BEAUTIFUL DISASTERS ｢DRARRY｣

PART 8

A month after his arrival, Harry Potter was chatting with the Herbology Professor, Neville Longbottom. Draco sat awkwardly between them, not exactly participating in the conversation but still listening. Harry's plate had been empty for long, and half the Great Hall had already emptied out. It was a Wednesday, so it was what Harry called a Draco Day—it was one of the days that he would be privately tutored.

Harry rather enjoyed talking to Neville; he was funny and incredibly kind. He wasn't Harry's type at all, but he couldn't deny that he was even a little bit attractive, even with the oddly-shaped scar on his forehead.

Upon thinking of the scar, Harry paused mid-sentence, and he felt Draco's eyes piercing the side of his head. "Neville?" He said, abruptly cutting off their previous conversation.

Neville hummed in reply, looking at Harry, who fidgeted lightly. "Why do you have a lightning scar?"

"Harry," Draco hissed immediately, elbowing him in the ribs, and Harry wondered if he said the wrong thing.

Neville, however, simply laughed and glanced at Draco. "It's fine, Draco." He looked back to Harry. "Someone fired a killing curse at me when I was a baby. It rebounded and killed them instead," he said, and Harry's jaw dropped.

"Huh? Draco told me that the killing curse was unavoidable if it was aimed properly!" Harry stared openly at Draco, who slumped slightly in his chair and avoided eye contact.

"Draco has a good reason for not telling you that bit, I'm sure," Neville said, exchanging glances with Draco. "It's a rather complicated story. I'm not sure he'd want to tell it."

Later that day, the two sat at their usual spot near the lake, conversing lightly while brewing girding potions. The wind was slightly chilly, and it was a little past noon. Harry felt it was a good time to bring up what Neville had said earlier.

"Neville survived the killing curse," Harry said, and it was a statement, although it was meant to be a question. Draco looked up from the cauldron to Harry, who was already looking at him.

"You're visiting McGonagall tomorrow, I'm sure she'll be glad to tell you the story."

"I want to hear it from you," Harry insisted, his stomach quivering when Draco stared at him intensely, seemingly pondering whether to answer or not.

"Love is the strongest of all magic," Draco simply said, and lowered his eyes back down to the cauldron.

And? Harry thought. Was Draco not going to give any further explanation?

As if sensing what Harry was thinking, Draco kept going, his eyes still trained on the bubbling potion. "His mother sacrificed herself out of love. She was killed in place of him. When the murderer tried to kill him, the spell rebounded because of his mother's sacrifice."

Harry felt that there was much, much more to the story. First, he finds out that Neville opened the Chamber of Secrets even though he wasn't the heir of Slytherin, and now he discovers that he survived the killing curse.

There was too much left unexplained.

However, Draco already explained more than he was comfortable with, and Harry couldn't bring himself to ask more questions if it made him uncomfortable. So, instead of trying to pick the story apart, he simply sat back and shifted his concentration towards his cauldron.

**********

Draco stood in front of Harry, wand in hand. He raised an eyebrow at Harry, who shook with nerves.

"Expelliarmus!" He yelled and did the wand motion, although nothing happened. "Expelliarmus!" He tried again. "EXPELLIARMUS!"

Draco sighed and walked to Harry's side. He raised his wand beside Harry's and did the motion needed for the spell. "Like this, Harry. Don't exaggerate it too much," he tried explaining, hoping to Merlin that Harry would pick it up.

He moved back to his original position, which was in front of Harry. "You can do it, don't worry," he tried reassuring him. Harry's hand still shook.

"Expelliarmus!" He tried again, trying his very best to mimic the motion that Draco just showed him. "Expelliarmus!" And still, nothing happened.

Harry groaned and lowered his arm, burying his left hand into his hair with frustration. "It's no use, Draco. I'm not ready yet." Harry was a fast learner generally, but this spell was beyond his ability. He was only caught up to about third year, and was aware that it would only get harder from here. Still, expelliarmus was difficult.

Draco sighed and shook his head. "No, Harry. It's just a little bit difficult, that's all. You're a great student. Don't get yourself down." He walked back to Harry, although instead of standing beside him, he stood behind him. He grabbed Harry's right hand from behind. Harry, to his own horror, began blushing madly at the feeling of Draco pressed against his back.

Draco, holding on to Harry's hand, demonstrated a slight circular motion. Harry tried his best to concentrate, but it was hard with Draco's breath against his ear. Nonetheless, he listened intently, wanting nothing more than to get it right and hopefully somewhat impress Draco.

"Like this," Draco whispered into his ear, making a small circular motion with Harry's hand.

Harry, knowing how red his face was, wanted to back away. "I think I've got it now, thanks," he said, and Draco backed away.

He walked back to his original position, and Harry was oddly delighted to see his cheeks tinged with a bit of red. He raised his wand. "You've got this, Harry."

Harry took a deep breath. You can do it, he reminded himself. His hands were still shaking. Quickly, before he chickened out, he performed the circular motion that Draco had just shown him. "Expelliarmus!"

To his absolute delight, Draco's wand flew out of his hand and landed nearby on the grass. Harry's chest practically imploded with pride. "I did it!" He exclaimed, unable to contain his happiness, his lips spread into a giddy smile. "I did it!"

Draco, cheeks still slightly red, allowed himself to grin back. "Told you you had it in you," he said, almost smugly.

"Can I do it again?" Harry asked, his veins still surging with adrenaline. A month ago, magic didn't exist to him, and now, he was performing a slightly complicated spell. He felt so god damn proud of himself, which was completely new to him. He never had anything to be proud of.

He decided that he liked the feeling.

"You sure can," Draco said with a lingering smile. "Accio," he said, and his wand flew to his outstretched hand. "Show me what you've got, Potter."

Under the warmth of the sun, both men practiced the same over and over. One surged with adrenaline, and the other with a hidden pride for his student. Harry felt incredibly proud, and Draco allowed himself to smile.

It was a good day.