Sketches From A Stranger {Drarry}

> Dahlias

art credit (qinniart//rest in peace)
{dahlias for grace under pressure}

Draco took the steps two at a time and if Harry didn't know any better he would assume the man was trying to get rid of him while trying to impress him at the same time. He chuckled to himself and decided that maybe that was exactly the case.

"What's so funny, Potter?" asked Draco from ahead of him, the blonde head never turning in his direction as they made it to the landing and he walked towards a door purposefully.

"Nothing, just thinking about how you probably have better things to do than show me around."

"No," said Draco turning with blush and a small smile on his face. "Not really."

When the blonde turned back towards the door, Harry was positively beaming before he remembered that he had a soulmate to think about. He rubbed his forearm slowly as if trying to send an apology to whoever his match happened to be. Which made him think about-

"But what about your soulmate? Do they live here too? What I mean to say is with you...Wouldn't you rather be with them since dinner is over?" Harry could feel himself stumble over every syllable as it left his lips.

"The situation has never come up before, so I don't know how'd they feel to be quite honest," Draco responded as he held the door open for the ravenette who slowly walked into the gallery in awe at his surroundings.

"I guess you're right, but I wouldn't want to keep you from them. I heard that once you find your soulmate it's kind of hard not to be around them. I mean- it's just that- Well you know how 'Mione is about Ron."

"Who?"

"Hermione...?"

"No, I know Granger. The other one."

"Er- Ron? Ronald Weasley? Tall bloke, kinda leggy, red hair, freckles..?" Harry had pulled a sort of confused face while he described his best friend, trying to remember the most noticeable parts of him.

"That's her soulmate? I thought it was the girl...same description. What's her name?"

"Ginevra." Harry stopped to control his laughter as Draco's eyes grew in surprise. "Everyone just calls her Ginny. She'll claw your eyes out otherwise." This time he really did laugh and it made Draco blush before strolling into the gallery, motioning Harry to follow.

The blonde took a deep breath before speaking again. He made sure to keep his cool. He was a Malfoy, and Malfoys didn't panic. Especially not when their soulmate was standing in front of them with a small smile still tugging at their lips and that messy hair starting to come out of the proper style it had been forced into before and those eyes. Definitely not.

"I don't know why mother wanted me to invite you in here. It's not my best work, by far. I'm working on a series of floral paintings now. Trying to see how many different types of flowers I can remember from my botany studies. I like trying lots of different things," he said motioning around them. "I like to think of it like telling a story and letting each painting read as a chapter."

"Are you doing them in order?" Potter asked in a whisper as he looked at each work in awe, slowly making his way around the room until he stopped in front of one of a large castle in ruins, back-lit by a sharp eery green light. Draco walked behind him quietly and spoke softly, but the ravenette still jumped at his proximity.

"No, not really. I just do what feels right," the blonde said looking over at him. He watched the green eyed man's adams apple bob as he swallowed. The man turned to glance at him, but instead he was stuck once their eyes met. They stood there in the silence just staring into each other's eyes.

"So uh-" he whispered before taking another moment to swallow. "how do you know what feels right?" Draco could feel the warmth of Harry's breath fan across his lips as he looked down at the slightly shorter man. They seemed to lean into each other. He was so close to Harry's lips. He let his eyes fall close and leaned in a bit closer their lips had just began to brush when Potter stepped back and cleared his throat.

The blonde's eyes snapped open as he stepped back as well.

"I guess, you just know."

Harry nodded, but he didn't speak again until he had finished viewing the entire gallery.

"You're a very good artist, but I uh- I have to go. Let your mother know that dinner was great." He bowed his head once in an attempt to hide the blush in his cheeks and the unfounded guilt in his eyes. Before Draco could say anything against it his soulmate had rushed out of the room and down the stairs. When he finally thought to follow him the ravenette was out the front door.

"Shit," he cursed as he kicked at the railing of the stairs.

"Language, dear," he heard his mother called from the kitchen where she was probably doing the washing from dinner.

"Sorry, mother," he called back before adding lazily. "Harry said that he had to go, but to let you know dinner was great."

"He seems like a nice young man, my dragon." He knew what she really meant was he's yours, keep him.

"Yes, mother, I know. I'm working on it." He rolled his eyes.

"I just want you to be happy," she said stepping out of the kitchen drying her hands on a dish towel, a task that was completely mundane yet still looked graceful when she did it, before kissing him on the cheek and smiling fondly at him.

Draco sent her a small smile back before nodding and kissing both of her cheeks.

"I think I'm going to head home too. Do you need any help before I go?"

"No, I'm almost done. Don't forget we're coming for tea-"

"On Thursday," he said cutting her off with a bigger smile. "You come over every Thursday, it's the highlight of my week, I assure you."

She lightly smacked his shoulder with the towel but laughed all the same.

~~<~>~~

hey futher muckers
guess who finally has time

thats right
me

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every wednesday

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hope you guys like this chapter
sorry ive been gone for so long

y i k e s

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-- angel janeé xoxo 💋