Delicate {𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪}

Chapter 24

The group set out to find a way to reveal Harry's true intentions. They wanted to know if it was him in control or the girl he's rarely seen without nowadays. They needed this to go well so all 7 of them were seen together regularly over the next 3 days.

Draco was getting antsy, not liking how long they were leaving things. He wanted to find out right now if Harry really loved him or if it was all a game. He couldn't keep letting his heart get broken every time he saw the love of his life and the girl Harry supposedly disliked and slightly feared.

In his mind, he knew that everything he and Harry had talked about couldn't have been all a lie. He remembered looking into Harry's eyes as they spoke, seeing the overwhelming trust and honestly swimming in those enchanting emerald eyes he could never get enough of.

He knew more about the Raven than anyone else and should have been the first one to notice that something was wrong. Draco knew that if Harry truly was doing this of his own accord, it would break his heart, but if Harry was being controlled and he had doubted the boy so much and almost left him with the girl of his nightmares, it would shatter him.

While Draco had zoned out, yet again going over his and Harry's time together as if the boy in question had suddenly dropped dead, the rest of their group had been brainstorming ideas on how to get Harry alone so they could question him.

Currently, they had the idea of just calling Ginny over to speak 'alone' and dead grabbing Harry when he's left by himself. It definitely wasn't foolproof and involved Draco facing Harry in a room alone to try and gauge his reaction to the blonde. They hadn't yet asked the boy and with all of the zoning out he was doing, they knew he wasn't yet aware of the plan.

After some harsh looks form Hermione and a nudge in the side from Blaise - which earned him and even harsher nudge - Pansy turned to Draco. Aware that she had to be careful about this, she gently rested her hand on his knee, jerking him from his musings abruptly. The other's had gone back to chatting quietly, in order to give the two some semblance of privacy.

Pansy gave the boy a soft smile as she looked at him, saddened by the sight. Draco had fallen into disarray at Harry's absence. Unable to sleep, large dark bruises painted the underside of his eyes, his cheeks were sunken in and he no longer wore finely pressed clothing or had his silky hair done up nicely. His eyes were dull and the usually floppy soft hair was sadder and lay limply on his head.

"Hi Draco," Pansy spoke with a calming smile on her face, hoping to ease the troubled expression on the face of her best friend. Draco attempted to return the smile but it came out as more of a pained grimace. "We had an idea," Pansy began apprehensively before the boy inevitably lost interest in what she was saying. Draco turned his face towards her lethargically, lacking the motivation to be excited at the prospect of discovering the truth.

He hummed noncommittedly, quietly urging her to go on. "It would involve you talking to him though." Draco screwed up his face, already disliking the idea. However Pansy powered through, knowing the only way this would work is if Harry was faced by his love, there and waiting for Harry to come back to him. "We need you. Harry loves you and he's somewhere in there, looking for something to fight for. Right now we've barely approached him. He needs the motivation to break himself free and come back to you. All he's seeing right now, is that you don't care." Draco opened his mouth to protest vehemently, but Pansy didn't falter.

"I know you love this boy., Blaise knows, the Gryffindor's know, you know. But most importantly, Harry knows. He just needs the reminder that when all this is over, and he makes it back, that he'll have you there waiting for him." Pansy watched him expectantly, as did the group, who had finally stopped pretending they weren't eavesdropping. Hermione was watching Pansy with a sense of awe, impressed with her way of words.

Draco looked around the group, eyeing the expectant yet apprehensive faces, before he returned his gaze to the girl seated beside him. She gave his an encouraging, yet sad smile and squeezed his knee. Swallowing thickly, he gave a nod of determination. The entire group broke out into relieved grins and Draco knew he had made the right decision.

Pansy stood up and brought Draco with her, pulling him into a fierce hug. his arms wrapped tightly around her waist as she held him. The blonde hadn't realised how much he needed someone to hold him and he immediately fell desperately into the warm embrace. He buried his face in her shoulder, attempting to fight off the tears that threatened to cascade down his face as Pansy soothed him, rubbing his back and holding him tightly, whispering words of reassurance into his ear.

He had never been so grateful for his best friend. He had never realised that the two children he talked to at one of his first pureblood parties at the age of five, would be his rocks throughout his life. He was even more grateful when Blaise stood to join them patting Draco on the back reassuringly and pecking pansy on the forehead before wrapping his long arms around the two.

The three would always be siblings, not by blood, but by choice and through the bonds they formed over years of hardship. The Gryffindors were watching with smiles on their faces, glad to see the usually cold Slytherins act so human, and do so comfortably in front of them. It proved the progress they had made over this horrible, trying experience. They just hoped the tentative friendship they had formed wouldn't shatter at the outcome of their plan tomorrow.

________________________________

This is because of the overwhelming support you guys have given me over the past few days, I know it's kind of filler-y but I wanted a bit of Slytherin fluff because I hadn't really delved into that yet and I think their friendship is adorable. A new chapter out on Sunday!

(Let's play a game, how many variations of gently did Lila come up with for this chapter?)

Also if any of you wanted to drop me a vote I'd forever appreciate it 🥺

Love you all,

Lila out💜