Between Shadow and Light [Drarry Fanfiction]

Chapter 5. 🍓

The tension had been building for weeks, hanging over them like a storm waiting to break. Harry had felt it in every quiet moment, every passing glance that Draco avoided, every night spent alone staring at the ceiling, wishing things were different. He hated the silence between them, the way it stretched out endlessly, and he hated even more the uncertainty of whether Draco would ever come back to him.

It wasn't until the end of the third week of their silent standoff that Harry decided he couldn't wait any longer.

It was late when Harry found Draco in the greenhouse. Harry had discovered, over the past few days, that Draco had taken to visiting the greenhouses in the evenings—seeking solitude among the plants and flowers, far away from the bustling castle. Harry wasn't sure if Draco had chosen the spot deliberately to avoid him or simply because it was one of the only places where he could be alone. Either way, Harry knew this was his chance to talk.

The door creaked slightly as Harry entered the greenhouse, and Draco's head snapped up. He was standing over a table of potion ingredients, his wand in hand, but when he saw Harry, his expression hardened.

"Potter," Draco said curtly, his voice clipped. "What are you doing here?"

Harry swallowed, trying to steady himself. He could feel the weight of everything unsaid between them pressing down on him, but he knew he couldn't walk away this time. He had to face it, face him.

"We need to talk, Draco," Harry said softly, stepping closer.

Draco turned back to his work, deliberately ignoring him. "There's nothing to talk about."

Harry sighed, moving even closer until he was standing beside Draco at the table. He reached out, his hand brushing against Draco's arm. "Please. I can't stand this anymore. The silence... I miss you."

Draco stiffened at the touch but didn't pull away. His shoulders, tense and rigid, seemed to loosen just a little, though his voice remained guarded. "You don't get to just say that and expect everything to go back to normal, Harry."

Harry closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the sharp edge of Draco's words cut through him. He took a deep breath, trying to find the right words—the words that had eluded him for weeks.

"I know," Harry said, his voice low and raw. "I know I've been distant. I know I've hurt you, and I'm sorry. I didn't realize how much I was pushing you away until it was too late."

Draco finally turned to face him, his gray eyes searching Harry's face, looking for something—some kind of reassurance, maybe, or some sign that this wasn't just another empty apology.

"You've always been a hero, Harry," Draco said quietly. "You're always saving the world, always trying to fix everything. But... what about us? What about me? Where do I fit into your world?"

Harry's heart clenched at the vulnerability in Draco's voice, the pain that Draco had been trying so hard to hide. He stepped closer, reaching out to cup Draco's face gently with his hand.

"You fit," Harry said softly. "You fit more than you know. I just... I've been trying to balance everything, and I've messed it up. I let myself get caught up in everything else because that's what I've always done. But you... Draco, you're not 'everything else.' You're what matters."

Draco's breath hitched slightly, his gaze softening as he leaned into Harry's touch. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, the air between them filled with the weight of all the things they hadn't said. And then, finally, Draco let out a soft sigh, his defenses crumbling.

"I've missed you, too," Draco admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper. "More than I wanted to admit."

Harry's heart swelled at the confession, and he felt a wave of relief wash over him. Slowly, he leaned in, pressing his forehead against Draco's. "I don't want to lose you," Harry whispered. "I don't want to lose this."

Draco's eyes fluttered closed, and for a moment, they simply stood there, their foreheads touching, their breaths mingling in the warm air of the greenhouse. The tension between them seemed to dissolve, replaced by something warmer, something softer.

When Draco opened his eyes again, he met Harry's gaze, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Then stop being such an idiot," he murmured, though there was no real bite to the words.

Harry chuckled softly. "I'll try."

Draco's hands slid up Harry's chest, and before Harry could react, Draco pulled him into a kiss. It was slow and sweet at first, their lips moving together in a way that felt like a quiet apology. But as the kiss deepened, it became more urgent, more intense—like they were making up for all the lost time between them.

Harry groaned softly as Draco's hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer. He wrapped his arms around Draco's waist, pressing their bodies together, the heat between them building quickly. The air in the greenhouse felt warmer, thicker, as their kisses grew more passionate, more desperate.

Draco broke the kiss just long enough to catch his breath, his lips swollen and his eyes dark with lust. "You have no idea how much I've been thinking about this," Draco murmured against Harry's lips, his voice husky.

Harry felt a shiver run down his spine at the tone of Draco's voice, his heart pounding in his chest. He pressed his lips to Draco's neck, tasting the skin there as Draco let out a soft gasp, his hands tightening their grip on Harry's shoulders.

"Then let me make it up to you," Harry whispered, his voice rough with desire.

Draco let out a low laugh, his breath coming in short gasps as Harry's lips continued their trail down his neck. "You've got a lot to make up for, Potter."

Harry smirked against Draco's skin, his hands sliding down Draco's back as he pressed him against the table behind them. "I'm up for the challenge."

Draco groaned, his head falling back as Harry kissed him again, harder this time, his hands roaming Draco's body with a hunger that had been building for weeks. It was like a dam had broken between them, all the frustration and longing spilling out in every touch, every kiss.

Draco's fingers tugged at the hem of Harry's shirt, pulling it up and over his head in one swift motion. Harry shivered as the cool air hit his skin, but the sensation was quickly replaced by the warmth of Draco's hands on his chest, his touch sending sparks of electricity through Harry's body.

Harry's hands slid up Draco's sides, pulling at his robes until they, too, were discarded on the floor of the greenhouse. They stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, their bodies pressed together, the heat between them almost unbearable.

And then, with a shared look of understanding, they moved together, their lips crashing once more as they gave in to the passion that had been simmering beneath the surface for so long. The world around them faded away—the greenhouse, the castle, the war—until there was nothing left but the two of them, tangled together in the heat of the moment.

It wasn't perfect, but it was real. It was raw and messy and filled with the kind of intensity that came from weeks of longing and pent-up emotion. And when it was over, when they were both breathless and spent, they lay together on the floor of the greenhouse, wrapped in each other's arms, the tension between them finally gone.

For a long time, they just lay there in silence, their bodies entwined, the sound of their breathing the only thing breaking the stillness.

Draco was the first to speak, his voice soft and teasing. "I hope you're not thinking this makes up for everything, Potter."

Harry laughed, pressing a kiss to Draco's temple. "No. But it's a start."

Draco smiled, his eyes fluttering closed as he leaned into Harry's touch. "You've still got a lot of work to do," he murmured, though there was no real bite to the words.

Harry grinned, pulling Draco closer. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

And as they lay there, their bodies warm and their hearts finally at peace, Harry knew that they would be okay. It wouldn't always be easy, and they would still have their fights, their disagreements. But they would get through it—together.