1000 Days of Harry Potter

Day 999

"Draco! Are you decent? I have something to show you!"

"Morally? Absolutely not," Draco answers, coming downstairs to grin at Harry. "But I am wearing trousers, I assume that's what you meant."

He chuckles and shakes his head, pulling Draco into a hug when he's near enough. "Happy Birthday!"

He steps back and presses a trio of tickets into Draco's hand. They're for the Quidditch World Cup in August. Box seats, right at goal-height. They must have cost a small fortune.

"How did you get these?"

Harry gives him a wicked grin. "I'm Harry Potter!"

"You hate getting things because you're 'Harry Potter.'"

"Well, for your birthday, I may have made an exception. You're impossible to shop for, you know."

Draco desperately wants to kiss him. Harry is, as usual, completely oblivious, still chattering on.

"—and I know it's something the three of us have wanted to do, well, we've talked about going for a long time, and I know it's still a couple of months away, so I'm sorry you have to wait to put your gift to use, but—"

"I'll look forward to it. Thank you, Harry."

Draco surprises them both by leaning forward and kissing Harry on the cheek. Not a friendly peck like he'd intended—a soft, lingering kiss that makes his feelings abundantly clear.

Harry stares at him when he steps away, looking more stunned than if Draco had slapped him. He takes a shaky breath, then practically bolts from the room.

"Well, I'd better get going, but I'll see you later, okay? At your party at the Burrow. Teddy's already there, helping Molly get everything ready."

"Yeah," Draco answers, wide-eyed and horrified. "See you."

* * *

At Draco's birthday party Harry seems fine and normal, except that he never comes within five feet of him. He moves so much, making sure everything is perfect and everyone is having a good time, that no one else seems to notice, but his physical absence beside Draco sends a painfully clear message to him.

After a few hours of this, one person does notice. Ginny drags Draco outside. "What happened? Why is Harry being so weird? Did you talk to him?"

Draco lets out a shuddering sigh. "No. I, um, I kissed him. On the cheek. Earlier today. He ran away after."

Ginny looks shocked. "You're joking. I'm going to murder him."

"Don't!" Draco catches her by the arm. "Listen, I'll talk to him about it, but not yet. Not until Teddy goes to Hogwarts."

She frowns, examining his expression. "Do you want to go home?"

"Merlin, yes."

Ginny hugs him tightly, then pulls back to put a hand on his arm. "Go. I'll tell everyone you weren't feeling well."

"Thank you," Draco chokes out. "You're the best."

"I know," she winks.

Draco Apparates from the front porch. He showers and changes into pyjamas before gratefully crawling into his bed and burying his face in his pillow. 

Happy twenty-ninth birthday, Draco. You've ruined everything.