survive @drarrymicrofic [739 words]
The first time Harry hears this ridiculous rumour, he finds it amusing.
“Me and Malfoy?” He asks.
The intern nods. “Everyone thinks you’re together.”
“That’s ridiculous. People will just make up anything nowadays.”
The second time, it's less funny because it’s from Dean, a fully trained adult Auror, not some naive teenage intern.
“Potter, could you ask your healer boyfriend if he could send over the reports today?”
“Your boyfriend?” Dean replies, looking up from his work.
“Malfoy isn’t my boyfriend.” He replies quickly, defensively.
Dean gives him a look. “Right. Just ask him for those reports.”
After the third, fourth, fifth, and even sixth time, Harry stops finding it funny.
"Why does everyone think I’m dating Malfoy? I mean, that’s insane. Right, guys?"
Ron and Hermione exchange the ‘are you seeing what I’m seeing?’ look that Harry has been a victim of since they were fourteen.
“Well, Harry-” Hermione starts, clearly ready to gentle parent him into whatever realization he was missing, until Ron interrupts.
“Maybe you should ask Malfoy, mate.”
Harry is not asking Malfoy. He’ll just ask everyone else. He’s an Auror, after all; investigations like this are his thing. Obviously, this rumour is coming from somewhere. He’ll just ask around until he finds out where.
He goes up to the Mungos’ receptionist, bracing himself. He inhales, then asks, “Could you tell me where my boyfriend is?”
She doesn’t even look up. “He’s on spell damage today, fourth floor.”
“Malfoy’s not my boyfriend.”
She looks up. “Alright.” She looks extremely unconvinced.
“I’m being serious. We’re not dating.”
Harry does not like how shocked she looks. He shakes his head. She probably sees lots of people and gets confused; he doubts it means anything.
That is, until everybody’s answer is like that.
“Isn’t he your partner for every gala?”
“He leaves any case he’s on if you’re injured.”
“You literally threatened the Minister because he accidentally insulted Malfoy.”
“You bring him coffee every morning?”
“You guys go to the same place for lunch every day. Even the Prophet’s bored of it.”
Harry is beginning to suspect he may not survive this investigation with the insane things people are saying. I mean, it’s all true, but clearly taken out of context.
Draco doesn’t look up from his paperwork. "Potter."
"Everyone thinks we're dating."
“I’m afraid they do.” He replies dryly.
“Uh, do you not care?” Harry asks.
Draco looks up at him, raising an eyebrow. “Do you?”
Harry pauses, realizing he actually doesn’t mind the idea. He was just worried Draco would take offense to such an egregious misunderstanding.
“Then there isn’t really an issue, is there?”
“Well, I have work to do. I’ll talk to you later tonight.”
“Er- alright then.” As Harry reaches for the door, Draco speaks again.
“Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps everyone else might be right?” Draco asks, suddenly looking at him expectantly.
“I, er, guess so,” Harry replies, faltering under his sharp stare. Draco looks satisfied with this answer, even though Harry has never felt more confused in his life.
Malfoy acts like everything is normal later that day, but Harry can't stop thinking about it.
‘Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps everyone else isn't misunderstanding the situation?’ What bloody situation? He tries to pay more attention to things.
The next morning, when Harry drops off Draco's coffee, nobody looks surprised, as per usual. One Healer actually says, "Morning, you two."
Draco replies, "Morning." Like, this is normal. Like that is a normal thing to say. Harry doesn't even work here!
During a meeting, Draco throws a hissy fit because Harry’s robes aren’t on right, and he adjusts his collar. Nobody reacts. Draco falls asleep on his shoulder during one of their breaks. Nobody reacts.
Later that day, he gets an invite to a Gala addressed to the both of them. Like they’re a unit.
“This is insane! To Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy. What the hell are they thinking?”
Ron doesn’t even look up from his paper. “Yeah, Mate, that’s so crazy.” He says, half listening.
He looks around to see if anyone else saw this insanity, but no one has reacted. Wait. Harry thinks about the stupid coffee. The lunches. The galas. The fact that they almost live together with how often Malfoy’s at Grimmauld.
