Harry moved slowly through his flat, too exhausted from a long work day to do much else. It took him an embarrassingly long time for him to pad into his kitchen after changing into some more comfortable clothes. He was utterly dragging at this point, why he didn't just take a nap, Harry did not know.
Harry was now a teacher at Hogwarts and he loved his job deeply. However, there were just days where he questioned his own sanity for accepting the post. Whether it be the stares of both students and teachers alike or the obnoxious, bratty natures of the students, it was harder some days than others. Yet, even on the worst days, like today, he was still so glad he chose this instead of becoming an Auror.
He had spent most of his childhood fighting Dark Magic and after all that he and his loved ones had been through, he didn't think he could mentally withstand being an Auror. He painstakingly remembered to how upset Ron was when Harry made the announcement that he would no longer join Ron as an Auror-In-Training. His red-headed best friend was quite angry and they didn't speak for nearly a year. Also in that year, Harry had broken up with Ginny due to his being very gay, further severing his relationship with the Weasley's.
Now they all got on fine, but it was quite obviously not the same. So Harry only really spent time with his first real family once or twice a month.
The raven haired lad sat himself down in a kitchen chair and plopped his head onto the table. It was sad to think about how much things had changed in recent times. The emotion and his exhaustion were too much tonight. He would just take a quick nap before carrying on with his evening plans.
It was not meant to be, however, because just as he closed his eyes, a knock was heard. Harry bolted up and walked over to the kitchen door. He opened it to find a soaking wet and very familiar blond head. Draco Malfoy.
Malfoy looked absolutely horrendous, though Harry doubted he looked too much better. The blond's clothes were drenched and he looked as if he had possibly been crying. Harry was unsure as to what to do now. He'd never had a soaked Slytherin at his door before. Yet, the very exhausted lad just pulled the door open to allow Draco Malfoy into his home.
"Malfoy?"
"Please don't say anything or ask anything," the blond spoke, barely above a whisper, "but would you mind pouring me a cup of tea?"
Harry, obeying the other man's wishes, spoke not a word as he made the pair some tea.
Draco followed Harry into the flat's small living room where the two sat: Harry on the couch, Draco on the chair. Neither man spoke a word, but Harry cast a drying spell on both Malfoy and the chair while they drank their tea.
The darker man stared oddly at the other unsure of the situation. After a few minutes, he gave up on trying to deduce anything, this was Draco Malfoy, the unreadable boy, after all. So Harry just relaxed and enjoyed the silence he had not had at the school that day. It was oddly comfortable to just sit in the same room with someone, not speaking, just drinking tea. The act was so casual but it obviously wasn't. How could it be casual when it was so weird and a wet Draco Malfoy was involved?
Draco also felt that peace, that calm comfort, as they drank their tea in silence. He knew it was bizarre for him to show up at his ex-rival's door, but he had nowhere else to go. He could not think of a single other person in the wizarding world who would open their door to him for a little bit, no questions asked. The no questions asked was both necessary and difficult but he knew that would only be a problem if someone opened the door in the first place, unlikely.
So Harry Bloody Potter it was.
After maybe an hour and three refills, Draco nodded his thanks to Harry and left the boy's apartment the way he came, through the kitchen door. For almost a whole other hour after that, the former Gryffindor man just sat stunned in the living room, unmoving. He already missed the peace and comfort of having another person in his home, doing something as perfectly mundane as drinking tea. He quite liked having silent tea with Draco Malfoy. Sharing a space without sharing a word.
A.N.
Hey you guys!!!! I hope you liked the first chapter. This book will be a short story, only a few more chapters, and they will all be similar to this length. This idea just came to me in the middle of the night for a short story so here ya go!!!💛
- o l i v i a
