@drarrymicrofic | 700 words
September
“Robards did what?” Ron splutters, nearly chocking on his beer.
Harry doesn’t want to say it again. He really doesn’t.
“Robards paired you with Malfoy?” Ron repeats slowly as he stares at Harry in horror.
Ron’s mouth falls open. “What the fuck.”
“It’s only for a few months. For training. Until we earn our badges.” Harry sighs. “Apparently we are ...compatible.”
“Fuck, mate. How’s that fair that you of all people get stuck with the bloody ferret?”
Harry stares into his glass as he might find the answer there. He drains the last of it. It leaves a sour taste in his mouth.
Ron is right. It’s not fair. It fucking isn’t.
October
Harry hears them. Malfoy must hear them too--the snickers, the barely muffled snide remarks – “He doesn’t belong here. ...Unacceptable. ... should never have been allowed to enrol...Bloody unfair.”
The other trainees are not exactly discreet. He sees their sneers behind Malfoy’s back, the way their mouths twist in disgust as he walks past them. Malfoy never rises to it, pretends he doesn’t hear, keeps his head down.
He works the hardest out of them all.
That takes courage, Harry thinks.
January
Harry startles awake. He blinks, disoriented. He turns his face and sees Malfoy beside him, sitting in silence, a finger to his lips.
“Shush,” Malfoy whispers.
It comes back to Harry then. The stakeout. They’ve been sitting here for hours, trapped in a space no bigger than a closet, waiting for God knows what. “Shit, sorry. I must have dozed off,” Harry muttered, yawning.
“Tell me something I don’t know, Potter.”
Harry rubs his face. “I’ll take over.”
“It’s fine. I’ve got it. I’ll wake you if anything happens.”
“Come on, it’s only fair. I’m not letting you do the whole night.”
“Potter, I’m not tired. You sleep more. You need it.”
Harry wonders how Malfoy knows, but he does need it. The night before had been hard, as it still is sometimes, riddled with nightmares and insomnia. He tries to stay awake, he really does, but his eyes are heavy and soon enough his head drops. It lands on Malfoy’s shoulder.
Malfoy is stiff but does not push him away.
He smells nice, Harry thinks before drifting off.
March
“Why’d you do that?” Harry calls after Malfoy as they leave Robards’s office.
Malfoy doesn’t slow and Harry has to catch his arm to stop him. “Malfoy.”
“What?” He turns and looks at some vague spot behind Harry’s head.
“Why did you cover for me? Why did you lie? You didn’t have to do that. I’m the one who screwed up.”
“I don’t know. It—it didn’t seem fair.” Malfoy meets his eyes then, “We’re a team. Aren’t we? Isn’t it what partners do?”
May
The Auror uniform is dark navy. Harry traces the golden embroidered words on his heart – Junior Auror Potter. He smiles then heads to the Leaky.
The pub is a sea of dark navy uniforms. It’s loud and joyful, and Harry feels alive.
Pints are raised, backs are clapped, congratulations are shouted across the room.
Harry loses track of how many pints he had. His head is fuzzy, he’s happy.
“Congratulations, Auror Potter.”
Harry jumps. He turns and sees him. Draco’s smile is big and bright. Harry’s eyes drift down to the words stitched into the fabric—Junior Auror Malfoy. Blue suits him. It really fucking suits him.
Alcohol is pumping through Harry’s veins, warm and reckless. He steps closer.
“It’s unfair how good you look in this.”
June
“It’s against regulation, Harry,” Draco says as he pushes him away.
Harry chases his lips. “Just one kiss.”
Draco rolls his eyes. “No”
“Jesus, you’re uptight. You’re ridiculously strict when it comes to rules, you know that. How am I supposed to resist when you’re there walking around all day in your bloody uniform.”
Draco rolls his eyes again but his mouth twitches upwards.
“Life’s unfair,” Harry whines. “Can’t a guy kiss his boyfriend?”
Draco freezes. He stares at Harry with wide eyes, then walks straight towards him, grabs his face in both hands and kisses him.
Maybe not so unfair after all.
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