A Shoulder to Lean On (H/D, PG)

[sesheta66]

Christmas Gift Drabble #6:

This prompt immediately brought a scenario to mind, which I hope you enjoy, Lire. It didn't turn out Christmas-ey at all, but I hope you like it anyway. Merry Christmas, sweetie!!

Author: sesheta_66
Giftee: lire_casander
Prompt(s): Lyrics from On My Shoulder or "hot chocolate." I used both.

Title: A Shoulder to Lean On
Rating: PG
Word Count: 473 (oops ... a little long)
Pairings/Characters: Harry/Draco
Other prompts: 100_prompts: 024 - "sudden".
Disclaimer: The author is not responsible for underage readers. Please observe the ratings, warnings, and age of legal consent for your country. The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.

To see all Christmas drabbles, click here.



"Cause when it all gets too much
Put your head down on my shoulder ..."

Harry opened the door to a bedraggled and visibly shaken Draco Malfoy. Harry surmised that the other man hadn't had much sleep in the week since the war, but really wasn't in the mood to analyse him.

"I suppose you want your wand," he said without preamble.

"No!"

"No?" Harry asked. "You don't want your wand back?"

"No ... well, yes ... but that's not what I'm here for." Harry stood staring at him. Draco looked longingly past him and asked, "May I come in?"

"Oh, right ... er, sure." He opened the door and stood back to grant Draco entry.

He stood shaking in the entrance hall, waited until Harry led him into the sitting room, took a seat on one of the armchairs by the fire, and stared in silence at the empty grate.

"Er ..." Harry began. Draco jumped at the sound. Harry was reminded of a particularly skittish ferret from fourth year, but didn't find it to be an amusing memory, not like he once had. "Would you like some hot chocolate?" he asked, not knowing what else to say.

Draco nodded and resumed staring at the fireplace.

He was in the same position when Harry returned. They sat in silence, Harry not wanting to push the conversation, and not really knowing what to say anyway. He figured Draco would eventually start talking.

"How could you stand it?" Draco blurted out suddenly.

"Stand what?"

"Being inside his head."

"Oh. Well --"

"You had dreams, didn't you? My Aunt Bellatrix laughed about it, thought it was really funny to talk about how ... how he got into your head. How could you stand that?" he asked again.

"Draco, what's this about? Are you having visions or nightmares or something?"

"Both. I can't stop thinking about it. All of it. I go home and ... I ... I see him everywhere. I can't stand being there. I close my eyes so I don't have to see where I am, but then I remember ... everything." His body had begun shaking so terribly it was almost as though he was having some sort of fit. Not sure what else to do, Harry grabbed Draco's upper arms, lifted him from his seat, and guided him to the sofa.

Harry sat down beside him, and without invitation, Draco rested his head on Harry's shoulder. Instinctively, Harry put an arm around him. He didn't know how long they sat there, but he could feel Draco's shaking gradually subside and his breathing slow, until eventually he fell asleep.

Harry waited a few minutes to be sure he didn't wake him, then laid Draco back on the sofa, and conjured him a blanket. Wondering what Draco expected of him, Harry draped the blanket over his sleeping form. There would be plenty of time to talk in the morning.

.

Comments

[piratesmile331.livejournal.com]

OOOHHH!!! This is a promising start. *hints*

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Hee! Story of my life, whenever I do short drabble-type fics! *rolls eyes* Glad you liked it. :)

[svgurl.livejournal.com]

This begs for a continuation. I want to know the talk in the morning! Your Christmas drabbles are fantabulous and this is no exception.

I really liked Draco coming to Harry and when Draco rested his head on Harry's shoulder. My Drarry loving heart melted. :)

Thanks for writing and sharing!

And here's Tom (well a picture anyway, because I couldn't get the real one ... I suppose his wife wouldn't be too pleased with sharing. Damn. LOL!).

(http://pics.livejournal.com/svgurl/pic/0002ag08/)

[thrnbrooke.livejournal.com]

Another drabble that is just screaming to be a chapter story!!!!

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Bah! I sort-of fail at the drabble thing, because each time I write one, it sort-of spurs a series. *sighs*

I kinda-sorta wanna hear the talk too.

*drools at gorgeous pic*

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Oh, and thanks for the fabulous comments. *smooches*

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

*runs away screaming*

That's three for three comments saying the same thing. ;)

Alas ... it really is screaming, isn't it? *sighs* *grins*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

That's wholly delightful in itself. And very, very resonant. It's almost better without any more, because there are so many breakfast discussions that could exist at the moment.

[winter-june.livejournal.com]

*tucks Draco in his blanket*

Lovely (and promising). Hope that, with time, Harry can kiss his hurt better (figuratively or not)

[lire-casander.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear, this is amazing! I love troubled!Draco, and troubled!Harry too, but what I completely adore are hurt/comfort fics! *loves* Thanks for this, and Merry Christmas to you too!

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I felt it was the right place to stop, whether or not it gets continued.

[kori-ya.livejournal.com]

I sooo love it!! Poor Draco. ;__; *pets him*

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Well, he's probably the best person Draco could go to for understanding.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. Merry ho-ho ... and thanks for your lovely card, by the way. ♥

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

He's already doing better, since he's sleeping soundly. *nods*

[kaykayen.livejournal.com]

I actually like the ambiguous ending. Draco's finally sleeps, Harry's there, and there's hope.

Of course, if you write more, I'll be right there to read it ~__^

[gurliemoviegeek.livejournal.com]

Poor Draco...
*cuddles him*

I kind of like the way it ends - with hope.

*squishes you*

[idontgiveafaux.livejournal.com]

very nicely done :) i love the fact that you incorporated draco having nightmares about the whole thing into the story too. quite often whenever there's a fic about dreams it's always harry that suffers but i like how it's the other way around on this one and draco came to ask for help :)

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hon. As for more, we'll see. But for now I've got loads on my plate already. Another bday fic to post soon!

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

*squishes you back*

I'd love to cuddle Draco and make him feel better too. But I think Harry's doing an okay job ... even if reluctantly at first.

Thanks ♥

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I could totally see Draco having the tougher time of things afterwards, since Harry has always had to deal with nightmares, all the way back to his waking nightmare, living with the Dursleys. I can't imagine having to live with myself and my memories if I were Draco.

Draco doesn't know anyone else that could or would help him, except Harry.

[prettyhairs.livejournal.com]

A truly great start=)

I love how you seem unable to avoid series;)

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

I blame the plot bunnies! Evil, they are.

For now, this is a one-shot. But I hear the cries for more loud and clear. ;)

[lasting-melodys.livejournal.com]

Really great! Yeah, I'd love to read more, see what happens next -grins-

[lackofmendacity.livejournal.com]

Whilst it would be awesome if you wrote a sequel, I'm secretly quite pleased with how you ended it here. The talk in the morning sounds very promising, after all. ;)

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Aww ... love your icon. So sweet.

Thanks ♥ No immediate plans for a sequel, but we'll see.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thanks ♥ I'm good leaving it here, but I may revisit it later. I had to stop myself continuing because it was getting WAY too long. *nods*

[enchanted-jae.livejournal.com]

Aw. What a sad and lovely story.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thanks. ♥

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

RL can be a pain that way, can't it? ;)

Yeah ... a few people have said that about a sequel. We'll have to see.

Thanks. :o)