Drarry O'Clock- Part 1

25: Soft Bois

Harry's perspective

Harry followed after Draco and saw him going into the Slytherin Common Room. The Slytherin Head Girl and Boy walked out and stood at its entrance. They looked closely at his red Gryffindor tie then at his uncovered scar. Wary of their judgement, Harry gulped as he passed them.

Harry looked around the hall for a sign of the familiar white hair. Slytherins looked at him in questioning, and he felt like an imposter.

Feeling cold and embarrassed by all the non-compassionate looks directed at him, Harry was already walking back out of the Slytherin's Hall in disappointment.

Late at night, Harry made a tiny light with his wand under the blanket. He couldn't sleep yet, and it was too dark, even when he opened his eyes it was as dark as when he closed them tight.

"Potter."

"...Dray?"

Draco sidled under Harry's blanket and Harry felt instant extra warmth.

"Potter, I think I understand the words on the Time Turner now."

Harry put the light over the Time Turner's inscription.

I mark the hours, push them back. Too much, or you I can't protect.
To mend me you must break yourself. Your greatest weakness, peel off the flesh.

"The clue was here all along," said Draco, "my greatest weakness is my narcissism. That's what you told me, remember?"

Harry couldn't remember ever telling Draco something that. Sure, it had come across his mind in their first few interactions, but he did not dare to say it out loud. He did not want to offend his truest friend.

"Well, today I gave back Neville his Remembrall, and it changed some of the course of time. Instead of continuing towards the playground, he turned around and went to the stairs. I closed my eyes and controlled my thoughts to make sure no thoughts of narcissism came through, like Snape taught me to."

"Right, your godfather. Was it in a lesson of Occlumency?"

"Yes. I wondered if it was because of the Time Turner itself that worsened my narcissism, and it turned out to be true. It's not a hoax. The Time Turner controls you and makes you its slave. That's why the only way to break away from it is to look at your own weakness."

"That's really thoughtful of you," said Harry, bewitched by Draco's grin in the bleak light.

"Midnight is when the Time Turner resets. I had to be sure, so I came a little late...are you excited to return?"

"It is a bit weird here," Harry admitted.

They kept whispering until they heard a tiny chime from Draco's watch.

"Now..." he said.

They removed the blanket and it was morning. Ravin smiled cheerfully.

"We're heading off the train very soon, sleepyheads," he stood at the carriage door and looked at the two boys snuggling on the train seat.

"We made it," said Draco. He hugged Harry tightly.

"I'm still tired. Why couldn't we time travel to night time instead," Harry complained.

Draco nodded, "we'll have to deal with it. We can't play with time so freely anymore."

His eyes likewise looked annoyed, but still glad.

"There's just a few minutes until you can't use your wand anymore, Potter. Can you promise me something before we depart?"

Harry wondered what the promise had to do with magic.

"Let's perform an Unbreakable Vow. If you break this vow, you will die. Will you do it?"

"Yes," said Harry bravely and happy to do such an important spell, "I can keep a promise."

"Well then," Draco cleared his throat pleased himself.

"You have to promise that we will be friends together, until death do us part."

"I promise," said Harry.

Draco attempted the spell.

"Did it work?" Asked Harry enthusiastically.

"I...think I failed that one. Let me repeat."

Draco repeated the spell a few times. Ravin came in to check on them.

"Are the two of you performing a dangerous spell?" Ravin said crossly. Draco flinched and tucked in his wand.

"We're in the Muggle World too. Come on Harry. Say goodbye to each other."

Harry shook hands with Draco, "I'll see you next year, then."

They shared cheeky, knowing looks.

-

The end