Inevitable

19 | Fiendfyre

Half an hour earlier.

Harry sat at his desk, head buried in his arms. They were out of leads, out of options... Infuriatingly stuck. And he was just so tired, so very very tired.

He briefly considered Apparating to the Leaky Cauldron, dropping to his knees, and begging Draco to take him back. He missed him so much that his heart physically ached in his chest.

Harry wanted desperately to be wrapped up in his arms again. Draco would card his cool, slender fingers through Harry's hair and trace little patterns over his skin, trace his lightning bolt scar, then his jaw, then his lips, all while telling him everything would be alright. Then Draco would tease him when Harry got a bit too soppy in response, an attractive blush brushing over his pale cheek bones, and Harry would start to believe that things might really be okay...

He glanced up at the framed photograph on his desk. The only thing he wanted more was... For Draco to be safe.

Right. That was why he was in this situation.

Jaz walked into their shared office and closed the door behind him.

"You okay, Potter?"

"Yeah. Just... Tired." Harry yawned widely to prove his point. "I haven't been sleeping well."

"Well, I have some good news. We got an anonymous tip about another NDE hideout. I don't think it's legitimate, but maybe you and I should go scout it out? Call for backup if it turns out to be real? Might be good to get out of the office for a bit... Take a break from staring at that picture of you and Malfoy and openly pining for him?"

"I wasn't pining, I was just... Ugh. Fine. Let's go. I'll go let Robards know."

"He's coming in late today, he has that briefing with Minister Kingsley this morning. Let's just tell Patil and she can tell him where we went when he gets in."

"Right." Harry took the anonymous note from him and gave it to Parvati when he stepped into her office.

"If we need backup, this is the address. I'll send a Patronus, okay?"

"You sure you don't want to take the whole team?"

"Nah. We get fake tips in all the time. I'm sure it's nothing."

"Harry?"

Harry met her intense gaze.

"Don't do anything reckless, okay? I know you're broken up about Malfoy, but—"

"I'm fine, Patil." Harry snapped. "It's just a routine scouting mission. Jaz and I will be right back."

She sighed and turned back to the mountainous pile of paperwork on her desk. "Alright, then. See you later."

•••••

Harry and Jaz Apparated to the address they had memorized from the anonymous tip and looked around. They appeared to be at some kind of wharf, dotted with abandoned warehouses.

"So... You want to talk about it?" Jaz ventured, as they took in their quiet surroundings.

"Not really." Harry sighed, shrugging and looking away pointedly. He slipped a hand into his pocket, fingers brushing the cool glass sphere there, a final gift from Draco. He might hate Harry for ending their relationship, but he still wanted him to be safe. That was something.

"Right. Okay. Let's start with this one." Miner pointed and Harry glanced over at him.

"Why?"