Heaven Through a Window • Drarry •

Chapter Twenty-Two: Sanctum

The sun had no choice but to shine on a new day. Though it was Draco's day off, a Saturday, Draco went through his normal routine anyway. He bathed, ate his watermelon, styled his hair and was by the front door in his emerald Healer-in-Charge robes before he'd even thought about it.

Draco clung to the gates to the Manor, awash with birdsong yet still feeling hollow. He hated that he had no agency, no choices that belonged to him.

He had to go in. As he was rather good at compartmentalising his feelings, he strode through the corridors of St Mungo's as though it were his proper place.

Draco left a generous leaving voucher for his secretary, Anne, and an explanatory note. He didn't want there to be any fuss or public acknowledgement of his resignation. But she had served him for many years and deserved better.

Downstairs, Enchanted Heart was playing on Potter's wireless. Harry dozed to the pop music and blinked at Draco's entrance.

"Wha-?" Harry frowned.

"Do you remember me, Harry?"

"You don't usually call me Harry."

"An oversight, I'm sure."

Harry squinted. "What's going on? This doesn't normally happen."

Draco sat down heavily in the visitor's seat, and helped himself to Potter's toast.

"It's my day off. You sleep in late like a teenager, then normally wake up disorientated. You occasionally have some kind of tantrum late morning and I am pulled away from whatever healing duties I am embroiled in. Then, you think I am my father, Lucius Malfoy, and I ask all healing professionals to leave the room so I can calm you down. Then, sometimes I kiss you here," he said, reaching out to brush his fingers in the spot beneath his ear. "Sometimes you want to punch me in the face, sometimes you kiss me back. After lunch, you generally know what's going on, and we like to sit in the roof garden."

Harry's expression cleared. He reached out a hand and Draco took it.

"Draco. Draco," he said. "I thought you were a dream."

Harry yawned, and Draco took the opportunity to lock the door.

"I've been having bad thoughts..." Harry had the most woebegone face he'd ever seen. "I don't think I'll feel happy ever again."

Loving Potter was perilous, like scaling a wall without magic. But loving him was also an honour, and Draco would hold on to him for as long as he could.

Draco took back his hand. "You will."

"Look. They're going to snap my wand."

"Do you think they arm the likes of Professor Lockhart? And Mr and Mrs Longbottom, do you think they are free to wave a wand?"

"It's hardly the same!"

"It's exactly the same. In the morning you are a clueless child, we don't let children create havoc. It's the way things are."

Harry tightened his grip on Draco's hand. "So we give up?"

"No. We decide what to do next, after careful consideration."

"Why don't we just leave now? And hide somewhere?"

Draco pecked Harry on the lips.

"Because Potter, I, unlike you, make rational decisions after weighing up all options and their strengths and shortcomings."

"I wish I could disappear," Harry said, winding his fingers into Draco's hair.

"Well you can't," he snapped.