Draco sat in the Great Hall quietly. The thunder storms from outside could be heard, echoing throughout the mass of the hall as the students patiently waited for dinner.
However, what everyone could clearly notice was the abundant lack of Gryffindor students at the moment.
It was more than enough to get people in a bit of hysterics. And, while Draco would be far from admitting it then, he himself was beginning to fret for the Lions' whereabouts. Specifically this world's savior, but that was hardly important at all.
Except it was.
Murmurs were turning into an uproar as students began to demand the location of the missing forth house before there was a clap of thunder overhead that silenced everyone to turn their attention to their head master.

"Gryffindor will be among us soon. They've merely been caught up by the Dementors, nothing that Professor McGonagall and Lupin cannot handle. They were merely in the wrong place at the wrong time and are being handled." Dumbledore's voice boomed across the hall.

Draco stiffened. He didn't like the idea of Dementors one bit. He'd already written numerous letters to his father about how this was unacceptable, and how a Third Year such as himself should have nothing to do with such things if he were unable to defend himself.
He shouldn't have even needed to know how to cast a Patronus. However, here he was, Patronus-less and fretting the whereabouts of a particular green-eyed wonder.

"Surely Potter will come to the rescue, as always." Draco sneered to the others. If he had said it in a cheerful tone, it'd have been easier to detect the genuine meaning to the words, however, this was his best coping mechanism- masks of hate, of loathing, seemed to always look best on him.

"Petty Potter." Pansy rolled her eyes.

"You heard about him on the train," Dean chuckled, "He's probably scared out of his wits!"

"Couldn't agree more." Draco smirked. This didn't help the feeling in his gut that something was terribly wrong. If dementors scared Harry Potter, one who defeated the Dark Lord andDraco'sheart, what possibly could they do? He had heard they bestowed the worst, most traumatic experience a person has ever gone through on said person and essentially crippled you until you fainted due to the trauma. Draco wasn't sure what his memory would be. One of the many times his father had scolded him? One of the few times his mother had?
Harry refusing him their first year.

Draco's cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
He'd been doing better in winning over Harry's favor, while still focusing enough fake loathing on him to mask the fact that he was terrified right now that Harry might be hurt.
It was becoming almost too unbearable until Draco finally had to stand up, "I'll be back." He swung his leg over the bench he'd been sitting on and turned to exit.

"Where are you going?" Pansy cocked an eyebrow.

"Like you need to know, Parkinson." Draco glared before stalking off towards the hall's exit.

"No students are permitted-" A statue began to speak as Draco exited.

"I've got to piss." Draco glared and the statue glared back, "What? Want me to make a show of it on one of the tables?" He narrowed his gaze and the statue grumbled and let him pass begrudgingly.

Draco stalked off.

Once out of surveillance from any authority, Draco swiftly moved towards the main entrance of the school, peering around a corner to see a few more statues guarding it, backs turned to Draco, more concerned with what was outside versus what was inside.

Draco thought about the Slytherin table and sighed as he leaned against the wall corner that faced the main entrance. He couldn't say he was missing having dinner with any of his friends because he didn't really feel like he could call any of them that. They didn't make him feel like he was their friend. Like they wanted him around.
Harry wanted him around- sometimes- at least he was polite enough to help Draco study and not shoo him away.
Well, to be fair, he technically had refused to at first- until Snape saw this, giving him motive to purposefully pair Harry and Draco together, in hopes of making Potter miserable in a harmless fashion.
It had done just that the first month before Draco finally started to listen to what Harry was trying to teach him and began actually learning something in Potions. He now had quite the admiration for the class- or maybe it was for Harry-
On the inside, Draco was still conflicted as to how he felt about the boy...well, more like, he hadn't known he liked blokes until Harry.
Even now he had some doubts.
That is, until the front gate swung open.

The guards stood at the ready, spear and sword tips pointed at the entrance until small figures began piling in, soaked to the bone, so it seemed, filing in and dashing to either their dorms or the great hall, the professors allowed them either.
The professors.

That's when Draco saw Harry, being supported by Professor Lupin at the very back of the gaggle of students.
Draco lost conscious control of his feet and swiftly made his way towards the professors and Harry, who looked dull in the eye and cold, soaking wet from the rain.

"Mr.Malfoy! You should be in the great hall with all the othe-" McGonagall began to chide Lupin interrupted.

"Actually, I think he could help-" Lupin was interrupted as Harry's arm fell from around his neck and he staggered forward until he was face to face with Draco, who couldn't care less for what the professors had to say.

They locked eyes for a moment. Concerned gray that made the storm outside seem darker, with dull, sunken green, usually filled with light.
Draco was unsure what to say or what to do and simply held eye contact with the exhausted boy for a moment longer.

"Draco—" Harry gasped the word out quietly before falling forward, unable to hold his own weight up any longer. He staggered before Draco quickly caught him, struggling to keep them both upright until he pulled Harry up, the raven-haired boy's arms slumped over the blonde's shoulders as he passed out.

His name.
Draco has never heard it from Harry's mouth before. He needed his presence there. His tone...as if only Draco could help him. As if Draco were the only person in the world that mattered. It was a maddening feeling that caused Draco's knees to buckle and his face to burn. He mattered in this moment and that was an astounding feeling.

"Quite the Patronus, this one has..." Lupin murmured, "Was able to hold it long enough for his classmates to run- not long enough for us to get there before the dementors did, however. There'll be no more outdoor classes until this is sorted out." Lupin sighed, "I trust you'll be able to help him more than any medicine can." He had a glint of amusement in his eye, "I'll see you in the Great Hall should Ja- Harry, be feeling better. Goodluck." He hummed as if it was nothing and strode from the hall, a flustered McGonagall following him in protest.

When they were finally gone, Draco fell to his knees and pulled the helpless boy into his lap, cradling him and brushing wet strands of hair from his face, currently without glasses,
Merlin knows where they'd gone, blowing on it gently as if it would somehow dry it, or make a significant difference.

It did in the way that Harry scrunched up his face and blinked his eyes open with a groan before focusing on Draco. He seemed to register the boy was there before he stiffened but his face remained a tired, confused one.

"I don't- recall what happened-" Harry murmured.

"You were being stupid, that's what. Facing up against dementors alone- is being savior once not enough for you?" Draco rolled his eyes but couldn't contain a gentle smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"You're smiling." Harry smiled in return.

"What of it?" Draco suddenly frowned, self-conscious.

"Now, don't stop on my account, it's really quite the sight." Harry yawned, "Pretty smile, you've got there."

"You're tired and you just experienced a dementor attack- you'll think anything is pretty, Potter." Draco smirked.

"Rubbish. Your smile is always beautiful, Draco." Harry's eyelids seemed to be weighted.

"Oh no, no, don't fall asleep here, I am not allowing my house to see me caressing Harry Potter." Draco snorted.

"I'm not forcing you to." Harry closed his eyes.

"Oh, I see, so I should just leave you on the floor then?" Draco grinned and wriggled backwards, gently setting Harry down on the floor and standing up.

Harry groaned and grabbed Draco's hand, "Just take me to my room, you prat."

"I'm the prat, eh?" Draco was struggling not to smile widely at the way Harry had his body leaned about his legs, about to take a nap there.

"Come on, get up, I'll help you." Draco sighed, shaking Harry's hand.

"Carry me." Harry yawned again.

"Excuse me?" Draco scoffed.

"You heard me," Harry blinked his eyes open before laying flat on the ground, "Carry me like a groom would his bride."

"You mean bridal style?" Draco snorted.

"Yes." Harry said simply, stubbornly, "Go on."

"Potter, people will think things." Draco's face heated up.

"So?"

"So— they'll think we're...well, that we're-" Draco did a hand gesture between the two of them.

"Ah, that's right, I forgot," Harry sat up, "Draco, date me."

"Pardon?" Draco sputtered, "You can't just- you can't just demand I date you!"

"But I'm the chosen one." Harry wiggled his eyebrows.

"You git." Draco pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Say yes before I come to my senses." Harry grinned.

"You will eventually, what are you going to do then, call it off?" Draco cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh, no, just be less witty about it." Harry hummed, "Now please, Malfoy, I need to get to my dorm and my legs are weak."

Draco hesitated before grumbling and bending over only to hoist Harry up, "Chosen one weighs as much as chosen two!" Draco wheezed.

"I will hex you. It's not my fault you're as skinny as a wand." Harry grinned.

"You're fairly bold after a dementor attack, Potter."

"Like you said, everything seems better- it's like I've had a small dose of Liquid Luck, just from a being sweeping all good memories from me." Harry hummed.

"You're like a drunken toddler." Draco rolled his eyes.

"Oh, I'll regret all of this as soon as I come-to." Harry stated.

"Don't worry, I'm already regretting this enough for the both of us." Draco huffed, struggling to keep his back in good posture while holding Harry up.

"Draco Malfoy, savior of the savior." Harry grinned.

"Shut up, Harry."

"Oh? Did you just refer to me by my maiden name?"

"I'll swear to Merlin, I will drop you." Draco growled, but Harry had passed out once again.

The next time he came-to, he was right, he regretted everything he'd said. But not what he'd said. More so how he'd said it.

"I would have liked to ask you out in more of a romantic way, than demanding it." Harry groaned in embarrassment from where he lay on his bed, the afternoon following the dementor attack.

"You were quite the sight, I must say, in all your consciously unconscious glory." Draco scoffed from where he sat at the edge of Harry's bed, "Then again, you're always quite the sight, so.." He murmured the last part quietly.

"I heard that." Harry smirked.

Draco blushed but clicked his tongue, "You were supposed to."

"Clearly." Harry hummed, "Is your house not wondering where you are?"

"Well," Draco took in a long, thoughtful breath, "considering I disappeared shortly before the Gryffindors showed up, we were the only ones missing from the Great Hall, and all your doormmates in here woke up to you spooning me, which was really you refusing to allow me to leave last night Incase the dementors came back- quite adorable actually, it was- hmm... plus the fact you we were both in our boxers because you were soaking wet and therefor got me soaking wet when you made me carry you here and insisted neither of us be in discomfort- yeah, no, they probably think we're fucking."

Harry's face turned bright red and neither boy spoke for a moment.

"Well, is that a problem?"

"Harry!"

"Draco!"