erised ➵ drarry ✔️

twelve

Harry felt his mouth go dry at the sight of his beaming face in the mirror, holding Draco's hand. It was like watching a strange, twisted dream unfold. His heart ached at the sight, and somewhere deep inside him he knew this was impossible, it could never happen.

Blinking back tears, he turned to Draco and smiled. "What do you see?" he asked, stepping back so that Draco was left staring into the mirror on his own.

"What do you mean, 'what do I see?'" Draco scoffed. "It's a mirror, Potter, obviously I see you and me."

Harry almost choked.

"What?" Draco turned to him, utterly confused.

Harry grinned and shook his head, sitting down against the wall. He held out his cup of Firewhisky and offered it to Draco, who accepted and sat down next to Harry.

"This is the Mirror of Erised," said Harry. "I found it in my first year. It showed me my parents."

Draco took a gulp of the drink and raised an eyebrow at Harry. "So why didn't it show mine?" he asked.

Harry shrugged. "It doesn't show your parents, that's not its purpose."

"Then what is?"

"Erised," Harry smiled, facing Draco.

"What?" Draco handed the cup back and stared at Harry. Then it hit him. "Oh! Oh... fuck."

Erised is desire backwards.

"What was yours?" Draco turned to Harry and tried to keep calm.

Harry just smiled at him.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Draco placed his head in his hands and breathed deeply. "How did this happen?"

Harry moved quietly towards him and gently moved Draco's hands away from his face.

"Harry, what're you...?" but the question disappeared as Draco's head was softly lifted up.

Harry had no idea what he was doing, but he did it; he kissed him and it felt completely and entirely right. Everything clicked into place all at once.

"What the fuck...?" Draco breathed, and Harry's heart jolted as he thought he'd done the wrong thing, but then Draco said, "I thought we were supposed to be avoiding each other." Harry laughed.

They sat there for the rest of the night, talking about nothing and everything until they fell asleep with their heads rested upon each other.

—

The next morning, Harry woke with his head still on top of Draco's, whose head was on Harry's shoulder. He didn't want to wake him, but a glance at his watch told him it was 11:40am and that they should get ready in time for lunch.

"Draco," Harry whispered. "Get up."

The blond's eyes flickered and he jolted upright. "Did... that happen? Last night?"

"Er, yeah, it did," Harry mumbled, standing up.

"Good, because I was beginning to think it happened in a dream. It didn't feel real," Draco stood up and smiled somewhat shyly.