[DRABBLE] Moment of Choice (HP, HP&HBP spoilers, H/D slash, rated R)

[winter]

This started out as an attempt to prove how easy it'd be to write Harry/Draco in certain settings in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince". Needless to say, spoilers for that book. Everything belongs to JKR, and the first three sentences are directly from page 488. Written on the fly, in the update window. Dedicated to my inspiration, amamiyarin.



MOMENTS OF CHOICE

Malfoy gasped and gulped and then, with a great shudder, looked up into the cracked mirror and saw Harry standing at him over his shoulder.

Malfoy wheeled around, drawing his wand. Instinctively, Harry pulled out his own.

A thousand thoughts raced through Harry's mind, but one stood out. This was the chance. Draco was off his guard. It had never worked with Snape, but if he tried it now-

His lips were moving before he finished thinking. "Legilimens!"

For long minutes, only Myrtle's whimpers echoed around the room.

At last, Harry lowered his wand.

Draco's knees buckled, but Harry was there to catch him. He could not do anything else.

The mission. His friends, his parents... vengeance... no, not vengeance, he wasn't strong enough. Voldemort would kill his parents! But - he had already. No, just an illusion, of Narcissa under Crucio, Lucius cold and unmoving. Pain. Why pain? He cared nothing for the Malfoys-

Harry realized he wasn't the only one muttering under his breath. Draco's face was buried in the crook of Harry's neck, but between nonsense words the phrase, "I don't even like the Weasley girl" stood out clearly.

Instead of letting Harry see Draco's mind, the clumsy spell seemed to have torn down the walls between their thoughts, letting them mingle. Harry clutched after half-remembered Occlumency lessons, but clutching Draco worked better. It anchored him, assured him that they were two separate beings after all.

They were both crying, now.

Draco's fingers were long and bony, and they felt like vises around Harry's arms. For a moment, his thoughts retreated, but before Harry could think on how to follow them, they were back. And the whole of Voldemort's plans with them.

"You wanted someone to know," Harry said some minutes later, once they untangled themselves on both planes. They were sitting side by side, propped against the cold tiles of the bathroom. Myrtle had disappeared somewhere.

Draco's eyes were red-rimmed, and the sleeves of his robe had been pushed up at some point. He made no protest as Harry circled the Dark Mark with his finger. Instead he said tonelessly, "It's been killing me. Keeping the secret."

"You didn't tell Snape?"

"I don't know if I can't trust him."

Harry turned his attention to the cracked mirror, which was reflecting an interesting collage of dirty bits of ceiling. "I don't know, either."

Draco dragged himself up first, then helped Harry stand. "You won't report me to the Ministry."

"No." Harry placed his hand on Draco's forearm again, where the sleeve had fallen to cover the Mark again.

After the summer, Draco was a few inches shorter than Harry, so he had to reach up to touch Harry's forehead. "Good."

Their lips touched, for a moment. They both tasted of tears.

~FINIS~

Comments

[amamiyarin.livejournal.com]

^____________^

If only it'd ended that way... ;_;

[winter]

But! My money's on Draco going good in book seven, since he's only doing it out of blackmail.

Glad you liked. Though I'm not betting anything on it being the first H/D fanfic. I can't be the only person to write one within two hours of reading the book, and some people had theirs before I had mine ;)

[amamiyarin.livejournal.com]

I seriously hope he'll be redeemed on the 7th, poor kid. Although he deserves some hexes or so for breaking Harry's nose like that. ^^;

I'm curious but I'm too afraid to venture into any HP-related comms. XD;;

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Aww!

And I don't even like H/D that much.

Gina

[arabwel.livejournal.com]

now, after reading the HBP, I finally read this... and this is beautiful. Wish it had really happened this way....