best friend's voice echoed through the line.
"I-"
"There's no in between when it comes to you two"
"I'll have you know that we're not sharing blankets, Ron!", answered Harry defiantly, realizing that We both have our own blanket wouldn't make it any better.
"So he hasn't hexed you, then?"
"No, we get along just fine"
"Well, he better not lay a finger on you, otherwise I will pay the git a visit", Ron concluded. Telling Ron that the only thing he'd been able to think about these last few days, was, indeed, Malfoy laying- more than one- finger on him, might not be an advisable move.
Their conversation had been over soon after, since Ron had been using a payphone. Harry appreciated his concern and grew wary over the fact that he had actually defended Draco.

It was past 11 pm and Harry could feel himself growing impatient. These past few days, Draco had always been back way earlier. This is ridiculous, Harry thought to himself while fiddling with the string of his hoodie, lying on the sofa of their living room. The intense, cedar odour of an incense stick lit by Asteria clouded the room and he felt as if it was clouding his mind, too. And then, the sound he'd been waiting for all night: the unlocking of the front door. Harry jerked his head towards the door, inwardly cursing himself for it. Draco entered the room, his hair surprisingly disheveled and found Harry's eyes. He smiled. "Missed me then, Potter?", he asked and Harry wasn't sure if it was mere antics or if a hint of solemnity was in it, too. "What? No? I... I was simply enjoying...my book", he finished off, looking alarmed. "Eloquent as always, I see". Harry rolled his eyes in return but found himself blushing. "I hope it's not too late for our little nightly talk, then? Or does the Chosen One insist on his beauty sleep?".

Draco walked towards his room and Harry got up to follow, but was left dumbstruck when the blonde closed the door after him. Confused, Harry stood in the living room but soon went to his own room to reach the balcony from there. Malfoy was already sitting in his usual seat, looking out at the night sky. "Did you know we now have 2 people with celestial names in our flatshare?", Draco asked after Harry had sat down as well. "I do, now", Harry replied. "I really am craving some chocolate", he added, emboldened by the smile Draco had given him after his reply.

"How many are there left?", Draco asked while the box was still in Harry's hand. It was only now that Harry noticed that not only Draco's hair looked unkempt, the blonde's whole face looked weary verging on exhausted. Harry almost forgot to reply but remembered that he'd been asked something, taken aback by the mystery that was Draco Malfoy. "5, so one for you now and then there's 4 more". "The Golden Boy can do maths, how utterly impressive". His voice was soft but somehow tired as well.
"You're quite fond of referring to me as anything other but my name today, aren't you?", Harry asked, hoping he'd get to the root of Draco's state. But he only got a muttered "hmph" as a reply. They spent the following minutes in silence and this time, Harry definitely interpreted it as an uncomfortable one. It was as if something unspoken was hanging in the air, as if the reason for Draco's behaviour would be the answer to the queasy feeling in Harry's stomach as well. Harry had almost given up about finding out and didn't protest when Draco lit a cigarette without asking him, too. "I was at my mother's, you see", Draco suddenly said. He sounded blasé but Harry didn't buy it. "Oh" was his response for he had absolutely no idea what an appropriate answer would be, seeing that his asking could be easily seen as prying. "Yeah. 'Oh' sums it up quite well". Harry was at a loss. He didn't want to urge Draco to talk about things he wasn't ready for or simply did not want to, so instead of replying he simply kept silent.

What seemed like an eternity had already passed in complete silence, when Draco said:"I forgot to offer you a cigarette earlier" and he met Harry's glance with such persistence that Harry stumbled over his own words, so that only a cramped "er" was audible.

Exposed, Harry felt the heat rise to his entire face and he was stunned, suddenly unable to move. Draco's chair was pulled closer to his own and instead of pulling out the pack of cigarettes, Draco brought his arm closer to Harry's and let it slowly wander towards Harry's shoulder, then his neck, his jaw.
The blonde's finger found Harry's lip, softly caressing it. Their eyes met with an intensity that made him shiver when he saw it. The thumb on his lip was soft and warm and Harry opened his mouth a little, excruciatingly slow. Draco's eyes were now fixated on his mouth. He could feel the distance of their faces decreasing and his pulse increasing, heart pounding in his ears.
He locked eyes with Draco again and Harry was about to close his eyes and lean in even more, when all of a sudden, Draco increased their distance again and the feeling on Harry's lips as soon as Draco had pulled his thumb back was cold and completely terrifying.
Draco stared at him, seemingly shocked from what had just transpired and he stormed off. Harry was alone on the balcony again, the door to Draco's room firmly shut and it was just as if none of it had ever happened, yet the aching in Harry's heart was too strong to convince him it had all been a dream.