Drarry One Shots

What's This I Hear About You Shagging Potter?

Revised: 8/21
Tags/Warnings: Eighth year, rumors, Theodore Nott, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley
Summary: Harry should've known better than to expect a peaceful year of school after the war. Justin Finch-Fletchley is good at eavesdropping, and so is Theodore Nott. But Theo knows not to announce things to the entire school in the middle of breakfast because he's surprised. 

~~~

The Welcoming Feast had ended, and students were filing up to their beds. Gryffindor was being lead by Head of Gryffindor house and Headmistress McGonagall. Ravenclaw was lead by their Head, Charms Professor Flitwick. Hufflepuff by Herbology Professor Sprout, and Ravenclaw by Potions Professor Slughorn.

Rubeus Hagrid, Grounds Keeper of Hogwarts, led another group of students. McGonagall had offered many students the opportunity to come back to Hogwarts and finish their education after the Battle. She extended the offer to those who had should have finished their education that year, though many were either dead or hadn't accepted. They were a small group, and would be sharing a single dorm. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Neville Longbottom. Hannah Abbott and Justin Finch-Fletchley. Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott.

Their room was placed at the end of the third-floor corridor. Some of them remembered the warning of the location that they had been given in their first year. Harry, Hermione and Neville laughed quietly, elbowing each other and smiling. Ron had decided to stay home with his family for the year, and would join the Auror program with Harry once the school year end.

"Can't wait to tell Ron where our dorm is," Harry spoke quietly. Hermione and Neville nodded.

"I think he'll be happy he stayed home when we tell him, he did so hate Fluffy," Hermione commented with a smile. Neville and Harry laughed.

"I think I would be too if I'd gone through what you guys did, but the story is enough to make me anxious anyways," Neville said.

"Well, nothings been living here for the past seven years, if that helps," Harry said to Neville.
Neville smiled. "A bit."

Hagrid led them to the door, a proud grin behind his bushy beard. He looked specifically at the Gryffindors and winked. "Yer password is 'fluffy!'" The dark oak door had no handle, and swung open at the word. Hagrid held it open with his foot, looking incredibly proud of himself. "Yer to be followin' all the same rules the other years are. Were all trustin' yer to be good," Hagrid said. "Get some sleep!" He ushered them in, giving one enormous group hug to Harry, Hermione, and Neville. "Yer going to visit, right?"

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed, Harry and Neville nodding enthusiastically behind her. "We'll visit before the first week of school is over, I promise."

Hagrid beamed. "Okay, be good." He waved them in, and let the door close softly behind them. The dorm was very cozy, with three different hallways that branched further. One hallway read 'Slytherin,' another 'Gryffindor,' and the last 'Hufflepuff.'

Hannah Abbott came back down from the Hufflepuff hallway where she had gone while the Gryffindors were speaking to Hagrid. "I think we each have our own rooms!" She called out with a smile. "I guess that really only affects you boys," she said, pointing to Harry, Neville, Draco, and Theo.

"Oh thank Merlin," Neville exclaimed. "I was thinking I'd have to endure another year of your snoring!" He said, nudging Harry.

"Prick," Harry laughed, pushing him back. "Oh, also, everyone. I don't want to take anyones time but I want to apologize now. I'm hoping everyone will behave themselves but I'm expecting a lot of letters and students to not be the most polite this year." Harry addressed the room. Draco, who had been about to leave, rolled his eyes and dramatically turned back around. It made Harry smile, that Draco had the energy and spirit to act like he once had.

"I have the utmost respect for all of you." Harry spoke, taking a moment to meet everyone's eyes. "I don't want to cause any inconveniences. So, I'll do my best to not let anything meant for me bother you, and if anything crazy happens I'll try to make you guys know first." Once, Harry may have been rubbing the back of his neck or wiping his palms on his jeans to alleviate the attention of everyone looking at him. But he had fought with half the people here, and had protected the others. They deserved what little he could give them.

"That's all, I guess. Night," Harry said, giving a half smile and gesturing to Neville and Hermione to follow him down the Gryffindor hallway. Everyone went to their respective rooms, finding small single bedrooms which had nameplates next to it.

They settled for the night, most of them able to find sleep easily.

~~~

Two weeks. The easy peace had lasted for two weeks, barely.

But then Justin had overheard a conversation between Harry and Hermione. He spluttered his pumpkin juice all over the table, ruining a plate of sausages. His head snapped to Harry, shouting in his surprise.

"You're gay?!"

It was quite in the Great Hall for a moment. Harry let his eyes close, sensing defeat. Across from him, Hermione was wincing and shaking her head. When Harry opened them, it seemed like the entire Great Hall was staring at him. Harry looked to Justin, who had the good sense to look sorry.

"Mmhm." Harry nodded at Justin.

And then sound erupted.

Harry gave Hermione an exasperated look. As soon as Justin had yelled, Neville had begun stacking a plate with the various breakfast foods. Now he handed the plate to Hermione. "Be safe," he called as she walked away, plate in hand. Harry was on her heels.

They vanished from sight. Neville gave Justin a side-long look. "Sorry," Justin mumbled, scrunching in on himself.

"Well," Neville sighed, "at least they'll be able to finish eating." He shook his head, continuing his meal.

The days ahead tested the Hogwarts rumor mill like no other. Nearly every student's interest in Harry Potter's life had been revitalized with a single sentence. Now, everyone wanted to know. Had Harry Potter ever been with a man? Draco Malfoy found the entire affair distasteful to gossip about, and took every moment to show his displeasure. Frequently people tried to gossip with him, thinking that since he was Harry's dormmate he would know something they wouldn't. Each time, they were shown how unwelcomed it was.

"Who cares?"

"Don't you have something better to talk about?"

"If I hear Potter's name one more time I'm going to hex the balls of off whoever says it."

"Your voice is utterly painful to listen to, did you know?"

And more. With time, Draco came up with some creative and entertaining insults to anyone who tried to approach him. By the time he enlisted Theo to help him come up with retorts, students stopped trying to weasel information out of him. That didn't stop his complaints, though.

Draco and Theo sat in the small common room of their odd dorm. Theo hovered over his Potions textbook, quill in hand. His essay for Slughorn was due in two days, and he'd been distracted, caught up in the rumor mill. The other day he heard some third year say they could've sworn Harry and Oliver Wood had been involved. Their friend had smacked them upside the head, told them how Harry would've been thirteen when Wood graduated, and that that was disgusting. Theo hadn't been more entertained in years than he had this past week or so.

But Draco's complaining was getting a little tiring. "I really don't know why everyone is so fascinated," Draco bemoaned. "What does it matter, anyways? Why can't everyone just be concerned about who's in their own trousers and stay out of others business?"

Theo rolled his eyes. This was the usual mantra. And now Draco was going to say It's not like Potter would tell any of them anyway.

Theo looked out of the corner of his eye at Draco. He was staring angrily at his Transfiguration textbook, biting his quill. Then Draco tore the quill out of his mouth, and Theo prepared himself.

"Potter wouldn't admit to anything anyway! He such a private person, why does anyone here think they have a right to intrude on his life?" Draco exclaimed.

"Merlin, Draco," Theo sighed. He collected his things, shuffling them into his bag.

Draco looked up at him, confused. "Where are you going? What happened?"

Theo shook his head. "I can't study here, and if I don't work on this essay now I'll be up late working on it. I'm going to the library, you stay here and- I don't know. Yell at the mirror. Maybe try meditating."

"You're leaving me?" Draco looked betrayed. Theo snorted, and Draco's dramatic look vanished, a smirk replacing it. "Well, go and be productive, then." Draco shooed him.

Shaking his head and laughing, Theo walked to the library. It was fairly easy to find a table nestled in a cozy corner against a bookshelf. He had to look out a few of his preferred spots first, but this one was high on his list and decent enough. He settled, and set to writing. An hour or so passed in peace, before it seemed that someone had occupied the table that was on the other side of the bookshelf. They weren't completely parallel, which was nice, but they spoke in normal volume. Theo heard them clearly as they approached and sat.

"Have you seen Harry much?" Theo perked his ears. Unlike Draco, he somewhat enjoyed listening to what the gossipers had to say lately. He wondered if that was where the conversation was going. He couldn't pinpoint the girls voice, but he recognized it.

"Not really, he's been isolating in the dorm when he's not in classes. I don't blame him."

That's Neville, Theo thought. The girl must be someone close to him, then. Theo strained his ears, trying to recognize it.

"Poor Harry. He's the center of the rumor mill again, and everyone's jumping to the worst conclusions."

"I know! I heard someone talking about Zacharias Smith the other day."

"Him? God, I'm going to barf."

Ginevra Weasley, Theo recognized. They were on old news though, that had to have happened at least three days ago.

Neville and Ginny laughed, making fake vomiting sounds. Theo shook his head, laughing silently. That one was repulsive. Smith had been a creep with no sense of style or common sense that he shouldn't force himself on girls.

Potter would've hexed his dick off if he had ever tried. Theo would bet on it.

"I think he's doing okay overall, though," Neville said. "When I come back, sometimes he asks what's the latest theory. He thinks it's funny in a way, I guess."

"Or maybe just trying to make the best out of the situation," Ginny countered. "Though, some of them are absolutely ridiculous."

"What's the best one you've heard?" Neville asked.

"Nev," Ginny started, then stopped. Theo strained his ears, and moved to the chair on the opposite side of his table quietly. It was a bit closer to where two were. "I think the best part is none of them have gotten it right."

"You know?" Neville whispered. Theo resisted the urge to stand directly on the other side of the bookshelf from them. They were speaking much quieter than when they had started, and Theo wanted to hear.

"Well, we did date for a bit," Ginny said, speaking a bit louder than Neville's whisper. "We were honest to each other about who we'd been with before and our feelings. We're still good friends, Nev. That isn't going to change."

"Of course not," Neville scoffed. "That isn't the point. I didn't even think there was anyone, Gin." "I'm surprised he hasn't told you."

"We weren't as close as were are now, before the war," Neville said demurely. "I don't know if he would've trusted me then. And now, I think he's so focused on keeping it away from the student body that he's not even thinking about it. At least, that's what I would do."

They were silent for a moment. Tell me who it is, Theo wanted to shout. "Is...is it someone we know?" Neville asked. Theo could almost hear the apology to Harry in his thoughts. But like himself, Neville was intensely curious. Theo couldn't blame him for it, and neither could Ginny.
"I don't think you'd believe me, actually."

"No! I would, I promise."

"Well, who do you think it is?" Ginny asked Neville.

"You know I have no idea, Gin."

"You do, though. It's so, so obvious once you know."

Theo imagined that Neville was glaring at her, and Ginny was smirking at him. "C'mon, Nev, think about it."

Silence went on for a long moment. When Neville finally spoke, Theo jumped hard enough that he almost knocked his inkbottle off the table. "Give me a hint, at least."

"He's at this school right now."

Theo wracked his brain. At the school now? That meant it was either someone in a younger year, or-

"No," Neville whispered, sounding shocked.

"Yeah," Ginny whispered back, mirroring his tone. "Doesn't it make so much sense?"

Theo scrambled. Had they said the guys name? Did he actually miss it?

"That's- oh. I don't know how I feel about that."

"Oh c'mon, it's not that surprising. They've been revolving around each other since first year, always fighting, always trying to one-up each other."

"I distinctly remember Malfoy being way more competitive than Harry ever was."

"Sure, but it's still there. You just have to look a little bit to see it. They're perfect for each other, honestly. I have reason to think Harry might've tried to pursue it had this whole fiasco not happened."

"You think he would've wanted to get back together with Malfoy?"

"Harry never could really get Malfoy off his brain. It was only romantic for a little bit of all that time."

"Huh, I... I guess I kind of see it. I wonder why Harry never said anything."

"I think it had a lot to do with Ron. Ron always got so angry whenever Malfoy was brought up. I also think Harry didn't want to say anything about him maybe liking boys while he was sharing a room with all of you. He worried about making you all uncomfortable."

"Harry's always doing that, isn't he? Putting himself last, thinking of what everyone else would want."

"Yeah, he does... I hope that's going to change. I know he has Teddy to think about, but other than that... he deserves to put himself first for once."

"And you think that means asking Malfoy out?"

"If that's what he wants, sure," Ginny said lightly.

"I suppose, yeah...Ginny, have you been stalling so you don't need to do your work?"

"Whaaaaaat? No, Nev, I would never."

The conversation moved away from what Theo was interested in. He quietly gathered his things, and took a roundabout root out of the Library so the two wouldn't see him. He walked quietly, thoughts whirring.

There was no way Weasley was lying. Which meant Draco was a prick who had never told Theo anything.

Theo picked up his pace, rushing into the small eighth year common room. Draco was no longer at the couch they had been sitting at. Theo went to Draco's room, not bothering to knock. Draco had been sitting at his desk, writing what seemed to be a letter. He nearly jumped out of his chair as Theo barged in.

"Merlin's balls, Theo! Where the fuck is the fire?"

Theo snapped the door shut behind him, mindful of how he himself had found out his information. He didn't want anyone else overhearing.

"What's this I hear about you shagging Potter?"

Draco's agitated posture left, being replaced by what Theo affectionately called his 'oh shit' stance. Draco put a hand on his lower cheek, his other land holding the elbow across his body. He pressed against the back of his chair. "Is that what the gossip is now? You should know, Theo, that I am not interested in hearing more ludicrous-

"Because Ginevra Weasley has all the reason to make things up, does she?"

Draco swallowed dryly. Theo stared him down, and after a few moments Draco gave in, slumping. "What's it matter, anyways?" He mumbled. "It's not like it meant anything, or will ever matter."

"Oh my god," Theo exclaimed. "You fucked Potter, and never told me?"

"It was private, Theo!"

"Bollocks," Theo countered. "That's bollocks and you know it. You told me about Daphne Greengrass but not about Harry Potter?"

"You can't compare those two people together."

"Oh what-the-fuck-ever Draco!" Theo said, throwing his hands above his head. He walked to Draco's bed and plopped down on top of it. "You have to tell me what happened, what it was like."

"I do not!"

"You do! Especially since this all came up and you knew the whole time and never told your best friend that you shagged Harry fucking Potter!"

Draco winced. "I understand where you're coming from, Theo. But I can't- I can't talk about him like that, not after everything. He deserves all the respect I can give him, and that means staying away."

"Why does it mean staying away?" Theo asked incredulously.

"Because! He doesn't need to be associated with me, his life is hard enough as it is."

"And you don't think that he wants to be 'associated' with you." Theo put the word in air quotes, mocking Draco. Draco glared at him, rolling his eyes.

"Of course he doesn't, Theo. It was a fling that happened years ago and he would have completely forgotten about it if all this shit hadn't happened."

"Weasley said different."

Draco's head snapped up from his slumped, defeated posture. He narrowed his eyes at Theo. "What do you mean."

"Weasley said that Potter could never stop thinking of you, even while they were together," Theo stated smugly. Draco's jaw dropped.

"She did not."

"She did."

"Where did you even hear all of this?"

"Just now, in the library. She and Longbottom were chatting about it."

"You're lying to me, Theo."

"Draco, get your head out of your arse! Weasley also said that she thinks Potter would've tried to 'pursue' you again if Justin hadn't dropped the ball."

Draco stared at him in disbelief. Then he shook his head aggressively. "No, that's impossible. She's wrong or delusional. What would she know?" He scoffed.

"Oh yes, what would Potter's only long-term relationship and childhood best friend know," Theo mocked.

"But they broke up months ago!"

"So? Draco, you know they're still friends. Don't play dumb."

Draco stared at him for a few more moments, unwilling to believe. Unwilling to hope. "Draco? Are you still this hung up on Potter?"

"Don't be cruel, Theo," Draco sneered, turning away. "You know much about me but you don't understand all of my feelings.

Theo sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Okay, okay. I get that. But what I don't get is that you have shared a private dorm with Potter for nearly a month and you haven't even tried to be friends with him."

Draco just stared glumly at the wall. "Draco, if for no other reason that for your own closure, you should say something to him."

"Say something to him? And risk all of this mess getting worse? If we're seen together than the entirety of Hogwarts is going to accuse us of shagging in a broom closet!"

"And how far away is that from the truth?"

"Well- I- I'll have you know I have more class than a broom closet."

Theo shook his head, laughing. "That's not the point, anyway. Would it really be awful if people thought you were together, or had been? If it makes you guys happy?"

"It could make things so much worse for him, Theo," Draco whispered. Guilt tore at his emotions. Guilt for wanting it, guilt for never trying again, guilt for thinking of doing so. "You know everyone tolerates my presence. If McGonagall hadn't fought with the Ministry, I wouldn't have been allowed to attend this year."

"But McGonagall herself made it so you could come, Draco. If she sees the good in you, plenty more do. And I know for a fact Potter does. You know that do."

Draco scoffed, but it lacked any bite.

"At least write a letter or something, Draco. As much as you deserve closure, or whatever else you get, he deserves to know."

Draco nodded, solemn. "Think about it," Theo said as he left, gently closing the door. Merlin help him if Draco got rejected. He would be a mess for weeks. But Theo had faith in Potter, and his huge Gryffindor heart. Potter would do everything he could not to hurt Draco, even if he said things Draco didn't want to hear.

~~~

They had had that conversation on a Wednesday. Theo's essay was handed in -finished- to Slughorn on Friday, and that night in the Great Hall was the last time Theo had seen Draco. He had looked determined, and had walked out shortly after Potter.

It was Monday now. Theo was worried Draco had been rejected and had been wallowing in his feelings all weekend without coming to see Theo for consolation.

Theo collected a few sweets on a plate at dinner, and headed for his dorm. He collected a few that he knew Draco liked, he hoped they would cheer him up.

Soon after, he knocked on his friends door, plate in hand. "Draco? I brought you some sweets I got from dinner, I think you should eat something," Theo called through the door.

"Go away, Theo!" Draco yelled back. Theo shook his head. If Draco was going to wallow, Theo was going to force his way in before his friends grades began to truly suffer.

"Draco, you can't hide in your room forever. I haven't seen you all weekend, and I'm worried." Theo heard a laugh. But that definitely hadn't been Draco's laugh. Theo's hand paused from where it had been nearing the doorknob.

"I'm okay, thanks, Theo. I'll see you in Potions tomorrow, okay?"

"Ye-ah. Okay. Uhm. Have fun. You too, Potter."

Theo heard shouting, but he was already running. He snapped the door to his own room shut as he heard Draco's voice yelling and feet running after him. Theo slammed every locking charm he knew against that door, laughing against Draco's pounding fists and threats.

Draco left after a little bit. Anxious to get back to Potter, I bet, Theo thought, laughing to himself. He looked down to the plate of sweets he'd brought, intending to console his friend. "Arsehole is getting shagged all weakened and doesn't have the decency to give me a heads up," Theo muttered, shaking his head to himself. But he was happy for Draco, and even happier that he wouldn't have to deal with consoling the man for however long it would've taken. Theo popped a treat into his mouth, still laughing.