Draco's summer hadn't been amazing. He mostly stayed in his wing of Malfoy Manor. But there was a strange feeling now. It didn't feel like home anymore. Not really.
The Manor was dark, eerie, but something else had been added: sheer loneliness. There was no warmth, there wasn't a fuzzy feeling that he became so fond of over this past year. There was not happiness. This was not home to him anymore. His home was a green eyed, black haired, round glassed Gryffindork.
Draco walked back from the owlery charted to the left of the manor, night already swallowed the earth. He had just sent his present to Harry, hoping it would make it in time to be the first thing Harry would see on his birthday.
Sadly, they hadn't been in contact all holiday, but Draco had to make an acceptation. Getting caught would be fine as long as he got his present to his boyfriend safe and sound.
Harry got Draco a stuffed lion for his birthday, along with a corny poem Harry wrote him, which made his heart flutter whenever he read it, even though it was outwardly hilarious. When he felt extra alone he would read over it again and again. He even had the sayings memorized.
Walking back inside to the Manor, his favorite house elf, Choo-Choo, went up to him.
"Master Lucius wishes to see Master Draco in his East Hall Study," Choo-Choo's voice squeaked.
"Thank you, Choo-Choo."
"Master Draco is been so kind lately." The elf bowed and went on to the kitchen to do whatever they do in kitchens. Draco reckoned they cleaned? He never knew what that was like. Thank Salazar, he wasn't an elf. You wouldn't see him with a mop or broom or whatever they use for the matter any day.
The elf was right. Draco was happy. He saw things in a slightly brighter perspective which is a lot considering he didn't know much other than what his father told. Harry was opening a new, better side to him.
Draco made his way to the east wing, questioning why he was even there. He hadn't been anywhere near the middle of the manor let alone the east side, he wasn't allowed. Probably because the Dark Lord was going in and out. He must of been gone at the time.
Crossing to a large ebony door, Draco knocked three times to find it open itself.
"Ahh, Draco, take a seat." Lucius pointed to one of the many leather sofas which made Draco feel oh so uncomfortable. Draco hated being in his office. The atmosphere itself was layered in tension. The walls were so dark of brown they were almost black. The floor was a scratched elk, and the furniture had an eerie snake theme. Not the badarse snakes that everyone loves, but the ones that chill the rods of the spine.
Draco emerged to one of the chairs facing the desk his father was sitting at. An electric green fire flicked in the black marble fire place, but still the coldness was present. He had knights everywhere, followed by tiny light posts that looked as swords.
"Good evening, Draco."
"Good evening, Father."
"How was your year at Hogwarts?" Draco looked at his father in question. He'd never asked that before.
"Erm... Well it was... fine, I guess."
"Your hesitating Draco. Malfoy's don't hesitate," Lucius interrupted impatiently. He was obviously fishing for something.
"It was fine." Draco tried to make his voice as firm as possible but his father's silver daggers were shooting into his eyes.
"Really? Fine? That's it?" He paused and started right back up again, not wanting a response. Draco knew that, still wearing a look of confusion. "It was your fourth year? If I am correct, you should be fifteen now."
It was surprising to Draco that he even remembered his birthday. Lucius paused in between sentences that seemed like a an eternity. His voice was penetrating and nosy, but quiet as well.
"Just reaching your adolescence, I see," he paused yet again and it made Draco feel sick. "You're a strapping young man, Draco. Tell me how all the girls are falling over you."
"Erm, well there are some girls."
"Really? Just some?"
"Well, there's this one."
His cold stare made it hard for Draco to even think about his boyfriend, let alone keep the term boyfriend from surpassing his mouth. It was difficult to even put Harry's place as a girl and Lucius raised an eyebrow to move on.
Draco had to think of something fast. He couldn't say it was Pansy for Lucius knew they were only friends.
"And erm, she's pretty." Harry was pretty.
"Pretty. Describe her, will you." It wasn't a question, or a statement, more a threat.
"She has black hair that goes down to her... breasts," Draco tried not to cringe at the term breasts. "Green eyes that are... Merlin, incredible, and she's short, but muscular."
"Muscular? That's very strange for a girl at the age of fourteen." Lucius raised an eyebrow.
"She plays quidditch." Draco looked everywhere but in his eyes.
"Oh so she's on your team?"
"Well, no she doesn't play on a team."
"Interesting. I see you're happy, Draco." The younger Malfoy couldn't help but smile as he thought of Harry. He nodded.
"Are you seeing each other? Surely I would have been notified."
"Of course, but we haven't made anything official yet."
"Do you trust her?" Draco stopped at this, considered for a while, then continued with a small nod. Harry was a loyal man. He wouldn't lie.
"Do you love her?" Draco shot up. Why was he asking such serious questions? Did he love Harry? He didn't really know. He's never loved before... so maybe, just maybe that feeling in his chest is called love.
While Draco zoned out, he didn't notice his father walk over to him. And he didn't notice his father swing his arm at his face until he felt a sting on his cheek.
Draco flinched, trying not to seem weak at the pain, but it caught him at such a surprise, he couldn't help it.
"Didn't see it coming did you," he bit. "You've grown different whilst you were away. Laid back. Tranquil. That's not what you are supposed to be. At any moment an enemy could attack you, steal your life, and you would be off in a daze on when you and girlfriend were going off to dinner." Draco looked up at his standing father.
That's not what it was like. He liked Harry and Harry liked him. They met on Fridays. That's it. Another strike met his other cheek, matching the two. He didn't notice when he got there but Choo-Choo was standing in the middle of the green rug, bowing at his Masters.
"Draco, I've summoned your favorite house elf here tonight to teach you something," he said. "Draco do you trust him?"
"Y-yes," Draco dared not to lie. He knew his father could tell if he was lying. Lucius looked down at the elf, his face dressed in a smirk built of malice, and bellowed a spell Draco knew was coming.
"Crucio!"
The elf began to squirm and shout in pain. Draco winced at the sight of the torture. That monster.
"STOP IT!" Draco tried to rush over to him and pull on his wand arm. But the knights behind him chained him to the wall in between each other, forcing him to watch the gruesome scene.
Lucius finally let go of the curse and turned to Draco.
"He could have poisoned your morning tea tomorrow, but you wouldn't know because you put your faith in a silly little thing called 'trust.'" He walked towards Draco and got dangerously close, pointing his wand up Draco's neck.
"Do you love him?" The words were as sinister and cruel as the owner in which they came from. Draco refused to answer, knowing the fate of the poor elf next.
"Avada Kedevra," And the light in Choo-Choo's eyes were gone.
"Don't. be. a. fool," Lucius spat. "Don't become vulnerable for a girl. Love is useless. Trust is painful. Don't blame me. I'm just saving you from your own monster you've created. Don't be like everyone who has fallen to the Dark Lord. Foolish."
He spat as he walked out the door. When it clicked shut, the chains burst free, and all Draco could do was stare at the only friend he had at the manor. He wouldn't help, couldn't help, lost the ability to.
He could barely move his feet without wobbling, but eventually he made it to his room where he lay in bed, arms consuming a small stuffed lion.
If Harry was here, he would know what to do right? What if that was Harry?
He gripped the toy tighter at that thought, a tear leaking down his face, and warmth came into him, knowing he was holding a part of Harry.
Unable to help it, in his head he repeated the words written from the poem:
Today is your birthday
And I am missing you
I wish you and I were together
That would make two
I really didn't want to write this
Because of fright, but I do miss
My idiot ferret
So don't swear it
But I know I'm really bad
But I didn't want you to be sad
I know this is really lame
But I thought it was just a game
And now I've fallen for you
And I hope you have too
Happy birthday
I hope it's merry
From your boyfriend, Harry.
Draco repeated those words over and over again until he drifted into a deep sleep, ending on the verse 'I am missing you.'
---------------------------------------
Harry woke up to a tap at his window. It wasn't really a tap, it was more a desperate repeated rapping noise to be let in. He opened his eyes to see a black owl outside of this window with a small box and a letter attached. He quickly got up, hoping to get the bird inside before it fell from exhaustion and woke up the Dursleys.
The owl dropped the items on Harry's desk and flew out without a question.
Harry put on his glasses and pulled a seat by his window so he could see what the commotion was all about. Before anything, he checked the time: 3:45 a.m..
Who would be mailing him at this hour? Then it hit him. It was his birthday.
Harry looked at the box and immediately guessed who it was from, considering the only person he knew who had emerald wrapping paper, he bet himself he was correct. He smiled.
Deciding not to be selfish, he opened the card first, reading the note from Draco:
Happy birthday Scarface,
I absolutely loved my gift and felt the need to send you something similar in return, to make it cute, which I obviously rethought many times. I hope your summer is going by better than mine. It's quite here. Lonely. There is no idiot running around as if he owns the place.
Congratulations, you somehow survived 15 years on this earth- only Wizard God himself knows how- and what are you to do? New personal record I'd say.
I hope you are okay from what happened this year, but I'm sure you are. You're strong, and that's what I have been annoyed by for years by you... But now I'm finding it sort of cute.
As for the poem, I don't have one in return. Yours was too intimidating, although It did make me laugh. I just couldn't compete with such a master piece.
Can't wait to see you. Missing you.
Draco
Harry reread the sarcasm over and over. He knew Draco wasn't a romantic, and he himself wasn't either. He loved their relationship at this stage.
He stared at the letter a little while longer, clutching it in his hand. The handwriting reminded him the notes he received last year, and getting this present was more of a lovesick reminder than a happy visit. He missed him too much.
He looked over at the emerald box. It withheld a red bow and a silver tag with golden handwriting.
'To My Scarface! P.S. The emerald is because it reminded me of your eyes.'
At this Harry smiled, he couldn't keep himself from it.
He began to rip through the perfectly wrapped paper, to reveal a decorated plastic box. Inside was a stuffed snake, the exact size of the lion Harry had sent Draco weeks before.
Harry lay back looking at the snake. It was black with green diamonds for eyes, making him miss Draco even more.
He closed his eyes and finally fell asleep for the first time without Voldemort invading his dreams all summer, the words 'I miss you,' leaving his lips before he fell a slumber.