wow what a long ride ✋🏼😅
suicidal thoughts, mentions of suicidal attempts, depression, ptsd, happy ending obviously, fluff, slow-burn, fake/pretend relationship 😔👍🏽
_________________________________________
When Harry returned to Hogwarts, he was empty. He felt void of any emotions. He couldn't think much less to study but somehow he let Hermione talked to him to agree that he needed to finish his education despite him not wanting to. He just wanted to stay at Grimmauld Place and drown himself in misery. He disinterestedly looked around to see the few familiar faces of his housemates and friends that returned to Hogwarts along with him for the Eighth Year.
But then he spotted a familiar-looking blond hair, sitting far off the table on his own, playing with his food, ignoring the people that shot nasty looks behind his backs. Harry felt something inside him tug painfully. He rubbed his chest to soothe the pain discreetly. He kept half of his attention to Draco while the other half drift off somewhere else.
"I know you may not like it but for the purpose of House-Unity, I already assigned your roommates for you," the Headmistress said with a stern look when most of them groaned, muttering how unfair it was for them. "I hope that this will help you to cooperate with the other students better. No one will be left out," she added with a frown. "Now, let me show you to your dorm. It's under Fidelius Charm and no one can enter the room except for the professors and all of you Eighth Year students."
Harry stared at the door with a deadpan look. Malfoy, he thought. Really? You seem to love making my life so bloody miserable, don't you, Life? Bloody hell. "Mr Potter," the Headmistress walked to him with a sad smile on her face. "I know you'd prefer to be alone but no one would tolerate having Mr Malfoy as their roommate more than you would, I'm sure," she said. "Then why can't we both have a room to ourselves if so?" Harry asked monotone. "Mr Malfoy is rather... fond of reality escaping if you know what I mean. At least if he's with you, you can keep an eye on him for a while between classes."
Suicidal, you mean? Harry blinked before nodding blankly. "Alright. Whatever."
He entered the room and started to unpack his stuff to his side of the room. The bedroom was quite big with two beds pushed against the walls opposite of each other along with wardrobes, small bedside tables and one large desk with two chairs much like in the library. Once he had finished unpacking, the door opened tentatively.
Malfoy stood there with an unsure and guarded expression. "Hello," he said softly, looking at his feet. "I hope I'm not bothering you at the moment. I'll just," he beckoned to his side of the room with a small smile. "Go and unpack my things, and then I'll be out of your way. No worries." Harry looked at the tall lanky male silently before fishing out something in his trunk. He felt that familiar tug in his chest again and he rubbed his chest gently, frowning.
He turned around and tapped Malfoy's shoulder lightly, making the other flinched away in surprise. The blond looked at him questioningly before his eyes fell towards the wand he held out in front of him. Malfoy's wand that he took.
He grabbed his wand and waved it in the air, making words appear. "I don't usually talk these days but I feel like it's important to tell you this so thank you for your wand. It was faithful to me and it misses you every day," he wrote. The former Death Eater took the wand back with a shaky hand, eyes suspiciously shiny with tears. "Thank you, Potter," he cleared his throat with a weak smile.
Every single day, Harry kept an eye on Malfoy even when he didn't want to. He kept close track of his meals and his sleeping schedule. He wasn't sure if the other knew what he was doing but then again, he wasn't exactly being subtle about it either. They had started hanging out with each other outside of the bedroom much to everyone's surprise.
