Drarry One Shots and Fluff

Empath

Harry hated feeling other people's emotions. They crackled and fizzed around his relatives, flashing angrily the moment their eyes landed on him. Every slap and kick would magnify those emotions tenfold, coursing through his body until just the touch made him scream in fear of the pure anger racing through him.

Due to that fear, he hid away from people's touch. He didn't like hugs, he flinched away from contact in any form and just being in close proximity to other people made him feel like he was peering into something he shouldn't be seeing.

He got used to predicting his uncle's emotions, spotting the days where his anger was crackling under his skin. He would stay as far away from the man as he could, paying extremely close attention to his chores until he was almost certain he wouldn't get in trouble for it. His aunt was another problem, the pills she took every day wrapped her emotions around her until they lashed out violently and unpredictably. He could keep an eye on her all he wanted and still get a frying pan aimed at his head for not doing something fast enough.

So when a young boy with blonde hair and pointed features held out his hand for Harry to shake, Harry's stomach dropped.

The train station had already been stressful for him, crowded bodies jostling him and filling him with so many emotions that he wasn't sure which ones were his anymore. The boy opposite him, Ron, was a breath of fresh air. He had the usual frantic excitement but it was held close to his chest, knees pulled up and feet tucked underneath his body. Harry never felt obliged to touch him and was very comfortable sitting across from him and chatting quietly, allowing his emotions to cool.

That was when the boy appeared.

Almost immediately, Harry had felt the fear festering underneath his skin. He watched as the boy picked at his robes before he let out a breath and held out his hand, chin pointed up.

Harry froze, unable to think of anything to say. He'd spoken so many excuses not to teach people but all of them felt so flat. This boy just wanted to be his friend and Harry had been so panicked when he first walked in that he hadn't caught the boys name.

Ron let out a small laugh but Harry could tell that he was actually feeling shy and small. That was not the correct move as the young boy flushed in embarrassment and reacted badly. Harry had seen this gone wrong with Dudley too many times to count. He needed to say something and he needed to say something now.

"You think my name's funny, do you? No need-" Harry let out a large gasp, interrupting what was probably a very practiced speech.

Harry pointed behind the boy, "what is that?" He asked incredulously, spotting a mysterious brown shape crawling along the window.

Everyone turned around with enough time for the brown object to catapult itself onto the boy's chest. The boy flailed for a moment before he grasped the object and held it between his thumb and forefinger, "it's a chocolate frog," he spoke eventually, watching as the wriggling creature thrashed around before one of his goons laughed and took the frog, stuffing the entire thing in his mouth in one go. "You've seen a chocolate frog before, haven't you?" The boy asked, raising en eyebrow with a face full of humour. Harry knew, however, that he was relieved to be interrupted.

Harry shrugged and held up a chocolate frog card, "yes," he said obviously, trying hard not to roll his eyes. "Got one here."

Confusion emanated from the boy but his face didn't falter from a calm and collected manor. Eventually, he just spoke, "whatever, see you around Potter," and walked away.

Harry just shrugged, opening another chocolate frog.

***

Harry made sure not to touch anyone for years. It was difficult, he had to admit. There were a few close-calls and slip-ups, mainly around friends who kept trying to hug him, but eventually he reached his fifth year of Hogwarts.