The lantern flickered softly, shadows playing across the classroom walls. Harry and Draco sat side by side on the floor, close enough that every brush of their shoulders sparked a strange kind of energy in the air. Neither of them seemed willing to pull away.
Harry swallowed, nerves buzzing under his skin. He wanted to say something clever, something that would cut through the tension. But all he managed was, "We don't have to keep pretending in here."
Draco's lips curved into a faint, tired smile. "No, we don't."
For a moment, that was all. Just silence, the kind of silence that stretched and deepened until Harry realized he was staring -really staring - at Draco. The way his pale hair caught the lantern glow, the faint crease between his brows that never seemed to leave him.
"Potter," Draco murmured, but his voice lacked its usual sharpness. It was softer. Hesitant. "What are we doing?"
Harry's breath caught. "Something we probably shouldn't."
Draco gave the ghost of a laugh. "Since when has that stopped you?"
And then - almost as if gravity itself made the choice - Harry leaned in. Their knees bumped, and Harry saw Draco's eyes flicker down to his lips before darting back up, daring him to close the gap.
Harry did.
The kiss wasn't perfect. But when Draco's hand came up, fingers curling lightly into Harry's sleeve, the world seemed to narrow to that one fragile moment.
Draco deepened it. Just slightly. Enough to make Harry's pulse roar in his ears.
Neither of them noticed the door creak open.
"Draco?"
They broke apart instantly, both spinning toward the sound. Standing in the doorway was Theo, Draco's friend, his wand lowered at his side. His eyebrows shot up, but his expression was less shocked than Harry expected.
Theo blinked once, then again, before letting out a low whistle. "Well. That explains why you keep sneaking out."
Draco scrambled to his feet, face pale for once not from moonlight. "Theo-I..this isn't-"
Theo raised a hand. "Relax. I'm not here to hex Potter or run off to tell the House. Honestly, I couldn't care less who you're kissing, Draco. Merlin knows you deserve someone who doesn't worship the ground you walk on." His eyes flicked briefly to Harry, unreadable but not hostile. "Even if it's Potter."
Harry blinked up at him in stunned silence.
Draco narrowed his eyes. "So you're just… fine with this?"
Theo shrugged, stepping further inside and shutting the door quietly behind him. "Fine? No. Surprised? A little. But… if this makes you look less like you're about to shatter every time someone says Voldemort's name, then I'm not about to ruin it." He smirked faintly. "Besides, I've kept worse secrets for you."
Harry's chest loosened, just slightly. "So you won't say anything?"
Theo gave him a dry look. "Believe me, Potter, the last thing I want is the chaos of Slytherin and Gryffindor exploding over a… whatever this is." He glanced between them. "You're safe."
Draco stared at him for a long moment, then finally sat back down beside Harry. His shoulder brushed Harry's again, deliberately this time.
Theo tilted his head, as though taking in the sight of them together. Then he gave a sharp nod. "Good. Then I'll leave you to it. But for the record…" His smirk softened, just a little. "I think you're better off than you've been in years, Draco. Don't mess it up."
And with that, he slipped back out into the corridor, the door closing with a soft click.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Harry let out a shaky laugh. "Well. That could've gone worse."
Draco turned toward him, grey eyes still wide from the shock, but there was a hint of something softer there too. "You have no idea."
And then, as though daring the world to interrupt again, Draco kissed him once more.
Harry let himself sink into it, heart racing, the knowledge that this was real - dangerous, yeah, forbidden, sure, but neither the less, real- anchoring him more than any victory ever had.
For the first time in a long time, Harry felt like he belonged somewhere he wasn't supposed to.
Somewhere in the dark, beside Draco Malfoy.