iris | drarry

chapter 15

"I still don't think it's a good idea, Harry."

Harry groaned, pulling on his shoes. "I know you don't, Draco, but like I said, I'll be okay. If I'm not back by 11 you can come looking for me. Until then, no worrying or coming to drag me back here, okay?"

It was almost 7pm at this point, and Harry was just about to leave to go to the shared common room. He had been anxious about it all day, his fingers tapping or leg bouncing. He'd gone to class after lunch, earning a lot of stares from people who probably didn't even know he was in that class. 

He'd tried to pay attention, but the whole time he'd been thinking about what he was going to say to Ron. He was worried about it. What if this was the end? What if Ron didn't want to be friends with him at all anymore?

"I hope you know I am taking this literally. If it is 11:01 and you are not in this room-"

"Okay, mum, I know," Harry grumbled with an eyeroll.

He looked up to see Draco glaring at him, arms crossed. This just made Harry laugh out loud, something he realized he hadn't done in a long time. 

"What's so funny?" Draco demanded. 

"You. You even look like a mum right now," Harry said, standing up and mimicking the man, Draco's face heating up as he realized what he looked like. 

He dropped his hands down by his side, sighing. 

"Alright, well- Have fun. Be safe. I'll see you at 11."

Harry nodded, smiling and giving Draco a wave before he turned and walked out of the suite, closing the door behind him. He took a deep breath before walking towards the dorm, trying not to speed walk there. He was excited to hang out with his friends again, but he also felt kind of strange not having Draco with him. They hadn't really been apart for the past couple of days, and Harry was used to his presence.

He arrived a short time later, muttering the password and waiting for the portrait to swing open. He stepped through, hearing laugher and talking coming from up the stairs.

After taking a moment to breathe and collect himself, he walked up the stairs, smiling as he saw Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville sitting in a circle, listening to a story Ron was telling. Seamus looked from Ron to Harry, grinning and waving at him to come over. As soon as Ron saw Harry, though, he stopped telling his story, his lips pressed together in a tight line. 

Harry awkwardly cleared his throat, sitting down in an empty seat in between Seamus and Neville, Ron and Dean across from them. 

"How are you, Harry?" Neville asked, giving him a smile. 

He nodded. "I'm good, Neville, thank you. Doing much better, excited to get to hang out with you guys again."

His heart was pounding. He was looking everywhere but at Ron, giving Dean a smile and nod in greeting. 

"Well, now that everyone's here, should we get this party started?" Seamus said with a mischievous grin. 

Ron whooped, Neville nodding. 

Harry bit his lip, Draco's disappointed face flashing in his mind. He looked down at his lap, his fingers picking at his cuticles. He should tell them. He knows he should. But can he?

Harry opened his mouth to speak as soon as Seamus reached into his bag. He found himself pausing, though, closing his mouth as he saw that he was bringing out a bottle of Firewhiskey. 

Draco never said anything about alcohol, Harry thought. Surely I can drink. 

Harry looked around at the group, his eyes meeting with Ron's, which narrowed.