The Hogwarts Express looks the same as ever to Harry. The glimmering red and black paint pristine even with all the smoke billowing from within it into the bustling station and out into the clear blue skies.
The sound of the train's horn is just as magical and nostalgic and safe. It sounds like fresh starts and freedom and friendship and all the other things he doesn't remember ever having at the Dursley's.
Though the train ride feels different.
Going to Hogwarts this time feels different.
Harry is holding onto Draco's hand, rubbing a thumb across his knuckles. It's him that's different, he realizes almost belatedly. Both of them.
The previous week had passed quite slowly as they packed and unpacked and repacked to be back on Hogwarts grounds after so long. They were adults now and everything about this felt brand new but so familiar all at once. Like restarting your favorite song, but hearing it in a different key.
"Relax," Harry says, continuing to rub Draco's knuckles with his thumb.
"I am relaxed, thank you very much."
"Love, I can hear you thinking. It's giving me a migraine."
"Sorry, dear, you've probably never used this much brain power in your life."
"Oh, are we doing the insulting thing again?" says Harry looking at Draco and narrowing his eyes challengingly. "You know you have to let me know these things. I can't keep up. Being so dumb and all."
Draco doesn't say anything else rude, but he doesn't apologize either. He knows that it's going to come back to bite him in the arse later, but he can't seem to be bothered. He's stressed and both he and Harry know that this is the only way he knows how to express it.
It doesn't make it right. Doesn't make him feel any better about treating the love of his life this way. But it's what he does.
He sits ram-rod straight and thinks. Thinks about them and Hogwarts and the war and a plethora of other things that he wishes wouldn't plague him the way they do.
He thinks and festers and Harry...well, Harry does like he always does. He holds him through it.
--:--
The thestral-pulled carriages are nowhere to be found once the men are off the train, but Headmistress McGonagal is standing at the platform ready to greet them. Her face is only slightly more troubled than usual, and her robes are pressed, but well worn, just the way Harry remembers.
"Mr. and Mr. Malfoy-Potter, it's lovely to see you again."
"Hello, Professor," Draco says cordially.
Harry's voice comes soon after with a smile and a yawn. "How is everything?"
"Busy as always. Now, if you'd both follow me."
Harry doesn't know what he expected, but Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, much like the train, has not changed much (if at all) in the years since their graduation. There are places that look newer, of course. Walls that had had to be rebuilt or replaced after the war, but mostly it feels like the same building he'd been amazed by at 11 years old, its towers and spires still reaching impossibly into the clouds. He doesn't think he'll ever stop being amazed by this place. Not even a war could stop him from seeing the beauty ans magic hidden between the bricks that lay the foundation of this place.
"Headmistress," Draco begins when he sees that his husband is fine to just follow her wherever she wishes to go. "I was just wondering what it is exactly that you'd like us to do while we're here?"
"I expect you to teach, Mr. Malfoy."
Harry snickers and he can see the vein in Draco's forehead throb as if he's holding back from throttling him like they really are in school again.
"What I mean to say, Professor, is that I have no formal education in...well in education! And neither does Harry. So I'm not quite sure what we can—"
"A practical education will suffice, I assure you."
"But—"
"Mr. Malfoy," says Professor McGonagall as she pauses her stride to turn and look at him. "I've been teaching at this institution longer than you have been alive and the school itself has been here longer than either of us have, lack of a formal background will not destroy the school and it must certainly will not stop you from teaching the children important lessons in subjects that you both hold great intelligence in."
"They had bloody Lockhart teach us Defense second year, remember?" Harry says stepping forward and grabbing his husband's hand again, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. "I'm sure we can at least do better than him for a few days, yeah?"
"That's exactly my point!" Draco starts in. McGonagall rolls her eyes and turns to keep walking, continuing to lead them through the building while Draco pleads his case.
Watching the way Draco stumbles over himself to try and make his point is entrancing. Harry can feel himself falling for his husband even harder and he didn't think that was possible. Probably shouldn't be possible with how much they love and depend on each other. If they were anyone else it might be toxic, but Harry figures there's enough trauma between the two of them to balance it all out. He decides that maybe it all has something to do with being at Hogwarts again. Feeling the magic cling to him like a second skin with someone who used to work so hard to get beneath it.
"Minnie...uh I mean, Headmistress, could you give us a mo?" asks Harry, cutting off whatever response or lecture she was going to give his husband as they make it to the doorway of her office.
She looks between the two of them and nods. "The password is biscuit."
The newly renovated gargoyle at the door takes a moment before finally swiveling out of the way. He remembers Dumbledore muttering an amused lemondrop back when this was his office while he now watches McGonagall head up the stairs leaving he and Draco to talk in the corridor.
-&-
hi my lil futher muckers
its been a while, innit
holy shit
so! amortentia hit 1 MiLLion READS
(yes im still thinking about it)
ive started reading again
AND im in the midst of some exciting life things
im writing a book...like a novel 🥴
im in my last semester of my second undergrad
& im starting a small business
4 MORE CHAPS
...well 3 and an epilogue
i hope yall liked this part. this series hadnt gone the way i expected but im glad to be wrapping it up
anywhoressss
as always hope yall enjoyed
love yall
blm ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿
sah 🚫
stand w/ 🇺🇦
-- angel janeé xoxo 💋
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Favoring The Strong {Drarry}
Fanfiction{Finale to Favoring the Bold | A Family of Favors book 3} Draco and Harry are in love. Touring was fun...mostly and even he and Val were getting along. If only life could be that easy. When Draco's injury turns his life upside down, will their rela...
