call me by your name ✔

chapter seventeen

In the few days he spent without Draco, Harry realised how much of his day he actually used to take up.

Lunch and dinner with his friends was so much like old times, when they sat together and tried to ignore what a mess their life had become. But now it was so freeing, Harry realised, to just talk to them without any worries on his shoulder. Ron looked relieved he'd stopped messaging Damien throughout their conversations, and actively asked for Harry's opinion on things to make up for lost time.

"I heard Draco and Astoria 'cut things off'," Ron said, using air quotations. "Apparently she's with Theo now. He's Pureblood too. Guess the rumours were wrong about him liking you, mate."

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "Thank God."

Theo and Astoria really did create a disgusting, albeit adorable, display, with their arms wrapped around each other. Astoria no longer sat with Draco, who Harry noticed now sat with Pansy and Blaise.

"So, Harry," Hermione lowered her voice. "What about you and... him?"

Harry sighed. "Honestly? I have no idea."

And it was true. Draco showed no signs of missing Harry, and while the black-haired boy was doing well without the blonde, he still felt a pang in his chest whenever he looked at him. He was really worried that Draco had used this week to decide that he and Harry weren't all that compatible.

"Well, whatever needs to happen will happen, Harry," she said, putting a comforting hand on his arm.

"Yeah, but what about what I want to happen," he sighed, staring longingly at the blonde.

"Your week is up tomorrow, remember?" she said reassuringly. "Maybe he'll try talk to you then."

But he didn't. Draco didn't speak to Harry that day, or the next, or the ten after that. Harry decided to take matters into his own hands and try to track him down to talk, but the blonde boy avoided him like the plague, running out classrooms at the mere sight of him and locking himself in bathroom stalls whenever he came close.

Finally, Harry entered the Common Room one evening with a sad sigh, plopping himself into the comfy armchair by the fire and taking out his phone to message Draco.

harry
if you wanted things to be done between us, you could have told me instead of telling me to give us a week. thanks for the past few months, draco.
it was cool.

The message made his heart crack inside his chest as he sent it, two blue ticks appearing in seconds to show Draco had read it. Immediately the blonde began typing, before stopping and going offline, and Harry could feel his eyes fill with tears.

"You've done it, have you?" Ron asked, perching on the arm of Harry's chair and slinging an arm around his shoulders. "It'll be alright, mate. We've all been there."

Harry let himself break, turning his head into Ron's jumper as he cried. "I ruined everything!"

"Don't say that, mate," Ron said, patting his head awkwardly. "Anyways, this is good. You deserve better than that ferret."

"But he's the best person I've known," Harry said in anguish, voice muffled by fabric. "I don't want better."

A loud knock sounded on the portrait door, and all the Gryffindors turned to look.

Harry wiped his eyes and stood. "I'll get it." Probably some daft Slytherin wanting to play a prank.

He opened the door from the inside and furrowed his eyebrows when he saw Draco Malfoy standing on the other side, red-faced and panting.

"You..." Harry began. "Why are you here?"

"I... didn't... realise," Draco said in between breaths, clutching onto his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "...stupid."

"I'm stupid?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

Draco's head shot up in horror. "No- not you! Me!"

Acutely aware of the stares from everyone in the Common Room, Harry stepped out and closed the door behind him before looking to Draco. "Explain."

"Harry, I don't want things to end between us!" Draco exclaimed, eyes burning with determination.

"What?" Harry blanched. "But- but you were avoiding me..."

Draco looked sheepishly at the ground. "You'd looked so happy without me that week, with your friends. I thought maybe you'd realised you don't want us anymore. I didn't want to hear the words from your mouth, so I hid."

Groaning, Harry facepalmed so hard the sound echoed in the corridor. "You utter idiot!"

"I know!" Draco said.

"This was entirely useless!" Harry cried. "We could have been together ages ago, twat!"

"I know," Draco repeated sadly. "I'm sorry."

Harry stepped closer and cupped Draco's cheek in his palm before leaning forward to kiss him softly. Immediately, the blonde twined his hands around Harry's waist to pull them flush together and sighed into his mouth.

"Harry, I love you," Draco said against his lips.

"I love you too, Draco," Harry smiled.

***

lol ok so writing this story was so fun but i won't drag it on with more shit so here is the end. go to the next chapt for the epilogueee

vote and comment 😭