Thermodynamic Equilibrium || Drarry

An epilogue of sorts

"I'm dying," Harry muttered.

"You're not."

Harry turned his head to glare at Draco who was laying, not in the shade like a sane human being, but fully clothed in the sun. Draco grinned at him.

"You don't understand-" Harry groaned, he had already stripped off his shirt, and he'd get yelled at by at least three people if he took off his trousers.

"I do, you ass."

"-I am literally dying," Harry went on, "I am cooking in my own skin. I am a broiler, a toaster oven, a campfire-"

Draco laughed, looking far too amused.

"The sun is trying to kill me," Harry said.

"We could go back to your room in the dungeons," Draco said, "The one I helped you get so that this wouldn't happen?"

Harry pushed himself up on his elbows and looked out over the lawns. Hermione was reading under a tree with Ron's head in her lap, and Ginny and Luna were making flower crowns with the Patil twins and Pansy. Dean and Seamus were trying to teach Blaise and Theo how to play football, their robes heaped into makeshift goals on the grass.

Harry had wanted to spend some time with his friends. They'd finally finished their exams and could relax, but instead of having fun, he was miserable. He actually missed the dank, miserable, blessedly cool dungeons.

Draco laughed again, "Alright, toaster oven." He stood up, shrugged off his robes and shoes.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked, sitting up.

Draco pulled off his socks, loosening his tie and pulling it over his head, dropping it on top of the pile. He held his hand out, and Harry let himself be pulled up.

"Let's go swimming," Draco said.

"Really?" Harry said, already kicking off his tennis shoes before Draco changed his mind.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Obviously," he gestured at himself.

Harry grinned with childlike glee, pulling Draco down to the shore of Black lake. He charged into the cold water and got up to his knees before he had to stop, as Draco gripping his hand so hard it hurt with a yelp of dismay as the water washed over his feet.

"C-cold!" Draco said, jerking back.

"Yeah?" Harry said, letting himself be pulled out of the water, "That's the point, isn't it?"

"I didn't think it would be that cold!" Draco said in dismay.

"It's just turned summer," Harry said. He loosened his grip, "Here, I'll go in for a bit, and you can enjoy the sun."

Draco bit his lip, staying on the shore as Harry walked out into the water, just up to his shoulders. He took off his glasses and dunked his head under, sighing with relief when he came up, pushing his hair back and putting his glasses back on his nose.

Harry had hardly heard the splashes before his arms were full of a Draco Malfoy, clinging to his shoulders, gasping from the cold.

Harry pulled Draco close, "What-! Have you lost your mind?"

"No," Draco said fiercely, and then instantly changed his mind as he began to shiver, "M-maybe."

Harry grinned, ducking down and wrapping his arms under Draco's arse, lifting him halfway up out of the water as he gasped and clung on even tighter.

"H-Harry! Now, who's lost their mind?!" Draco said.

"Me," Harry said, "but I'm in good company."

Draco thumped his shoulder lightly, "You had better not drop me."

"Never," Harry said.

"Liar," Draco said, trying not to smile.

"I'll try not to," Harry said.

"That's-!" Draco smacked him again, "You're supposed to lie!"

Harry laughed, "Alright! Alright! I'll never drop you then."

"...Fine," Draco said, mollified. His button-up shirt clung to his skin, coloured pink where it stuck to his skin, well suited to his pout and the damp ends of his hair, wet by his reckless splashing.

"What?" Draco asked, his expression softening as Harry studied him.

"Move in with me?" Harry asked.

Draco's breath caught, "...you want to live together?"

Harry nodded.

Draco bit his lip fighting down a smile, "As if you could be rid of me. I have absolutely no interest in being cold ever again."

Harry smiled in a blossom of relief and happiness, "I'll never let you get cold again."

"Well you're doing a terrible job of it," Draco teased, and as if his own words reminded him of the cold water a shiver shuddered through him.

Harry tightened his grip and carried Draco back toward the shore, letting him down when the water was only knee-deep.

"What are you idiots doing?" Pansy called down to them.

"Cooling off," Harry said.

"Freezing to death," Draco shouted back, walking back onto the shore, "Dry me off, Pans?"

Pansy rolled her eyes and cast a drying and warming charm at him, leaving Draco looking rumpled and windswept.

Draco irritably patted his hair down and turned back towards the lake, hands on his hips, "Coming out of the water anytime soon?"

Harry shrugged, "Eventually."

Draco tried to look irritated but only managed something between bemused and fond.

"Merlin, just get married already," Pansy said in faux disgust.

"There's no rush," Draco said, looking only at Harry, "we have to live together for a while first."

Harry smiled, his heart squeezing so hard it seemed too big for his chest, "Yeah."