AWDT Ficlet: Torment & Succour
Title: Torment & Succour
Author: original_lie
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Rating: G-PG
Word Count: 1513
Warning: A little angsty, a little fluff.
Summary: When waking from a nightmare, Draco knew he was safe. He was safe if Harry was breathing... if Harry was there. If he was there in Harry's arms.
A/N: Written at the last minute for jamie2109 and nocturnali's AWDT prompts "I love you" and "Right here in your arms". Un-beta'd. I really hope there aren't any mistakes, I went over it several times - sorry if there are any.
Torment & Succour
Up. Down. Up. Down.
He was safe. He was alive.
Draco swallowed heavily, lifting his head to rest his chin on his hand. Silently he watched Harry sleep, his chest rising and falling, his arm snug around Draco’s waist, Draco’s breath coming fast and ragged, his heart racing. In the eight months since they had finally moved in together, Draco had woken most mornings like this. Partial memories of a former life, nightmares long bereft that haunted his subconscious. Letting out a low, shaky breath he reached up to brush Harry’s fringe from his forehead; his fingertips lightly running that infamous scar.
Harry was here. Harry was real. Harry was alive. His parents had been wrong about everything. They were wrong!
“I love you, Scarhead.” Draco whispered, reaching his head froward to brush a kiss against Harry’s bare shoulder before laying his head there; his arm sliding across Harry’s abdomen to grip his hip.
Harry hummed contentedly in his sleep, his head turning towards Draco’s; a hint of a smile playing on his sleeping lips as his hold on Draco tightened. Quietly, Draco lay there, listening to the breath expelled from Harry’s body, feeling him draw another. He was alive that was all that mattered. The dream was nothing more that that: A dream.
Carefully, Draco lifted his head to look at the time. It was early. Harry would be awake soon. He always woke early. Dropping his head back to Harry’s shoulder, Draco fingered the edge of the sheet. He knew he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep now.
“Harry,” his voice was unusually quiet; if Harry had been awake he would’ve noticed that. “I need to tell you something. I know you’re asleep, but that doesn’t matter, I’ll tell you anyway.”
Pausing, he chewed the inside of his lip, watching the faded lace curtain billow from between the heavy velvet drapes. It was like a dance.
“Before my father ‘died’, he and mother sat me down in the second floor study. I remember thinking how odd it was that they had dragged me in there to talk about family matters. But then I saw the potion vials.” He sighed deeply. “I never really told you this; I didn’t see why I, of all people, should bother you with the trivial actions of my parents.
“Anyway, it all happened a couple of weeks after I first came to the Order, I don’t know if you remember that day or not, I know I do. It was the first time since school that I’d seen you. Gods, Harry, you looked so beautiful. That was what I first thought, although I was so surprised that you didn’t hex me to the fiery depths of hell.
“I know you had no reason to trust me, but you did and I appreciate that more than you’ll ever know.”
Slowly, Draco’s hand moved up until it was resting over Harry’s heart, Draco’s face tilting slightly to press a kiss to Harry’s chest.
“That day, the one at the manor, they dosed me with Veritaserum. I didn’t even know what it was at first. It wasn’t until they started questioning me that I realised.
“The questions started off simple enough. How was I? Did I enjoy the meal? But then… then they started on about You Know Who. The War. My personal opinions about what was happening. I guess He wanted to know, so he employed my parent’s to do his dirty work, knowing full well that they had, pretty much, my unconditional trust.
“I really don’t know Harry; I guess I’m still trying to figure it out all these years later. It’s just hard. All hear say and speculation.”
Draco’s fingers tightened on the sheet and he snuggled further into Harry’s side. It was as if he could get closer to the sleeping man, he would be okay, no matter what feelings the memories conjured.
“I’m just guessing that maybe He’d heard something and that was why they went to such drastic measures as Veritaserum. I know mother later pled Imperius before my lovely Uncle Rodolphus was ordered to “take her out”. I guess that I really should have known then that she was. Mother hated the Dark Lord for what he’d done to her family.
“But that’s all beside the point in the long run. My parent’s used the Veritaserum to gain their own knowledge. They didn’t just ask about my allegiances, Harry. They asked me about you. It was as if they knew why I went to you specifically. But that was probably what I found to be the oddest thing that night. I… I didn’t really know myself then. I, I knew that I was attracted to you, but I knew that you were the only one who could protect me from Him, from my parents, if it came to that. But I didn’t consciously know it then when I went to you that first night, and the weeks after. I didn’t know that I was falling in love with you.
“I can assume, looking back at the way I was behaving towards you, my family and friends, that I knew something was different. I had just put it down to the war and what He was doing… making us do.”
Draco sighed, pulling the sheet up over himself, using his middle finger to inch the crocheted blanket up over them both.
“After all the questioning they locked me in my room, I know I told you that, well at least the part about them locking me in there. I waited a few hours before calling one of the house-elves to my room, I don’t even know how I managed to convince it to let me out, but when it did, I left. I came straight to you. The whole time, all I could think was how I needed to get to you. That even if you hated me, I would be okay if I could just see you. If I could see that they were wrong. I was so worried; I kind of have been ever since. Because the part I haven’t told you is the part that keeps me awake at night. The thing that scares me the most in the world.
“Baby, I never told you this because I know what you’d say. You would just say I was being silly. There’s no way it would happen. But anything’s possible, Harry. We both know that.”
Draco took a deep breath, rubbing his hand absently along Harry’s abdomen. The contact proving to calm his nerves and stay his mounting distress.
“The first thing my father said when he found out about how I felt about you… the first thing he said was that you would never feel anything but contempt for me. And if for some confounding reason you ever did reciprocate my feelings it would only end in tragedy. That you would be ripped away from me before I - or we - ever experienced happiness. He said that you would never live to be with me. Neither of us would be safe if we were ever together.”
Draco whimpered slightly, pressing the side of his face further into Harry’s chest, tightening his grip on Harry.
“I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you, Harry. I love you more than anything. Anything, Harry. I never want to be without you. I don’t… I don’t think I could live without you.”
Draco pressed another kiss to Harry’s chest, not even registering Harry’s hand moving slowly up and down his back.
“Your arms, Harry. Right here. Right here in your arms is the safest place I’ve ever been. I’ve never felt safer then when I’m here… with you- in your arms.”
A single hot tear slid down his cheek, pooling on Harry’s torso.
“Draco,” Harry whispered quietly. “It’s okay, Draco.”
Draco’s head rose slowly, blinking away the tears threatening to spill from his stormy-grey eyes.
“You’re awake?” Draco whimpered. Cringing when Harry nodded in answer. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because it sounded to me like you really had to get that out. Draco… why haven’t you told me this before?”
“I didn’t want to burden you. You don’t need to worry about me and my insecurities.” Draco stated simply, pushing himself up. He was embarrassed that Harry had heard all that.
“Hey, stay.” Harry murmured, pulling Draco back to his chest. “Draco, baby, I’m not going anywhere. No one is going to take me away. Make me leave. Or do anything to either of us. Do you understand me? Do you hear me, Draco?”
Draco shifted uncomfortably next to Harry. Trying to make himself comfortable, physically. “I know that, Harry.”
“Good, now, let’s go back to sleep. I don’t feel like going to work today.” Harry suggested, leering at Draco before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.
“Harry?” he said snuggling down back to where he was
“Yeah?”
“I love you, you know?” Draco whispered, smiling into Harry’s chest.
“I know. And I love you too.”
Author: original_lie
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Rating: G-PG
Word Count: 1513
Warning: A little angsty, a little fluff.
Summary: When waking from a nightmare, Draco knew he was safe. He was safe if Harry was breathing... if Harry was there. If he was there in Harry's arms.
A/N: Written at the last minute for jamie2109 and nocturnali's AWDT prompts "I love you" and "Right here in your arms". Un-beta'd. I really hope there aren't any mistakes, I went over it several times - sorry if there are any.
Torment & Succour
Up. Down. Up. Down.
He was safe. He was alive.
Draco swallowed heavily, lifting his head to rest his chin on his hand. Silently he watched Harry sleep, his chest rising and falling, his arm snug around Draco’s waist, Draco’s breath coming fast and ragged, his heart racing. In the eight months since they had finally moved in together, Draco had woken most mornings like this. Partial memories of a former life, nightmares long bereft that haunted his subconscious. Letting out a low, shaky breath he reached up to brush Harry’s fringe from his forehead; his fingertips lightly running that infamous scar.
Harry was here. Harry was real. Harry was alive. His parents had been wrong about everything. They were wrong!
“I love you, Scarhead.” Draco whispered, reaching his head froward to brush a kiss against Harry’s bare shoulder before laying his head there; his arm sliding across Harry’s abdomen to grip his hip.
Harry hummed contentedly in his sleep, his head turning towards Draco’s; a hint of a smile playing on his sleeping lips as his hold on Draco tightened. Quietly, Draco lay there, listening to the breath expelled from Harry’s body, feeling him draw another. He was alive that was all that mattered. The dream was nothing more that that: A dream.
Carefully, Draco lifted his head to look at the time. It was early. Harry would be awake soon. He always woke early. Dropping his head back to Harry’s shoulder, Draco fingered the edge of the sheet. He knew he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep now.
“Harry,” his voice was unusually quiet; if Harry had been awake he would’ve noticed that. “I need to tell you something. I know you’re asleep, but that doesn’t matter, I’ll tell you anyway.”
Pausing, he chewed the inside of his lip, watching the faded lace curtain billow from between the heavy velvet drapes. It was like a dance.
“Before my father ‘died’, he and mother sat me down in the second floor study. I remember thinking how odd it was that they had dragged me in there to talk about family matters. But then I saw the potion vials.” He sighed deeply. “I never really told you this; I didn’t see why I, of all people, should bother you with the trivial actions of my parents.
“Anyway, it all happened a couple of weeks after I first came to the Order, I don’t know if you remember that day or not, I know I do. It was the first time since school that I’d seen you. Gods, Harry, you looked so beautiful. That was what I first thought, although I was so surprised that you didn’t hex me to the fiery depths of hell.
“I know you had no reason to trust me, but you did and I appreciate that more than you’ll ever know.”
Slowly, Draco’s hand moved up until it was resting over Harry’s heart, Draco’s face tilting slightly to press a kiss to Harry’s chest.
“That day, the one at the manor, they dosed me with Veritaserum. I didn’t even know what it was at first. It wasn’t until they started questioning me that I realised.
“The questions started off simple enough. How was I? Did I enjoy the meal? But then… then they started on about You Know Who. The War. My personal opinions about what was happening. I guess He wanted to know, so he employed my parent’s to do his dirty work, knowing full well that they had, pretty much, my unconditional trust.
“I really don’t know Harry; I guess I’m still trying to figure it out all these years later. It’s just hard. All hear say and speculation.”
Draco’s fingers tightened on the sheet and he snuggled further into Harry’s side. It was as if he could get closer to the sleeping man, he would be okay, no matter what feelings the memories conjured.
“I’m just guessing that maybe He’d heard something and that was why they went to such drastic measures as Veritaserum. I know mother later pled Imperius before my lovely Uncle Rodolphus was ordered to “take her out”. I guess that I really should have known then that she was. Mother hated the Dark Lord for what he’d done to her family.
“But that’s all beside the point in the long run. My parent’s used the Veritaserum to gain their own knowledge. They didn’t just ask about my allegiances, Harry. They asked me about you. It was as if they knew why I went to you specifically. But that was probably what I found to be the oddest thing that night. I… I didn’t really know myself then. I, I knew that I was attracted to you, but I knew that you were the only one who could protect me from Him, from my parents, if it came to that. But I didn’t consciously know it then when I went to you that first night, and the weeks after. I didn’t know that I was falling in love with you.
“I can assume, looking back at the way I was behaving towards you, my family and friends, that I knew something was different. I had just put it down to the war and what He was doing… making us do.”
Draco sighed, pulling the sheet up over himself, using his middle finger to inch the crocheted blanket up over them both.
“After all the questioning they locked me in my room, I know I told you that, well at least the part about them locking me in there. I waited a few hours before calling one of the house-elves to my room, I don’t even know how I managed to convince it to let me out, but when it did, I left. I came straight to you. The whole time, all I could think was how I needed to get to you. That even if you hated me, I would be okay if I could just see you. If I could see that they were wrong. I was so worried; I kind of have been ever since. Because the part I haven’t told you is the part that keeps me awake at night. The thing that scares me the most in the world.
“Baby, I never told you this because I know what you’d say. You would just say I was being silly. There’s no way it would happen. But anything’s possible, Harry. We both know that.”
Draco took a deep breath, rubbing his hand absently along Harry’s abdomen. The contact proving to calm his nerves and stay his mounting distress.
“The first thing my father said when he found out about how I felt about you… the first thing he said was that you would never feel anything but contempt for me. And if for some confounding reason you ever did reciprocate my feelings it would only end in tragedy. That you would be ripped away from me before I - or we - ever experienced happiness. He said that you would never live to be with me. Neither of us would be safe if we were ever together.”
Draco whimpered slightly, pressing the side of his face further into Harry’s chest, tightening his grip on Harry.
“I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you, Harry. I love you more than anything. Anything, Harry. I never want to be without you. I don’t… I don’t think I could live without you.”
Draco pressed another kiss to Harry’s chest, not even registering Harry’s hand moving slowly up and down his back.
“Your arms, Harry. Right here. Right here in your arms is the safest place I’ve ever been. I’ve never felt safer then when I’m here… with you- in your arms.”
A single hot tear slid down his cheek, pooling on Harry’s torso.
“Draco,” Harry whispered quietly. “It’s okay, Draco.”
Draco’s head rose slowly, blinking away the tears threatening to spill from his stormy-grey eyes.
“You’re awake?” Draco whimpered. Cringing when Harry nodded in answer. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because it sounded to me like you really had to get that out. Draco… why haven’t you told me this before?”
“I didn’t want to burden you. You don’t need to worry about me and my insecurities.” Draco stated simply, pushing himself up. He was embarrassed that Harry had heard all that.
“Hey, stay.” Harry murmured, pulling Draco back to his chest. “Draco, baby, I’m not going anywhere. No one is going to take me away. Make me leave. Or do anything to either of us. Do you understand me? Do you hear me, Draco?”
Draco shifted uncomfortably next to Harry. Trying to make himself comfortable, physically. “I know that, Harry.”
“Good, now, let’s go back to sleep. I don’t feel like going to work today.” Harry suggested, leering at Draco before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.
“Harry?” he said snuggling down back to where he was
“Yeah?”
“I love you, you know?” Draco whispered, smiling into Harry’s chest.
“I know. And I love you too.”