After being banned from his village for liking the same gender, Draco finds himself lost in a forest he's never even set foot in. He ends up coming face to face with a vampire, one whom he obviously doesn't trust much- because who in their right min...
Draco was starving. He hasn't eaten in what? Two, Three days? He didn't know, but what he DID know was that he was hungry. He didn't want to ask Harry for food, though, because he was scared all vampires ate was the flesh of the dead- or blood.
If you couldn't tell, Draco was a drama queen.
Draco winced as his stomach made a low rumble, begging for food. Of course, Harry heard it.
"Hungry?" He asked from his spot on the bed.
He was laying on his stomach, reading a book, although his attention was now set on Draco, who was still sat by the fire.
Draco shrugged, but his stomach growled, almost as if purely to answer Harry's question.
Harry looked out the window, "it stopped raining, we can go to the nearest village and buy some food?" He suggested.
"I'll be recognized."
"Not of your face is covered. You could wear one of my cloaks," Harry stood and pulled out a cloak from his closet, showing it to Draco.
"Okay... I suppose... wouldn't it look a little odd though? Two hooded figures... walking through town?"
"No, the people there know me by now. Infact, I'm friends with the baker." Harry smiled and began getting dressed, so Draco followed suit; throwing the cloak over his shoulders and pulling the hood over his head.
And so they headed east; making their way towards the nearest village.
•
It was atleast thirty minutes before they got to the village- and the people seemed to be having some sort of festival. Colourful decorations hung on the lines of wire that connected from building to building, lots of singing could be heard, people laughing and shouting- Draco even heard drums and tambourine's in the distance. A crowd of people dressed in colourful attire passed them- dancing whilst moving forward, and oddly they weren't wearing any type of footwear... but, the most strangest thing that caught Draco's eyes was the fact that everyone seemed to have painted their faces to mimic a sort of skull, although colourful designs contrasted the white and black.
"What kind of festival is this?" Draco asked.
"They're celebrating Dia de los Muertos, ah- the Day of the Dead, in English." Harry replied, "do you know what the paint their wearing on their faces is meant to represent?" He looked over to Draco, who continued to stare in awh.
"I do not," Draco replied.
"It's called a sugar skull," Harry smirked, "Sugar skulls represented a departed soul."
Draco looked at Harry, "can I get one painted on me?"
Harry laughed, "of course."
Harry took Draco's hand and lead him to a face-painting booth, which charged one copper piece for a full face.
Draco smiled at the makeup artist and removed his hood, to which the woman smiled and tied up her dark brown hair into a ponytail, afterwards tying a purple bandana around her forehead. She then leaned forward and began painting.
"Isn't Dia de los Muertos celebrated at midnight?" Harry asked the woman, watching as she covered Draco's face in white paint (although he was already pale to begin with.)
"Sí," the woman replied, "although, it is said that it will rain tonight, so we've begun celebrating early. If it does not rain, we most likely will not stop celebrating until five in the morning." She smiled, her thick accent flowing with her English.
After about ten minutes, the woman leaned back, "there, all done!" She exclaimed, handing Draco a small mirror.
Draco smiled at his reflection. His face was pale, and black rings circled his eyes, followed by a dark, shiny blue. His cheek bones were highlighted in blue, and he had the design of a black spiderweb on his forehead. He also had the typical nose and mouth of a skull.
(Here's the reference picture I used.)
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Draco smiled and looked up at Harry, who merely chuckled and handed the woman his copper piece.
"You're not getting one?" She asked Harry.
Harry shook his head, "no, thank you."
"Oh, but I insist! It's on the house, sit." She dragged Harry down, making him sit on the stool.
"Alright, Alright, I just can't take my hood off... I have an embarrassing... um, bald spot." Harry flustered at his quick excuse, to which the woman let out a hearty laugh.
"Do you think I'm stupid? I know you aren't fully alive, and I'm okay with it." She smiled, and Harry sat dumbfounded.
"Match his with mine, please?" Draco laughed- he's never once found someone who could shut Harry up for over five seconds- but, then again, Draco hasn't ever been with Harry whilst another person was there.
After she finished Harry's makeup, Harry stood and shook her hand, "thank you...?"
"Relamna," She introduced.
"Thank you, Relamna." Harry thanked, before he and Draco left the booth.
"Okay, now I'm reallyhungry."
Harry nodded, "as am I... come, their festival food is delicious- and it's free." He smiled and grabbed Draco by the hand once more, leading him off to a public buffet.
And so they ate, and talked, and laughed. They danced and sang with the common folk, until the moon replaced the Sun- and then they danced under the stars, and watched as performers swallowed swords and spit out fire at every corner. Their makeup smudged, and they followed the parade- learning their rhythm by heart in just a day.
It was a magnificent night, one they would cherish... for their world's were about to become a lot more hectic, in just the span of a few hours.
••
This was just a small chapter bc of my lack of updates and I just really wanted to out Dia de los Muertos into this?? Idek when the holiday came into existence but anyway.
