Pen Pal (Drarry) HIATUS

10

Saturday afternoon, Draco had picked Harry up from his dorm. He took him just outside of the grounds, and apparated him straight into muggle London. Harry took a moment to shake off the nausea he still felt everytime he apparated.

"Muggle London, really? Not where I was expecting," Harry said, looking around the street they were on. Their arms were still linked at the elbows from apparation.

"Well seeing as I'm the wizarding world's most hated, and you're the savior I figured it would be nicer over here. Quieter even. Besides, mother has been raving about this cute little Italian place just around this corner," Draco smiled, pulling Harry along.

Harry bit back a smile of his own, enjoying how comfortable he felt with Draco. He assumed that's why 'Luke' was so easy to talk to, no matter how the two interacted they'd always had a strange connection.

That was probably McGonagalls intentions all along, Harry thought. She would one day intervene as well as Albus always did, but not today, that's for sure. She had failed at that tremendously, and if Harry knew Dumbledore, his portrait let her know it.

When they entered the restaurant, Harry was immediately enamored by the smell of food lingering in the air, "did Ron tell you Italian was my favorite?" He questioned with a raise of an eyebrow and a subtle smirk.

Draco's cheeks tinted pink, "he may have mentioned it, after I asked," he mumbled the last part. Earning a small smile from Harry he planned on keeping there the rest of the day.

"So did you and Hermione make up?" Draco asked as they sat down, trying to find a point of conversation, he'd never felt as nervous around anyone as he did Harry lately.

"I suppose, I'm making her sweat it out like she did to me a few weeks ago. It's a bit too hard for us to stay mad at each other anymore, especially after all we went through together in the war," Harry shrugged, looking over his menu.

"I understand that, I appreciate you allowing me to take you to lunch. I was planning on trying to hang out with you lot more anyways, I suppose screwing up early in the friendship and showing you how I grovel is a good start," Draco teased, playfully.

"You don't need to grovel, just don't fuck me over again. It was easy to trust you, you know? Not just as Luke, but I mean YOU. I thought I hated you for so long, and then one day I just saw you, and there wasn't anything to hate. Trusting you was easy, far too easy.. so don't ruin it yeah," Harry sat his menu down, looking up at the waiter who just walked over.

Draco stared at Harry while he ordered, because damn wasn't that a lot to take in. At eleven years old, he figured he'd never hear those words. That Harry Potter didn't hate him. Now he was practically almost kind of friends with the man and he wasn't quite sure how to handle THAT.

They had a pretty quiet lunch, opting not to talk much. They hadn't really had anything to talk about, they'd said their pieces and now they could sit there comfortably. Harry knowing he wouldn't be hurt again, and Draco knowing Harry forgave him. It was peaceful.

-

After dinner the two walked around the town for a bit, stopping at a few stops occasionally. When they made their way back to Hogwarts neither were exactly ready to go back to their dorms.

Harry decided to do something rash, and led Draco over to the lake. He found his favorite tree and laid down underneath it. It wasn't freezing outside yet, but there was a bit of a breeze picking up that nipped at their noses.

Harry looked up from the ground at Draco, laughing when he saw the confused and semi-disgusted look upon his face, "the ground won't hurt you Malfoy. Join me," Harry reached up his hand for Draco to take.

Draco eventually gave in, allowing Harry to pull him down onto the ground. They laid shoulder to shoulder, watching the clouds, and making casual conversation.

The breeze picked up a bit, the crisp autumn air painting their faces in red. Neither made a move to get closer, but both were thinking about it.

Harry in particular was getting quite annoyed with himself. His brain was telling him to get far away from any sort of personal connection to Draco. The blonde had put him through enough. He didn't need to allow him into his life this way.

Yet his heart raced when Draco smiled, when he brushed his hand against his accidentally, when he forgot his own morality for a moment to lay in dirt just for him.

Wasn't that just great? Exactly what a traumatized war survivor with extreme mental health issues needed, feelings. Fantastic.

Harry's internal bitterness was interrupted by rain hitting his face, and he jumped a bit. He looked between the sky and Draco and smiled. "Stand up." He said in a rush standing up himself.

Draco raised a confused eyebrow, but stood up and looked at the sky. It started to rain heavier and he looked at Harry with wide eyes. "Why aren't we running?"

"You love rain," Harry smirked, grabbing Draco's hand and pulling him out from under the tree. If anyone looked down by the lake, they'd see two very happy, stupid boys, laughing and chasing each other around in the pouring down rain.

Harry ran a bit quicker, trying to avoid sliding in mud and finally caught Draco from behind by the waist. Both boys panting and giggling as they got completely drenched by the weather.

It was the first time in months that Harry had truly felt carefree, laughing so loudly he was sure someone could hear him over the storm above. Draco smiled brightly, taking a moment to stand under the rain with his face pointed up at the sky. He felt quite carefree and happy himself.

-

A/N enjoy this absolutely disgustingly fluffy chapter of Drarry making up.

Hope you enjoyed loves.

Much love,

-H🫶🏼