flower crowns | drarry

six

six
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it was a crisp, windy saturday morning, and harry was out on the quidditch pitch watching the chasers practice.

he was exhausted, and would much rather be cocooned in his fuzzy blanket and surrounded by warmth instead of being out in the cool air. but he knew that if he was, he would be left with nothing but his own thoughts, a dangerous scenario.

and so, he forced himself to endure the chilly weather and mild exercise rather than be consumed with a spiral of horrible thoughts and cruel memories.

***

after harry had changed back into normal clothes, he walked back out onto the field, breathing in some fresh air and gazing up at the sky.

it was only then that he noticed a blond head in the top corner of the slytherin bleachers.

tentatively, harry started to walk in that direction, noticing draco's eyes on him. he didn't know why he felt the sudden urge to speak with him. maybe it was because draco was much different than he was before, and it was very hard not to notice that. maybe it was because he'd been making flower crowns in a greenhouse, and that was so strange that harry was still a little convinced it was a dream. or maybe it was because draco had lulled him into the first good sleep he'd had for years. whatever the reason was, he couldn't deny that he was intrigued by him, and wanted to talk to him, even if he didn't know what to say.

he sat down next to the blond, a stray breeze blowing his messy curls into his eyes.

they didn't say anything for the first moments, both of them searching for the right thing to say.

"you did good in practice." draco said, glancing at harry.

"you're not on the quidditch team anymore right?" harry wondered.

draco looked away, pressing his lips into a thin line. he nodded softly.

"why not?"

the boy smiled sadly, eyes looking distant for a moment, as if he was remembering something.

harry wanted to apologize for bringing it up, but draco changed the subject before he could.

"are you tired?" he observed harry's face.

"yeah...i guess practice was a little rough today-"

"no i mean...not because of quidditch. you look tired...in general...you have bags under your eyes." draco explained. "you...haven't been sleeping well, have you?"

harry tensed, eyes narrowing and tone growing sharp.

"i don't see how that's your business. i'm fine, i'm sleeping fine."

draco's eyes softened, gently speaking, "potter...i'm not going to make fun of you."

harry pulled his knees up to his chest and sighed softly. "i...don't know if i can believe you."

draco gestured to himself, flapping his hands loosely around his face.

"i have bags under my eyes too," he mumbled with a quiet snort. "i can't make fun of you. and i won't."

harry sighed, biting down on his bottom lip.

"oh."

more awkward silence.

"how often do you go to the greenhouse draco?"

draco's silver eyes flashed towards him, and he released a slow breath, picking at the cuticles around his fingers.

"almost every night."

"you don't get caught?" he questioned, raising a brow.

"the professors are usually asleep...hagrid too. and the ghosts, the castle, and all the portraits...they keep my secret. they keep all of our secrets. especially yours."

harry's brows knotted in confusion.

"what do you mean?"

there was something bittersweet in draco's expression.

"it's their way of repaying you..." he explained slowly, quietly. "repaying all the children who survived the second wizarding war."

"huh."

"yeah."

both harry and draco's eyes drifted to a figure on the ground below the stands.

it was blaise.

harry hadn't seen him much after the war, so he was surprised to see him dressed more sloppily than usual, wearing black pants, a plain shirt, and a green scarf. he looked tired; his shoulders were slumped and his hair was a mess.

when he saw that draco was looking at him, he raised his hand and beckoned for draco to come down. he looked between draco and harry with a questioning look on his face.

draco stood up. "i've got to go. see you around potter."

"see you..."

he watched them ruffle each other's hair, walking back to the castle with linked arms.

draco glanced back, smiling softly at the boy in the stands.