The winter that year felt particularly cold and dark without the warmth of Harry by his side. Draco desperately missed the feel of his bare skin as they cuddled beneath the sheets as the fire crackled in the corner. The Christmas he had spent at Grimmauld Place the year before had changed his life, his love and his soul.
But now it seemed he'd lost all of what he had found once again.
The three of them had searched for a month, Draco's hopes dwindling every time they'd hit a dead end, which wasn't helped by the pitying looks Hermione and Ron gave him when they thought he wasn't looking. It was okay for them, they still had each other.
By the time the Christmas period had finally settled in, Draco ached to feel the numbness he felt before Harry. It felt better to not feel anything at all than to feel too much. Christmas just wouldn't feel the same this year, and in the years to come. Loneliness and boredom threatened to overwhelm him, the empty feeling of not being somewhere and not being with someone that you should be with. Most of the time he slept it off, it was the best way of fighting the isolation, he couldn't stand being awake at times, the days were so long. Though even when he slept, his mind plagued him with dreams of Harry and Hogwarts and happiness that he could not reach.
Grimmauld Place was still called home, if he could call it anything. Despite nagging from a certain Weasley, he just didn't have the heart to sell it or move elsewhere. It was too connected to Harry, like he had to stay in the same place, just in case he might come through the front door like nothing happened, calling out Draco's name into the empty halls.
He had fully intended to sleep through Christmas day, even brewing a potion to help him stay unconscious till the festivities had ended. Thinking back, he should've known better than to think Hermione Granger would let that happen, stubborn as she was.
So when on the morning of Christmas eve, Hermione's voice rang through from the front hall, Draco inwardly sighed and wished he could disappear to the Leaky Cauldron like last year. He sank lower into the cold sheets, hoping she would leave having heard no answer.
"Draco, you can't stay in bed for Christmas." Her stern voice was suddenly beside him.
He groaned, planting his head face down on the pillow.
"That would really upset Molly." She continued
His groaning ceased immediately. God forbid he hurt Molly. Harry would never forgive him.
And so he found himself throwing on a cringey moth eaten Christmas jumper and taking Hermione's hand, apparating to the burrow once again.
Despite how Draco felt inside, the burrow felt warm and homely which was a stark contrast to how Grimmauld Place had been feeling.
The atmosphere there at Christmas was something he had never experienced before, especially back at Malfoy Manor. It was the sense of magic in the air, and not the kind that they were all taught in Hogwarts, used on a daily basis. It was the kind of magic felt in everyone's hearts on Christmas day. When all the Weasley's were around the fire laughing, Draco felt at home. Though, of course, there was one thing missing that left a permanent hole in his chest, a huge cavity which seemed to keep growing as time went by. And there was an ache somewhere, he couldn't tell whether physical or mental, for the year before, when he and Harry had grown closer and that perfect winter break he held in his mind so fondly and couldn't let go of.
Molly broke the jolly laughter with a stern word which meant it was time for silence as the radio was switched on for the annual Celestina Warbeck part of the day. She would have it no other way.
There was a fuzzy blur of noise as she twirled the knob trying to find the correct station. Draco's ears perked up, the blur of noise with occasional words mirroring his brain throughout most of the past several months.
Then he heard it. A word which caused him to whip his head around and stare at the radio. "Potter"
Who else could that be?
He made eye contact with Molly, who panicked flipping the knobs once more.
"Molly, turn it back to that station." Draco almost demanded.
"Draco-" Hermione interjected but was cut off by his pale, boney hand stuck in her face.
He stood up abruptly, almost losing his balance from the adrenaline and he supposed also the large quantity of alcohol one normally drank on the afternoon of Christmas day.
Molly moved swiftly out of his way, to his surprise and he had soon flipped the knob around to where he had heard that same voice before.
"Recently been seen with ex-deatheaters in the far North coast of Scotland and has been sighted many times around that area and others."
Draco turned to see the pale faces of the people behind him, all staring back at him with that pitying look that he so loathed.
"Many believe he has turned towards dark arts, being so closely tied to Voldemort for so long has led to him attempting to start a new army against the wizarding world."
"Of course, those who knew Mr. Potter personally would say this would be the last explanation for the current whereabouts and company he is keeping."
Draco gulped and his throat felt scratchy.
"Though word from moles among the deatheaters working for the Ministry of Magic have confirmed that there is common knowledge around the enemies, now seeming to be allies of Harry Potter."
"This knowledge may still be inaccurate but it is believed that he has a son."
A/N I owe everyone about 10 million apologies because this is so late and I've left everyone hanging. I've been meaning to finish this story for ages but got stuck on an ending. Then things happened, I got my heart broken by a person I gave everything to, took an overdose and ended up in hospital. Don't know why I'm telling you all this but it's a slow road to recovery and updating this story is somehow a mark on my way out of this mental illness I've had since I was 13.
But life is looking up for me right now. I've met the most amazing friends who never fail to make me laugh and an amazing boyfriend who honestly I think is the person I will marry.
So there's a little bit about my life in the past 9??? Months and an explanation for my disappearance after so long!
YOU ARE READING
Potter!
Fanfiction"Potter! " he shouted at the top of his lungs, he hadn't heard the sound of his hoarse voice say anything with such emotion before. ~ "So sorry if I disappointed you, Potter, by not being the villain you thought I was, but I was never who you though...
