Hi hi hi! For the kiss prompts: 25. …as a ‘yes’. for any pairing you’d prefer! (Only if it sparks joy, no pressure etc etc etc!!)
I’m so sorry, I got this ask and I thought “yeah, I’m gonna get to this soon!!” And then time went on without me noticing and now I went back to my inbox and found that it’s been almost two months?? How did that even happen?? It feels like I got this just the other week.
Anyway, thank you so much, lovely, for your prompt :) I hope you like this little drarry thing I finally managed to write for you 💚💚
(Typed on phone and unbetaed)
They had been very careful, for a long time, to not let slip about their relationship.
When they graduated from Hogwarts, celebrating with friends at a bar and getting too drunk and waking up the next day to seeing Harry kissing Draco on the first page of the Daily Prophet, the headline screaming about the atrocity of Harry Potter not just befriending a Death Eater, but kissing one, wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience.
They hadn’t been ready for it.
Draco panicked, ran away.
It was just a drunken mishap, Harry argued to the press, tiredly. They were friends, nothing more.
The media didn’t like that either.
Draco Malfoy worked to be better, Harry explained, but no one listened.
They were too tired, too young, too lonely in a vast world where no one except their closest friends thought them to actually be human.
They decided to hide among the shadows.
••
For years, they never appeared publicly together.
Draco never made any surprise visits at the end of Harry’s shifts at WWW, never joined Harry on his way home.
Harry never bought Draco flowers, he knew the rumours would spread too quickly. The public would speculate on who the flowers were to, as Harry could never explain they were for the most amazing man he’d ever known.
They attended ministry functions together.
They never went on dates other than at home.
They hid, and they protected one another, and they loved each other. They grew, and they wished, wanted.
Finally, the shadows were too dark. They had had enough.
••
An ordinary summer festival, nothing particular. No anniversary, no special date of the year, no one’s birthday. It was perfect.
Draco met Harry in the centre of the park, in between two food stands, slipped their hands together and held them close to his chest.
“Are you ready for this?” Harry asked.
Draco smiled, dimples appearing, and he tipped his down. The kiss tasted of hope, sun, bravery and joy. It meant yes.
Cameras flashed, and they knew they’d make the front page again.
This time though, Draco thought as he kissed Harry ‘yes’ again, they were ready for it, ready to face the world.
Here comes this year's new addition to @ununquadius annual gifts. As per tradition, on the evening before my brithday, I share this with thee.
During the times of day, Draco was always his breviloquent, proud and borderline rude self. That was the person that everyone else would think of if they heard the name Draco Malfoy Potter. They would wonder how it happened; how Harry Potter could marry him of all people. Harry deserved better, they would say.
They didn’t know the Draco that appeared once the sun started to set on the horizon, though.
They didn’t know how perfect he looked when he curled up on the sofa and motioned for Harry to join him. Or how it felt when his lithe fingers ran through Harry’s hair, massaging his scalp gently while they watched every Disney movie there was on DVD.
It had become a tradition even before they got married. To watch children’s movies together. Harry had mentioned it off hand once, that he hadn’t ever watched any movies as a kid, and a week later, Draco had set up a DVD player that worked in the magical environment of their house, and he had bought too many movies to fit on the TV bench’s shelves.
Naturally, Harry had refused to sit down and watch any of them at first. He wasn’t a bloody kid anymore.
But then Draco began watching the Lion King on his own. When Draco cried over Mufasa’s death, Harry couldn’t help it. He joined Draco on the sofa, trying to comfort him with his mere presence.
After that, Draco never asked Harry to put on a movie. He just picked one out himself, and sat down to watch it. Eventually, Harry would join him. And Harry would be allowed to be taken care of, for once.
During the times of day, Draco was witty, and crude, sharp around the edges. People in the Wixen World didn’t understand how Harry Potter could love him.
But they didn’t know that when Draco was being witty and rude and proud and breviloquent, he also matched Harry’s own mind. They didn't know that Draco cried every single time they watched a movie. And they didn’t know that when they got home, safe behind closed doors, Draco took such care of Harry.
And when Draco kissed him goodnight, Harry knew he wouldn’t have fallen in love with anybody else.
A fic, submitted as part of the @hp-soulmates fest of 2022.
I'm not gonna lie. It was a struggle to get this thing finished. I was actually close to giving up numerous times, but the mods' endless patience, the prolonged extensions and their kind encouragement helped me manage it in the end. I owe you more thanks than I could ever give for that.
Flightinflame was a goldmine when it came for asking for reassurances over specific parts I'd written, which was very important because apart from being King of Drama, I'm also MAster of Self Doubt. Thank you <3
And Emma. Beautiful, lovely, warm-hearted Emma. What would I do without you in my life? Your beating and your excited comments are valuable beyond any comparison. Thank you soooo much @ladderofyears for helping me out with this fic, and for letting me borrow your city for it.
Furthermore, I would like to thank @crazybutgood for sorting through my thoughts and ideas in the early stages of this fic. Without you, I never would have written anything more than an incomprehensible plan. It feels like it's been ages since you and I chatted about the starting points of this fic, and maybe it has been, but nonetheless, you're one of the key ingredients of this fic as well.
And lastly, thank you to @ununquadius who always cheers me on, no matter the weather, the time of day, or how crazy her own life is. I hope you stay safe and take care of yourself. Don't forget to take a deep breath and relax your jaw every once in a while. And drink water.
Without further ado; here's the thumbnail for the fic :)
Title: The Art of Revealing Secrets
Author: Dexiha (me)
Pairing: Neville Longbottom/Pansy Parkinson, Background Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy
Word Count: 25,555
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warnings/tags: Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Romantic Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson Friendship, POV Pansy Parkinson, POV Third Person, BAMF Neville Longbottom, Head Auror Neville Longbottom, Pining, Falling In Love, Prejudicial Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Undercover, Undercover Mission, Pureblood Cult, Case Fic, Fake Dating, Duelling, Spells & Enchantments, Interior Design Planner Pansy, Background Relationships: Harry x Draco, Kidnapping, Dark Magic, Ron Weasley is a Good Friend, Loss of Magic
Summary: Pansy has known since their days at Hogwarts that she and Neville were fated. She never told him, never told a soul. Now, years later, faced with an unbearable choice, she finds herself reaching out to her unwitting soulmate out of pure desperation. She can only hope that he's the sentimental man she always envisioned him to be and not the cynical auror he seems to have become...
Or, the story of how Pansy learns there is no evading fate.
Link: The Art of Revealing Secrets on AO3
Excerpt:
She starts from what she thinks is the beginning of Draco becoming who he is today, which means she starts from just after the war. She tells him about the trials and the periods of self loathing that followed. At some point she strays from talking about Draco’s experiences. She adds her own values and opinions instead. Neville doesn’t interrupt her a single time. Instead, he just listens, and jots down a few sentences every once in a while. Even Ron seems interested, which inspires her further to keep talking.
When she gets to the point of Draco’s disappearance, Neville puts the quill down. He listens to what she tells him, whilst he stares intently at her.
“Why didn’t you start by telling me these last parts?” he asks, a few beats after she has gone quiet.
“Because I wanted you to know who Draco is today, instead of expecting him to be the same – or worse – as he was when you last knew him.”
“I never knew him. Not really. And I was hoping that you’d think more highly of me. That you wouldn't think I’d fall for something as commonplace prejudice.”
“I was hoping you weren’t an arsehole,” Pansy retorts, “but I can’t expect you to be without faults, can I?”
Neville looks intently at her, and she returns his stare cooly. She doesn't break his gaze.
I challenged myself this winter and signed up for @hd-cluefest
@written-in-ash had submitted this amazing prompt that immediately got the cogs inside my head to start turning. And they continued to turn and turn and turn so of course I had to write it.
I’m not gonna lie, it was quite hard to flesh this out, and it was, to be completely honest, a very close call that I managed to get the fic together at all! But I did it!! So yay me, I guess!
Anyway, now that the authors have been revealed for this year’s round of Cluefest, I can pridefully claim the fic Twist and Turn (Until We Find Our Way Out) as mine.
Thank you everyone who have read and commented already! Your support has been invaluable.
Thank you to @purplehotmess , ecat14, @ununquadius , @jet-playin-around and @ladderofyears for helping me out during this journey! You’re all amazing and I appreciate each and every single one of you!!!
And of course, thank you to the mods! You’ve put up such professionalism yet familiarity with all of us participants and you’ve made sure the fest has been run smoothly. I’m truly in awe!
Finally, those of you who haven’t read this fic yet (or if there’s any chance one of the ppl who have would want to read it again…?) you can find it on ao3 here.
An @lcdrarry fic written by Dexiha (me), inspired by the movie Sleeping Beauty (1959).
Word count: 15670
Rating: Teen and up
Tags/Warnings: Sleeping Curse, Blood, Imprisonment, Sleeping Beauty AU, Lights Camera Drarry 2022, Various POVs, Not Canon Compliant, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Fairytale AU, Devious Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy Being an Asshole, Good Parent Narcissa Black Malfoy, Regulus Black Lives, Sirius Black Lives, Happy Ending, Other Ships Not Mentioned in the Tags: Wolfstar
Summary:
It was prophesied that before the sun set on Draco’s eighteenth birthday, he’d fall victim to a curse which would send him into a deep sleep from which he’d never wake. At least, that’s what his father had told him for as long as he could remember. And it was the reason his parents kept him locked inside of his rooms.
Prompted by @missfreefairy
Link to Ao3: Here
Excerpt:
His favourite time to be outside, though, was in the evenings at the end of August. With the sun warming during the day, the temperature was always perfect all through the night, and leftover aroma of summer hung in the air, but Draco could still smell the hints of the dawning autumn. It felt like change, and every year, he wished that his confinement would pass with the summer.
It never did, and having his hopes crushed hurt increasingly much each time.
Thank you to everyone who have already read this fic and who have left kudos and comments.
Thank you to missfreefairy for prompting this. I hope I did it justice.
Thank you to the mods for running this year's fest. You did amazingly well!
Thank you to my betas and alphas, @ladderofyears @ununquadius and @all-drarry-to-me
And I'd also like to say thank you to myself, for actually giving myself the chance to write this, and to pull through until I got this finished piece.
The cold of winter is fading, the season breaking as the world prepares itself for spring. Spots of snow can still be seen on the fields outside their house. Every morning, they still wake to frosty grounds, but during the day the sun melts it away. Little by little, life is returning to the valley.
A blue tit flies past with a small twig pinched between its beak. Various other passerines are eating seeds from the bird feeders by the edge of the porch.
Draco absolutely loves to spend mornings like this, sitting in his chair, enjoying the lack of rain. The patio faces south, so the sun shines the most pleasantly on him during this time of day. On the other side of the house, there is a balcony which he can use to savour the afternoon sun too, but there’s something about the morning sun that fills him with a sense of peace.
Some days, he finds himself solving a crossword or two while he’s out here, and other days he opts to do handicrafts. Today is one of the latter days.
He’s working on a gift for the newborn Rose Granger-Weasley; a crocheted pair of shoes. He hopes Ron and Hermione will appreciate them. He’s not even using magic to weave in the loose threads!
“Draco? Are you on the porch again?” Harry calls from inside the house.
Draco doesn’t answer, because of course he’s on the porch. Harry knows he won’t get a reply to a question he already knows the answer to.
“You still working on the shoes?” Harry asks as he steps out on the porch. “How’s the progress?”
“It’s currently going according to plan,” Draco smiles.
“Excellent. But enough about yarns and kids. I’ve got something for you.”
Harry hauls him up from the chair and gives him a kiss.
Draco really loves these times of day.
Drarry Discord Drabble Challenge, March 2022. Word prompt; And now for something completely different. Word count; 314.
Annual thing coming up! Gift for @ununquadius of course, on the evening before my birthday. You’re welcome!
The last sunbeams of the day stretched over the treetops by the horizon. Everything was painted in nuances of orange and violet, and it almost seemed like the sun had stopped its journey for a moment, pausing time to cling to the view of the countryside landscape.
Despite the slight cold that was creeping in – as is ordinary during evenings this time of year – Draco couldn’t find it in myself to leave his seat on the balcony. Ignoring the occasional shiver that went through his body whenever a particularly cold breeze grazed his skin, he focused only on how golden and rich the fields of sunflowers seemed to be.
His father had never understood this kind of beauty. It isn’t valuable, he would say if he caught Draco in moments like these, because he didn’t see worth in anything but true gold, money and power.
But Lucius wasn’t here. There wasn’t anything that could disturb the peace and quiet. Even the book in his hand lay forgotten as he took in the colourful picture in front of him.
He wasn’t really thinking about anything, he was just living in the moment, yet he was lost in his head somehow anyway, because he didn’t hear the door behind him open a little wider, nor did he feel the shift of air as someone came closer. He didn’t even feel the presence of magic.
He wasn’t even aware that he wasn’t alone until strong hands grabbed his shoulders and hauled him up from his cushioned chair. Before he could wrap his head around what was going on, his assailant changed their grip and suddenly he was being hugged firmly.
Coarse stubble scratched against his skin as someone snuggled their face into Draco’s neck. They breathed in a long, long breath through their nose, and then hummed as they breathed out through their mouth. Their breath tickled against Draco’s cheek.
“Hmm, you smell like summer, my love,” Harry murmured.
“You scared me, dimwit!” Draco huffed in response, but he made a point of leaning into Harry’s chest to show that he wasn’t actually mad. At least, that was a part of the reason. Mainly though, it was because he simply loved having Harry as close as possible, feeling completely protected.
“I’m sorry, but I really couldn’t resist. I saw you sitting there, surrounded by all that gold, and I just had to hug you. I had to grab my treasure before it disappeared with the sunlight, you know?”
“Sap.” Draco smiled.
“You love me, though.”
“Yes I do.”
“I love you too. Which is why I have prepared dinner for us. You ready to come in yet? You can tell me everything about your book. It’s a new one right? I don’t recognise it.”
Draco’s smile grew wider, and he finally managed to take his eyes off the fields and turn towards his husband. Before he could stop himself, he was rambling about the book, and Harry gently guided both of them inside, eyes twinkling with joy and love.
