Draco was nervous.
Very, very nervous.
He was so nervous, in fact, that Millie had taken it upon herself to be Draco's moral support; firing at him as many assurances and consolations as humanly possible. Blaise looked on amusedly, whilst Theo leaned heavily on his shoulder, working tirelessly on some pointless Arithmancy essay or other, and occasionally giving his own input on the situation at hand.
Pansy had originally been mocking Draco, sat in a tight circle with Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, shooting snide remarks whenever she could. However as the hour drew nearer, and Draco was becoming rapidly more stressed to the point that Millicent's valiant cheerleading couldn't sway him, even Pansy began to look sorry for him.
"It'll be fine, Draco!" Millie said consolingly for the umpteenth time that morning.
Draco ran a slender hand through his hair agitatedly.
"It won't! Merlin's saggy bollocks, I cannot do this."
Pansy rolled her eyes, Blaise snorted, "It's not as if you guys are married or something, and even then, Siriuuh-" Draco directed a pointed glare at him, "Er- Snuffles, I meant, was imprisoned for twelve years. Not the most morally intimidating of in-laws, is it?" He remarked.
Draco shot him a sharp look. He had agreed with Harry that he could tell his Slytherin friends about Black's innocence, but only the ones he trusted implicitly.
Although Pansy, Theo and Blaise at this age weren't quite the pinnacle of moral astuteness, and Pansy did sort-of-kind-of offer Harry up as bait to the Dark Lord, Draco was certain that if he was the one asking, they'd keep any secret. Benefits of Slytherin loyalty, he supposed.
Millie, Daphne and Astoria were undoubtedly safe to tell, and so Draco had.
Of course, he'd left out all the extra Time-Travel-y bits, but the rest of it was safe.
They were currently helping him in his crisis regarding that specific topic. Draco had been vaguely aware of Sirius' prominent presence in Harry's life, however he hadn't known that Harry had been corresponding with him regularly since they'd gotten back to school. Or at least he hadn't until yesterday.
Harry had explained to him that today, as it was near today that he'd gone the first time around, he wanted to meet with Sirius in Hogsmeade. Harry wanted to relay his news about Crouch in the original timeline, and had used that excuse in his letter this to Sirius, but what Harry actually wanted was to tell Sirius who he really was.
Who they really were.
And so, he'd asked Draco to come with him. Draco had understood why Harry had wanted to tell Sirius so desperately, if the life of his mother was jeopardised so massively in the 'Good Old Days', Draco would be keen to change it too. As well as this, Draco was glad that this would mean both of them would have an older confidant in this mess with them. While it may have been Harry who had involved Snape in the first place, Draco knew that he wouldn't have done it if he didn't know how close Draco was to him. This way, they'd both have their godfathers in the mix. They'd both have help.
It was for this reason that Draco was currently panicked out of his mind.
This man was a member of The Order of the Phoenix - and a formidable one too. More than that, though, he was a Sirius Black, meaning he was actually a distant cousin-slash-uncle of Draco's, and knew all too well the terrible ideologies of the Black family. Draco could only hope he would see that he was not the same boy he'd been.
Despite all of this, the most pressing matter, was that this man - Sirius Black - was Harry's godfather. He was essentially Harry's only real family, and was the closest thing he'd ever had to a father.
So Draco really, really needed him to like him.
How would any of this work out if he didn't? Sirius was so influential that there'd be no chance of cooperation with the Light Side if he shunned Draco, and even worse, what if Harry too, shunned Draco if Sirius disapproved?
He wouldn't do that, Draco thought logically for a moment, before his brief spell of sanity was disrupted by another tidal wave of doubt.
"Come on, Draco. You're going to be late if you don't get your act together a bit, mate." Theo said standing, finally giving up on his futile Arithmancy work. He slammed the heavy tome shut, blowing a cloud of dust from the rickety little table he was working on.
"I just- Oh, what if it all goes to shit?" Draco responded meekly, playing with the loose threads on his sweater.
"It won't!" Millie professed staunchly, "I promise Draco, he will see that you're good for him. You and Harry may have had some, er, differences in the past, but whatever happened over the summer has clearly changed things for the better."
Draco looked at her disbelievingly.
"Seriously. I don't know what's happened, but the Gryffindors are trying to be nice to us, so we're being nice back. They're not even all that bad, really. Granger is especially nice- you know she helped me with my homework the other day? It's brilliant! I understand everything now." She grinned brightly. Draco raised his eyebrows.
"Sorry. I know that was off topic, my point is, that Harry is good for you. You're friends now, and anyone can see that you make each other better. I don't think I've seen you this nice since, well.. ever?"
"Thanks." Draco said sarcastically, Millie smiled sheepishly.
Theo pressed a hand to his shoulder encouragingly, "Look, mate, what Millie is trying to say, is that you're becoming a better person. No offence, but you did used to be a bit of an arse sometimes,"
"That's putting it lightly," Blaise scoffed. Draco rolled his eyes.
"I think we've all been a bit, y'know, arsey. But so have they. Everyone makes mistakes, and you're changing, and Potter is changing, and if erm.. 'Snuffles' can't see that, then that's his fault. Not yours."
Draco smiled at him, genuinely this time. Ignoring the fact his friends were still kind of blood purists, they weren't ever truly bad people. They'd just been raised into a bad situation. Draco was determined to change their minds about blood, and stop them from ever needing to join the Dark Lord's cult and ruin their futures.
If he could change, so could they.
He sucked in a shaky breath, "Thanks Theo. Okay. Yes. You're right. I should just go."
"Yep," Blaise muttered, not looking up from the small leather-bound book he was reading.
"Agreed," Daphne noted, rising from her circle on the floor to stand beside Millie. "Theo is right. So is Millie. You and Harry work together, and Snuffles should be able to see that. Go on, off you go." She gave him a cursory kiss on the cheek, before shoving him towards the door.
"Good luck, don't get hexed." Pansy smirked from her place on the carpet.
"Bye Draco, good luck!" Astoria called. Draco smiled back at her, taking one last glance at the Slytherin dormitory, with it's atmospheric green flames in the grate and ornate decor, before steeling himself and fleeing through the exit hole.
—-
Harry was terribly excited to see Sirius.
And nervous, he was very slightly nervous at the prospect of him meeting Draco, but mostly excited. He'd nabbed some extra food from the kitchens, courtesy of Dobby, and was carrying with him a wicker basket full of delicious snacks for Sirius. An absolutely divine smell was wafting from the lid, and Harry was in a delightfully good mood all the way through the grounds.
"Are you okay, Draco?" He asked, concerned, glancing at Draco's pinched expression. He looked as if he was being walked to the gallows.
"Yep. I'm great, fine." Draco responded stiffly.
He didn't look fine, Harry thought. His complexion was pale, and his eyes were wide and anxious. At once, it dawned on Harry.
"Draco.. are you.. scared?"
Draco started.
"What? Scared? Why would I be scared?"
The panicked reply gave Harry all the confirmation he needed.
"You are!"
Draco seemed to pale even more, if that was possible. He averted his eyes.
"Draco, you do know that Snuffles didn't actually kill anyone, right?" Harry questioned, perhaps a touch patronisingly. He was feeling slightly defensive of Sirius. How could Draco be scared of him?
Draco stopped, blinking.
"What?"
Harry stopped, too. He looked at Draco in shock.
"Draco? You do know that?"
To his complete surprise, Draco burst into raucous laughter, leaning over and clutching his abdomen.
Harry frowned, crossing his arms.
"What's so funny?"
Draco looked up at him, tears of mirth in his eyes. He seemed about to explain himself, before being overcome by another fit of giggles.
Harry hmphed.
"I don't see the joke here."
Draco stood up straight, collecting himself, "You thought I was scared of him?" He gasped, still breathless from laughing.
"You- what?" Harry gazed at Draco, bewildered. He was even more confused now than he was before, "What are you scared of then? Me?"
"No, you complete idiot!" Draco huffed, regaining his composure fully now, "I'm scared of his bloody opinion!"
"His..?" Harry took a second to connect the dots, "You- you're scared of what he'll think of you?" He uttered, gobsmacked.
"Yes!" Draco said exasperatedly, tugging on Harry's sleeve to get them both moving again, "Don't just gawk, we'll be late if we stand here any longer."
Harry shook his head, "I just.. I can't believe that. Why would you be scared of his opinion of you?"
Draco raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him, "Really, Potter? Why do you think?"
Harry was baffled, "No, like, I actually don't know. I'm not messing with you or anything. What is there to be afraid of, d'you think he won't like you, or something?"
"Yes! Obviously!" Draco blustered, "Merlin, Harry, how you made it through the bloody war is beyond me."
Harry elbowed him playfully in the ribs for the jibe.
"But why not? And why does it even matter if he doesn't anyway? I mean, I get why. It'll be a bit annoying to plan everything with someone you don't get on with, but I've been doing that with Snape this whole time!"
Now it was Draco's turn to look surprised.
"You mean, you don't care if he doesn't like me?"
Harry frowned.
"Why would I care? You don't like most people and that doesn't bother me."
Draco snorted, "Yeah, but that's different. I just- he's your godfather."
"Well spotted?"
Draco rolled his eyes again.
"I just mean that I thought, well.." he trailed off.
"What?" Harry prodded.
"I would've thought you'd care if he didn't like me. That you'd think worse of me."
Harry's eyes widened, then softened.
"What?"
Draco looked away, not meeting his gaze.
"Draco," He breathed, almost sadly, "How could you think that?"
"Well he's your godfather, and he's so important to you that I figured you'd probably... I don't know." Draco sighed.
"Not more important than you." Harry said quietly.
Draco's head snapped towards him.
"What did you just say?"
Oops, Harry thought. He'd definitely gotten attached too fast. Christ, they'd only been friends a few months, and Harry was already confessing he cared about him as much as his bloody godfather. What was wrong with him?
"I, erm- uhh," Harry looked around desperately for something to distract him with. In his haste, he tripped over a rock, heading straight for the hard packed gravel below them.
Draco acted quickly, moving in front so that Harry collided awkwardly with his chest instead. Draco gripped his arms. Harry looked up at him with wild eyes.
"Harry," Draco said, breathless.
"Oops! It's quite slippery here, haha." Harry stood quickly, untangling himself from Draco's grasp and setting off at a steady trot down the hillside.
"Harry!" Draco called, picking up his pace to keep up with him.
"What?" Harry called back, keen to move on from his embarrassing confession, "Can't hear you, sorry! Wind's quite loud, isn't it?"
Draco had no choice but to trail after him helplessly.
—-
They reached Hogsmeade in record time. However, before Draco could even consider broaching the topic of Harry's affection for him, they were accosted by an enormous black dog. Draco figured this was the elusive Sirius Black in animagus form, and smiled awkwardly at the animal.
From Hogsmeade, the dog lead them all the way to the edge of the village and up a steep pathway of bushes and brambles, to an odd little cave in the hillside.
Upon their arrival, Draco surveyed the cave. It wasn't particularly nice, with no visible areas to clean oneself and, to his horror, the beast which supposedly in this timeline- the year prior - he would have attempted to have executed.
"You didn't tell me that would be here!" Draco hissed at Harry, earlier conversation forgotten.
"Sorry, must've slipped my mind!" Harry said with a serene smile, fluttering his eyelashes innocently in a way that suggested it definitely did not slip his mind and he had intentionally forgone telling Draco this minor detail.
Draco glared at him, trying his best to appear apologetic to the great beast in the corner.
Meanwhile, Sirius returned to his human form, eagerly taking the food from Harry and embracing him like a father would his son.
He then turned to Draco.
"Ah, you must be Draco, then?" He asked.
"Mhm, yes. That is me. Hello." Draco responded, cringing inwardly at his own awkwardness.
Sirius narrowed his eyes, "So it was you who sentenced Buckbeak here to death then?" He said coolly, surveying Draco with what looked like poorly concealed dislike.
Great. What a fantastic way to start his impression.
Before Draco could open his mouth to respond, however, he was stopped by the feel of fingers slipping around his upper arm. Tugging him close to a warm body, pressing him into someone's side.
"Actually, that was his father," Harry said, leaning slightly closer into Draco, "And more than that, he has changed a lot since then."
Draco was completely floored not only by Harry coming to his defence against Sirius - however kindly he may have said it, but even more by the possessiveness of his touch.
Sirius intense gaze softened partially at Harry's words, "Okay, well, I trust your judgement Harry, always." Harry smiled at that. "What is it you came here to tell me about Crouch?"
"Oh yeah, that was kind of a cover up, look. We have something really important to tell you. You can't tell anyone else. Not in the Order, not Dumbledore, Ron or Hermione or anyone."
Sirius raised his eyebrows, "Try me."
Harry began talking, but Draco couldn't hear his words. He was too focused on the second hand joining the first on his arm, this one was stroking up and down, fingertips skating over his shirt and across his skin.
Draco didn't know how long it had been, Harry could have been talking for hours. All Draco could think about was the soft hands on his arms, and the press of Harry's body against his side.
"Right, and that has somehow happened with you?"
It took Draco a moment to register that the question was directed at him.
"Er, what?" He said stupidly. Shit, he thought, this must be how Weasley feels all the time.
Sirius grinned, seemingly amused by his confusion, "This whole time travel thing, you've done it all together?"
"Oh, right!" Draco affirmed, "Yes, this whole thing has been the two of us. We've sort of been muddling through it together."
Harry nodded beside him.
"We've planned most of it out, the only other person who knows is Snape."
Sirius' eyes darkened at the mention of Snape.
"I know you don't like him," Harry clarified, "But we needed him. When Crouch Jr tried to set Draco up, he was the only one who could help."
Sirius sighed, "No, I understand. He was loyal in the other timeline you mentioned, I suppose. Doesn't mean I have to like him though."
Harry grinned, "I can definitely agree with that."
They talked more about the timelines, Harry explaining the code names they had for each of them, and then discussed the ever nearing Second Task. Sirius confessed he wasn't worried for Harry, in the case that he would have Gillyweed, but would still like to know the outcome.
Harry agreed easily, and with that, as well as the promise to owl him more food, Sirius transformed into the dog and walked them the short way back to Hogsmeade.
"Bye, Snuffles." Harry said, patting the big dog on the head. The dog reared up on it's hind legs to embrace Harry in a bizarrely human-like hug, and Draco snorted, until he was startled when it did the same to him.
It barked at the pair of them, and they waved brightly, before it ran off back into the undergrowth.