thepretender501 | Drabble: Un- Expecto Patronum

Title: Un- Expecto Patronum
Characters: Harry/Draco
Rating: PG
Wod Count: ~930
Warnings: unbeta'd, um... terrible title...
Prompt: Reindeer, at

dracoharry100 Christmas Challenge
A/N: Uh, it got too long on me again. Sort of inspired by this great fic I read at hd_hols. Can't stop thinking about Patronuses since I read it. I've got to start writing these in the morning. I really do apologize for this. Hope it makes sense. *crosses fingers* ;)

Draco stepped back and wisps of puffy white seeped from his wand. His shoulders sagged. “I produced it just a moment ago.” He pouted. “It was a full- fledged Patronus. A reindeer.”

“Be patient,” Harry said. “Keep trying.”

“Easy for you to say,” Draco said bitterly and he thrust his wand forward again. “Expecto Patronum.” Again nothing but wispy streaks of cloud appeared. Draco slumped further.

Harry sighed and got to his feet. They weren’t going to get anywhere like this. “Stand up straight, Malfoy,” he commanded. He stepped behind his Auror partner and pressed his palm firmly against Draco’s back. “Good,” Harry said, pleased as Draco inhaled sharply and his back went rigid.

“Now, you’ve got to think of a powerful happy thought.” Harry placed one hand on Draco’s shoulder and leaned forward so that his other hand gripped Draco’s wand right below Draco’s fingers.

“Do you have something in mind?” Harry asked his voice a bit hazy. Draco nodded curtly and Harry silently cursed himself for assuming this position. He hadn’t expected the minty scent of Draco’s shampoo and his nose tingled, practically buried in Draco’s scalp. In any other circumstance this would be awkward but mercifully Draco didn’t flinch. He had never learned to cast a Patronus and for this line of work, it was necessary.

“Okay on my count you say the words and we’ll wave it together.” Harry said. Draco gave another curt nod. “One. Two. Three--”

“Expecto Patronum,” Draco called. Surprisingly Draco’s wand shuddered and a corporeal Patronus burst from the tip.

“Er,” Harry took a step back watching as his stag materialized and began pacing the room. He swallowed, slightly ashamed. “Should probably do it on your own, then. I didn’t expect—“ Harry’s mumbling was silenced by the look on Draco’s face. He was positively beaming. It was almost adorable. Adorable? No. That wasn’t the right word.

“I did it!” Draco rolled up his sleeves and put his hands on his waist, puffing out his chest. “That’s my reindeer. I told you I could do it Potter.” He said it so proudly Harry almost didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth. The silver stag lingered for a few moments longer and then dissipated leaving tendrils of shimmery white behind.

“Malfoy, that wasn’t—“

“Expecto Patronum.” Draco waved his wand excitedly, and before Harry could close his mouth the stag was back, pacing the room. Harry glared at the absurdity of its existence. How could his father’s stag be cast by Draco. Draco couldn’t possibly be copying him. There was only one explanation and it was too impossible for Harry to even consider. But he had to consider it. “Er, Draco, have you ever seen my Patronus?”

Draco shrugged. “No. But everyone knows it’s a stag.”

Harry tried to reason with himself. Draco thought his Patronus was a reindeer but it was identical to Harry’s stag. There was no way Draco could copy Harry’s Patronus, not unless he was… in love. Harry shook the thought out of his head. It was too ridiculous. Perhaps he was imagining things and their patronus’ weren’t identical. Maybe he was silently hoping that Draco was in love, but that was absurd too. Why would he want the slimy git to love him? Great, now he’d regressed back to thinking like a teenager.

“Malfoy,” Harry said his tone even. Draco looked up he was sitting down nibbling a bar of chocolate. The stag had long since disappeared. “Cast your Patronus again.”

Draco narrowed his eyes. “Still you have no faith in me, Potter. You have to trust me with your life you know.”

“I know, that’s why I want you to cast it again.” Harry had to be sure.

“Oh, alright.” Draco smirked. “Expecto Patronum.” And with an arrogant flick of his wrist the stag reappeared. Draco leaned back with a confident smile.

Harry then shouted the same spell. His Patronus jetted forth and two identical silver stags now paced the room moving in opposite directions. They condensed into a ball of bright light when they met in the center of the room and then rematerialized to continue treading their separate ways. It happened several times before either of them spoke.

Draco had dropped the bar of chocolate. His jaw suddenly clenched. “What the—what does that mean?” Draco said his voice uncharacteristically quiet.

“That’s my stag.” Harry didn’t know why but he couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

“It can’t be. It’s my—Merlin, don’t tell me…” Draco appeared positively mortified.

It didn’t help their situation that Harry’s mouth was suddenly cursed by a permanent smiling charm. Draco loved him in some way. He had to love Harry a lot. It was the only explanation. He covered his cheesy grin and watched the stags pace until they vanished within seconds of each other.

Only then did Harry find he could speak. “Do you want to take a break? Maybe grab a bite? ” he asked.

Draco stared at his wand, tracing the length. “You mean you’re not—” he cleared his throat. “Embarrassed.”

“No.” Harry said and the cheesy grin returned. “But I am intrigued.”

His smile must have been contagious because it began to spread over Draco’s features as well.

“Sure. Let’s eat.” Draco said.

They walked to the door both pulling their cloaks off the rack nearby. “Potter,” Draco said with a frown as Harry held the door open for him.

“What?”

“It was a reindeer, you know, before you touched my wand.”

Harry bit his lip to keep from smiling too broadly. “I know.”

Drabble: Un- Expecto Patronum

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