Nightmare | Drarry | English

Epilogue

On an ordinary autumn evening, leaving behind a sweet breeze and the redness of the sunset, he entered the house. Trying to make sense of the welcoming silence, he took off his robe, hung it up, and quietly walked inside. When he reached the entrance to the living room, he stopped and smiled at the sight before him. It wasn't something he encountered often, as Draco didn't usually enjoy napping during the day unless he was extremely tired. He was one to stay up late and wake up early. Draco could talk for hours about managing time well, and offering advice. Harry, on the other hand, would laugh at his words, making it clear he didn't take him seriously. For Draco, managing time well meant reading a lot of books. If you're home, read a book. Got some free time? Read a book. Is Teddy asleep? Read a book. Bored? Do something like... reading a book? He had an excellent library full of old books, mainly on potions, which didn't particularly interest Harry.

Harry had left the house just for an hour to drop Teddy off at Andromeda's for a few days. He didn't expect to find Draco asleep when he returned. Perhaps, he thought, Draco would be... reading a book? There was a slight chance he'd be experimenting with potions. But clearly, the effort to play with Teddy before sending him off had exhausted him. The previous night, too, had been tough as Teddy had refused to sleep, making it difficult to get him to bed. With sleep deprivation and exhaustion combined... voila! Draco Malfoy had fallen asleep on the couch.

Standing there, watching Draco was enjoyable enough, but Harry noticed the expression on Draco's face. As he quietly approached the couch, it didn't take long to realize Draco was dreaming. They could now be considered experts on dreams, at least from their perspective...

Despite their dream connection remaining intact, they had agreed to limit their dream visits as much as possible. No losing sleep. No entering dreams at every opportunity. They were well aware of how special their bond was, but they were cautious not to cause anything wrong. Though they could no longer sense each other's moods or thoughts like before, they were still scared. They wouldn't do anything to cast doubt on the reality of what they were experiencing. Their thorough research had already shown it wasn't possible... no risks.

Sometimes, while both were asleep, they'd unknowingly meet in a shared dream. Harry's nightmares were now much rarer, and during those times, Draco never held back. Occasionally, Harry would visit Draco's dreams out of curiosity. Since Draco was a light sleeper and more perceptive about dreams, he could sense Harry's presence. Rarely... when in a deep sleep, he wouldn't realize they were dreaming, or that Harry was intervening.

Curious about what was going on in Draco's subconscious as he slept at this hour, Harry approached the couch with great curiosity. After sitting on his knees, he leaned against the couch, took Draco's hand, and closed his eyes. After a brief moment of focus, he felt himself being pulled into Draco's dream.

Harry entered the dream as an observer. They were in the grand hall of Malfoy Manor.

"I've told you before," Lucius Malfoy was saying. "You cannot befriend a house-elf, Draco!"

When Harry turned his gaze to where Lucius was looking, he experienced a momentary shock. Draco... was about seven or eight years old... in a white shirt, black shorts, and dark green suspenders... a tiny... adorable kid. He looked sullen, but not sad, rather angry.

"But father-"

"No buts," Lucius cut him off. "House-elves are there to serve you; you need to learn how to treat them." Lucius turned to Dobby, who stood in a corner with an embarrassed expression. "Dobby!"

"Yes, master?"

"I forbid you from talking to Draco, and don't show yourself around here!"