alisanne

Title: Defeating Boggarts
Author:

alisanne
Rating: PG
Word count: 100 x 6
Characters/pairings: Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy (pre-slash)
Challenge: Written for

dracoharry100/

dracoharry100's prompt #316: Boggart.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
Betas:

sevfan and

emynn
Authors Notes: War is hell. Boggarts don't help.

~

Defeating Boggarts

~

“Tell your aunt what you told me, Draco.” Lucius nudges Draco forward.

Reluctantly, Draco approaches. He’s discovered it’s difficult to appear confident when terrified. “Potter’s Boggart is a Dementor.”

Bellatrix’s eyes light up. “Is it now?” she croons. Draco hates when she does that. “How very interesting.”

Draco bites his lip. “Is that...important?”

Bellatrix smirks. “Every detail’s important to the Dark Lord.”

She breathes his title as if it’s a benediction. Draco suppresses a shudder. “I’ve homework.”

Bellatrix nods. “Study hard. We need smart pure-bloods.”

Draco escapes with a sigh. If we were smart we wouldn’t be Death Eaters.

~

They’re in a battle for Hogwarts and Draco’s long forgotten what he’s told his parents and aunt about Potter, but when he sees the Dementors flying across the field straight at Potter, he remembers. I did that. I told them his Boggart, his worst fear.

Clutching a wall, Draco watches as Potter disappears under a cloud of Dementors. “No,” he chants under his breath. “No, no, no. You can’t die--”

A brilliant light bursts from the centre of the Dementors, scattering them, and Draco begins to breathe.

“Sodding Potter!” swears Bellatrix behind him. “Will nothing kill him?”

Silently, Draco rejoices.

~

Draco’s empty. Bellatrix is dead and he should mourn, yet all he feels is relief. His mother sits at the Slytherin table, chatting softly with Lucius, who seems...hollow. Draco can’t look at them.

People are planning to rebuild. They won’t want his help, Draco knows as he wanders the ruined halls. And yet--

“Malfoy.”

Draco sees Potter. He looks as bad as Draco feels. “Potter.”

“Why are you still here?”

Draco blinks. “What?”

“You’re like a boggart. Useless. You lost!” Potter’s face is cruel. “Leave.”

Draco freezes. “I thought--”

“You thought wrong.” Potter draws his wand. “Run.”

Draco runs.

~

Draco’s lost. Hogwarts is in ruins and he doesn’t know where he is. Then he rounds a corner and runs smack into Potter. They go tumbling.

Somehow Draco cannot manage to untangle himself. He finally surrenders, closes his eyes, and waits to be hexed into oblivion.

“Are you okay?”

Draco’s eyes pop open. “What?”

“You look terrible.” Potter stands and extends a hand.

Draco swallows hard. “Aren’t you going to hex me?”

Potter frowns. “No. Why?”

“Earlier I saw you and--”

“Oh!” Potter smiles. “You’ve seen the Boggart, then? McGonagall asked me to find it. Wanna help?”

Exhaling, Draco nods.

~

“So I’m your Boggart?” Potter murmurs as they search.

“Aren’t you everyone’s?” Draco deadpans, peering around corners.

Potter laughs. “Touché.”

Draco smirks. “I imagine there will be generations of witches and wizards whose parents will threaten them with you should they misbehave.”

Potter froze beside him. “Bloody hell.”

“Still,” Draco continues, despite his mind babbling at him to leave it alone already, “watching you kill the Dark Lord was pretty inspiring. Thanks for that.”

Potter is staring at him. “Y...you’re welcome.”

From a corner, a Dementor rises. Draco draws his wand. “We’ve found it.”

“Looks like.” Potter smiles. “Ridikulus!”

~

“I understand you helped capture our Boggart, Mr Malfoy.” McGonagall’s looking back and forth between them as if pondering a puzzle.

“Did I mention he saved me at Malfoy Manor, too?” Potter says.

Draco shoots a startled glance Potter’s way.

McGonagall sighs. “Repeatedly. Very well, he may stay. You’ll be responsible, however, Potter.”

She leaves and Draco asks, “What just happened?”

“You’re helping rebuild Hogwarts.” Potter pauses. “If you’d like, that is.”

Draco considers. Rebuild instead of destroy? He nods.

Potter grins. “Brilliant.”

Draco smiles. Something tells him he’ll be rebuilding something with Potter, too. And that’s fine with him.

~