Delicate {𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪}

Chapter 19

Harry arrived at platform 9 3/4 over an hour before the Hogwarts Express' scheduled departure. He had changed in the mere 3 weeks he had spent away from the castle. These changes, even his glamours failed to disguise. His cheeks were sunken in, hollow and droopy, signs of starvation all over his body. The boy was almost recognisable, his usually sparkling raven hair, dull and lifeless, laying messily on his head, rather than sticking up in a million and one directions.

He was much lighter, his ribs visible once his heavy green hoodie was removed from his body. Dark purple bruises resided underneath his dull emerald eyes, which seemed to have lost their newly rebound sparkle, 3 weeks destroying everything the boy had repaired over the previous 4 months. He knew Draco was going to be heartbroken when he saw him, but his body was aching and painted black and blue beneath his carefully cast glamours. He didn't have the energy required to be concerned about his non-boyfriend's worry.

He boarded the train quickly and discreetly, keeping the blond's hoodie wrapped around himself and the hood pulled up to maintain some semblance on anonymity. He was grateful that it was slightly oversized so he could almost drown in it. He gradually made his way towards the end of the train and entered the compartment in which he had last seen the young Malfoy. He hoped he wouldn't have to wait long because all he wanted was to fall into the embrace of the blond and never leave the comfort he so effortlessly provided.

After around 30 minutes, the train had begun to fill up, students trickling in at a steady pace, ready to head back to Hogwarts for the rest of the year after having had a relaxing Christmas break with their families.

Harry sighed in relief when the compartment door slid open and a platinum blonde head of hair he could recognise from anywhere poked itself around the corner. Draco grinned tiredly at the sight of the younger boy and immediately pulled him in for a long-anticipated hug. Harry melted into the embrace, relishing in the comfort provided by the boy he had come to rely on so deeply in the previous months.

Harry buried his rose into Draco's pale neck and sniffed, "I missed you so much," Harry sobbed out. "I know Angel, I know, I missed you too," Draco assured, resting his chin on the top of Harry's head. He was deeply concerned about the state of the boy in his arms, easily being able to feel his ribs and having seen the deep bags that rested underneath his eyes. However Draco was astute enough to realise that now was not the time for such interrogations, and both boys just needed comfort and affection after their trying visits home.

The two manoeuvred themselves so that they were in a seated position, resting up against each other as they sat in a comfortable silence for a while. Once the train had begun to move, the two had ended up sideways on the seat, Harry seated between the blond's legs, his back against the latter's chest.

"Do you remember that week when I was acting really weirdly, not really talking..." Draco decided to begin first. "Actually you probably didn't, why would you notice? That was a bold assumption of m-" "Of course I noticed Draco, I just knew better than to push you, especially seeing as we weren't that close at the time." Harry cut of Draco's nervous ramblings, reassuring the blond with a peck on the lips.

Draco took a deep breath to calm himself and he started again.

"Well, it was a letter from my father..." Harry stiffened up minutely, so Draco placed a gentle kiss just under his ear before continuing. "Somehow, the man still has pull, from where he rots in an Azkaban cell. He is under the impression that I am going to marry one Astoria Greengrass, having signed the marriage contract himself when I was merely a year old."

Harry turned to look at the blond wide-eyed but didn't dare interrupt him. "I decided to ignore this fact, seeing as my father was rotting in a cell and should no longer have power over me. The plan this Christmas had been to nullify the contract on the basis of my father being incarcerated and the lack of my mother's signature. Unfortunately, with my father's many loyal contacts, he had managed to forge my mother's signature almost perfectly, and we were struggling to find a justifiable way to end this contract."

Draco's voice had begun to shake slightly so Harry turned his body around to face Draco, almost straddling him as he pressed his forehead into the blond's chest, hoping to provide some comfort to his. Draco exhaled unsteadily as he wrapped his arms tightly around Harry, grateful for the boy's presence and willingness to hear him out.

"We thought we struck gold when we found a clause stating that if one party wanted to back out and the other agreed, the contract could be scrapped as long as a small fee was paid. My mother and I were more than willing to pay it and we figured that the Greengrass' would have no interest in being connected to the Malfoy name after everything that occurred in May. However, our name still holds power, being one of the Sacred 28, and we still have a large sum of money, that would last us generations. They refused our offer, stating that the contract remained."

Draco paused as the news seemed to finally sink in for himself as well. Just as Harry shifted back slightly, he looked into those captivating emerald eyes, shining with unshed tears and uttered the words that broke both of their hearts, the shattering audible for all those present on the train. As he spoke, the floodgates broke and the two young boys had tears streaming down their faces. Neither quite ready to face another harsh reality.

"I'm getting married the day after we graduate, to a girl I don't even know, and could never love."

——————————————————

Hello again, this is number two in my instalments of bulk updates, a bit sad, but you ain't seen nothing yet, grab some tissues coz shits about to get rough.

Lila out 💜