Post-peace Chaos (Drarry)

Chapter 20

[Harry and Draco]

After hastily showering and cleaning up, though he really didn't have to, Harry slipped downstairs, seeing Draco sipping his coffee and reading the Prophet.

"Here." He handed him a mug as Harry sat down next to him.

Draco read the article again. MORE TO THE DIVORCE? the headline read.

"Sooo... Potter," he watched as Harry looked up at him. "Hmm?"

"What exactly... happened?" He handed him the paper. "You don't have to answer, if- if you're not comfortable," he added quickly.

Harry took the paper in Draco's hands, gave it one look, and groaned. "Oh, for Merlin's sake."

Draco sat idly as Harry finished the article.

Harry fumed at each and every word of the damn thing. Just half an hour ago he thought he was safe from the Prophet today. Apparently, being in a foul mood and disappearing abruptly during the horrifying interrogation could still be written as a juicy piece of news. Anger was boiling but it soon wound into defeat as it always did. He slumped back on his chair, shuddering a little at the flashback from yesterday.

Draco decided to break the silence. "I know for a fact that the Prophet isn't always truthful."

Harry snorted. "Take out the always and, yeah." He sighed. "It's more than disturbing, really. But every wizard still reads it. Hell, I still read it. Just to check for things like these though."

Draco fumbled with his mug, not knowing what to say. "Sorry," was all he could muster.

A Malfoy lost for words. He cursed silently in his mind. The Malfoy name is going to be brought down by him as if it wasn't bad enough.

Harry sighed again. "It's... fine. Well, not really, but I guess... yeah." He sipped the coffee. "As to what happened... what do you want to know?"

Draco couldn't say he wasn't surprised he didn't just say 'it's complicated' and wave it off. "Oh. Um, how it happened, I guess."

"The only part that's true is that it is a mutual and peaceful separation," he said. "The rest is bullocks. There wasn't even an interview."

Draco nearly choked on his coffee. "Seriously?"

Harry almost laughed at his incredulity. He realized he already saw the untruthful daily news as normality. "Yeah. The whole thing was made up. As if we could really say sentences at the same time."

He laughed. "I knew it was a bit far-fetched, but I didn't know they could just... make up fake meetings like that." His brow furrowed. "Then how did they know?"

Harry shrugged. "Snipers at the ministry. Tipping off Rita Skeeter with our divorce papers."

Draco's mind was whirling. Even with the Dark Lord defeated, the wizarding world was still in chaos, in a different way. And that was only saying the least.

"I had no idea."

Harry raised his coffee mug in response. He was battling with himself whether or not to tell Draco the truth behind their marriage. He felt at ease with him somehow, which kind of made him feel uneasy in a way.

Draco also fiddled with his thoughts. He felt that Harry was still concealing something. Yes, he knew it was personal, yes, he knew it probably hurt Harry, but he really wanted to know. Maybe he could help somehow. However, he was hesitant to press on. He decided to go around the topic.

"How's Weasley doing?"

"You'll have to be more specific than that."

"Ex-wife."