𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬

5 - keeping each other sane

𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐒 .
warnings; mentions of past self-harm

draco can't escape the events of the past, and harry is there to keep him sane.
established relationship

[ wc — 2514 ]

draco stalks up the stairs of the astronomy tower, the urge to cry bubbling up in his chest. he can feel sobs building up with the tightening of his throat, and wills the tears away from his eyes. he purses his lips as he steps up the last few stairs, feeling the cool night air tickle at his skin.

he takes slow steps towards the rail at the edge, looking out over the large mountains that surround hogwarts, taking note of all the lights that are on in windows across the grounds.

his grip tightens on the railing as he looks down. it's a long way to fall, one that you certainly wouldn't survive. his lips purse into a thin line. what if he were to fall? what if he were to throw himself off? he wouldn't have to worry about disappointing his father, he wouldn't have to continue living in the manor when not at hogwarts with a dark lord, he wouldn't have to worry about killing dumbledore.

he leans forward slightly, properly peering over the edge. all he'd have to do is jump over the railing, let his eyes close as he allows his body to go limp whilst he falls, feeling the air grow tight around his body as he comes closer and closer to the ground...

draco wakes up with a start, breathing raggedly and body sweat drenched as he sits up abruptly. he begins to cry immediately, bringing his forearm to his body, the one with the stupid, faded mark on it, and gripping it tightly. his sobs fill the silent room, almost echoing off of the walls as his body shakes with them.

"draco?"

harry's voice is nothing but a whisper from behind him, and he barely hears it over his own cries. he feels the man shift, and then he is being pulled into a tight embrace. his tears begin to seep into harry's shirt immediately.

"the astronomy tower..." he cries, holding his arm close to his body, "i was gonna throw myself off... i was so close..."

harry manoeuvres draco so that he is sat in his lap, and wraps his arms firmly around him. "shh, it's okay. you're not on the astronomy tower, baby. you're in bed, with me, harry. voldemort's gone, my love. you don't have to worry about that anymore."

harry continues to whisper comforting words into draco's ear as the man cries, slowly coming back to reality. his arms wind around harry's neck, clutching onto him like a life line.

"fucking hate that dream," he mutters, hiccuping in the middle of the sentence as his sobs slowly calm down.

"i know, love." harry's hand caresses softly up and down draco's back, rocking the two of them back and forth slightly. he doesn't know how long he is crying into harry's neck before he is finally calm enough to get a proper deep breath in. he pulls back, enough to look into harry's eyes in the moon-lit room, and presses his forehead against the man's.

"you're safe here, draco. nothing's going to happen to you, yeah?"

"yeah."

—

draco tries his best to engage in conversation, but it's difficult when you're sat across the table from people who were locked away in the cellar of your childhood home. he feels himself slowly fading out of reality, staring off into space as his mind supplies him with images and sounds from the manor. the screams of innocent people, the cold feeling and smell of death lurking in the air, the look on his mother's face as she watched his father kill for the dark lord in their own dining room.