flower crowns | drarry

sixteen

sixteen
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harry's hands were wrapped around draco's in an instant, steadying his trembling body with an anxious grip. draco flinched a little at his unexpected contact, turning to him with pleading, glossy eyes. and harry's heart sunk like stone to the bottom of his stomach while angry flames danced beneath his prickling flesh.

"what do you think you're doing?" he ground out through clamped teeth, guiding draco behind him.

"harry potter?" lucas spluttered, shock coloring his features.

eric glanced between him and draco, lingering especially on the hand he had steadying him, and for a moment, seemed wrought with surprise.

"potter." he muttered, brows knitting together.

harry could feel a thousand burning eyes struggling to comprehend the situation, but it was hard to focus on that. draco was trembling under his fingertips and that girl...they still had her by her locks, yanking her half way to the floor while she sobbed.

he could hardly hear his own voice, dark and furious, over the roaring in his head.

"what are you doing to them? what is wrong with you?"

eric shook his head, a small smirk tilting the corner of his mouth. "what do you mean?"

harry felt white hot magic prickling at his flushed fingertips, but he took a steadying breath.

"i mean," he hissed, emerald turning to engraved onyx. "what are you doing? you came over here unprompted and your presence came with all of this. you've got a girl by her hair, you're hurling insults at children, and you...you're sickening to watch. how dare you? harassing the innocent now, are we?"

"innocent," eric cackled, staring him down with ink dark eyes. "are you blind potter? they're deatheaters. murderers. do you know how many people they've killed?"

"they're kids. and no, shut up. don't you dare argue with me. i don't remember seeing you at the battle. or at any battle. i don't remember seeing you at the dark lord's meetings or in their houses or...huh...that's funny." harry laughed harshly. "i don't recall seeing you anywhere near the war. what makes you think you have the right to call them that?"

"what, deatheaters? murderers? well that's because that's just what they are. and i'm surprised that you bothered to stick up for them considering all they've done to you-"

"all voldemort's done to me, idiot. don't confuse the two. and seeing as it didn't happen to you, i don't think you should be talking to me about that. you know nothing. let go of her. now."

"why should i?"

"let go of her!" he pulled out his wand, taking a deep breath. he could feel his magic bubbling, his anger growing, his eyes darkening.

they were still smirking, but it was easy to tell they were scared. their eyes gave them away, and their smiles were fake, twitching with restrained fear. "he won't do it, he's saint potter-"

"i have plenty of blood on my hands, and i've faced worse people than you, so if i were you, i wouldn't test that theory." his voice was taut, and he spoke with a dangerous calmness.

the boys hesitated a few moments longer, until the combined force of harry's dark gaze and the prickling electricity of his magic began to become unbearable. finally, eric growled, "fine, let the girl go."

lucas stared at him with pinched lips and furrowed brows before doing as he was told. and as soon as she was free, the girl grabbed her searing head and ran into draco's arms.

"draco!"

"come here adeline," draco whispered shakily, tucking her into his chest. her tears soaked his shirt. "it's okay. i've got you."

harry kept his wand steady as draco turned to the other traumatized students with adeline in his embrace and uttered soft reassurances through quivering lips.

the boys glared at him, scrunching up their noses in disgust. but he could see their hands trembling.

"you're going to regret this potter." eric hissed.

harry barked out a bitter laugh.

"i doubt it. the war is over. you have no right to hurt anyone else. you're just as bad as the actual deatheaters, and while you may be suffering, that doesn't mean that they aren't. you have no excuse to take this out on other people. if i catch you doing something like this ever again," he emphasized, lips curling. "i won't be so quick to forgive you. now go. go."

they cursed at him one more time before departing, going back to their table. the eyes stayed upon harry though even once the attackers were gone, and he tried to ignore them and calm the magic still pulsing in his blood as he turned back to draco and the other kids.

his heart broke at the sight that awaited him.

a cluster of students drowning in their own skin, eyes sunken and terrified, all of them clinging to each other with weak, despondent grips. and draco, with adeline shaking in his arms, attempting to calm them. but harry could see the handprint on his pale cheek, the bruise on his arm, and the terror in his eyes. and draco's hands were trembling.

"draco-" harry tried to reach for him, but then he heard hermione's voice shouting behind him.

"harry!"

he turned and found her dashing towards him with headmaster mcgonagall and professor hart rushing after her.

a/n: omg! thank you guys so much for 1k reads!!!! i love you!!🥺 *sniffle*
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