Favoring The Strong {Drarry}

- d -

"Well, this is brilliant," Draco says sarcastically pinching the bridge of his nose. He drops his hand when the IV starts shifting uncomfortably. His other hand in wrapped up in Harry's warmer one as the darker man rubs soothing shapes below his knuckles.

"Should we call Kingsley?"

"Shacklebot never liked me. Why would he care?"

"It's his job. If someone is out there willing to endanger the lives of children and muggles over an— an old grudge, someone needs to stop them."

"It's not an old grudge though, is it? People's families died. Their children or their parents. And who protected the children and muggles then? It surely wasn't me!"

"Draco, don't do this again. You didn't have a choice."

"We all had choices, Harry, you know that just as well as I do; and I made the wrong one."

"Is that what you want right now? For me to yell at you about how dumb you were at 17 and how much you fucked up because you didn't think you had any other choice?" Harry said standing and snatching his hand away. His breath is coming out rougher than he would like, but he is forcing the urge to panic as far down as possible. He hasn't had one attack in the last three days and he isn't going to let himself have one now that Draco is finally awake, even if it's tearing him up inside to have to have this conversation again after so many years and so many nightmares.

"I want you to stop coddling me and tell me the fucking truth!" Draco snaps.

"When have I ever lied to you?" Harry snaps back. "You made shitty decisions, good for you. We all did. It was a bloody fucking war. None of us came out unscathed. Teddy lost his parents. Ron lost a brother. 'Mione obliviated herself from her parents lives. I died for Merlin's sake and it didn't do anything to stop the fighting! We've been fighting almost as long as I've known you, but I know when to give you a break. Whoever this psycho is, deserves to be in jail. You were cleared by the Wizengamot years ago. They don't get to try and find their twisted version of justice."

Draco looks down at his hands and squeezes them tightly before reaching out and grabbing Harry's again, pulling him closer. He places the warm hand on his cheek before dragging it softly to his lips and placing a kiss first on his knuckles then on his palm.

"I love you," he whispers into the calloused skin.

"I love you too," Harry says softly, running his other hand through the greasy blond hair.

"Do you..." Draco starts, his voice small before clearing his throat and trying again. "Do you really think Shacklebot will help me now that Father is out of prison."

"Draco, you are not your father."

"You always say that."

"Because you aren't. You've grown up. You've learned to respect people's differences and you built a platform where you can help people. And you do, all over the world. Your father could never." Harry smiles softly at him before leaning down to kiss Draco's forehead. The blond blinks slowly and pushes down a yawn. "I can call Shacklebot later, but I do need to call the boys now that you're awake. You want me to go into the hall so you can catch a quick nap?"

"Never want you to leave my side," Draco mumbles as his eyes flutter shut and Harry realizes his massive surge of energy and adrenaline probably increased the release of pain medication and muscle relaxers. He smiles at his fiance.

"I'm not going anywhere."

--:--

The phone ringing loudly in the hotel suite is enough to wake Valeria up. Wyatt is in the next bed over and the boys are in the other room. She answers without checking the caller ID. There's no need really when everyone who matters is accounted for and Harry has been texting updates for the last few days.

"Hello?"

Hey, Val. Are the boys awake yet?

"Harry!?"

Expecting someone else?

"Just hadn't expected a phone call." She slides from beneath the covers and makes her way to the bathroom, placing her phone on speaker and splashing a handful of water in her face. Her reflection looks less tired than she feels and she wonders how that could be. "What's happened? Is he doing any better?"

He woke up. Harry's voice is excited in the quiet way he gets when he doesn't know how something has happened. When he wants to be excited but doesn't want to put anyone else out in the process. She lets out a breath because they're all okay.

"Do you want to talk to the boys?"

Not if they're still sleeping. You can let them rest. And...I don't want it to be a bother, but I know they've been really worried too and I just-- Well, Draco's resting a little more now, but if you could bring them by around lunch, that'd be brilliant.

"You don't even have to ask, Hare."

Thanks, Val. I'll see you all later, yeah?

He hangs up before she can get another word in, but she's glad he's okay. That they're both okay. She goes back into the room to set her phone on the charger before she decides to get in the shower. Maybe the hot water will soothe her still tense muscles and relax the raging thoughts in her head too.

She wonders if she's invading. They're all friends now. Or at least she would like to think so, but then she thinks about how new she is to all of this. How they've always had each other. How they've gone to school together. How they've fought wars. How they've had a child. She was only a drop in the ocean compared to everything Harry and Draco had together and after three days of texting, mostly just checking on the kids, her mind is full of thoughts she can't quite seem to get to go away.

She steps out of the shower less tense and goes to wake up the boys.

Harry and Draco need them.

-&-

hey futher muckers

not much to say today really...
sorry this wasnt up as early as it has been the last few days
i got into an anime and like binged it
my bad 😅

but as always, i hope you enjoyed
lemme know, yeah?

see you next chappie
love y'all

-- angel janeé xoxo 💋