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Time to discuss drarry moment number 923074037286 in HBP. I think it's really notable how in the aftermath of Dumbledore's death Harry not only canonically doesn't feel angry at Draco at all despite feeling murderous rage towards Snape, but actually goes out of his way to recount events in a way that shifts blame away from Draco as much as possible.

First, Tonks asks how Dumbledore died and we get this bit:

"Snape killed him," said Harry. "I was there, I saw it. We arrived back on the Astronomy Tower because that's where the Mark was . . . Dumbledore was ill, he was weak, but I think he realized it was a trap when we heard footsteps running up the stairs. He immobilized me, I couldn't do anything, I was under the Invisibility Cloak -- and then Malfoy came through the door and disarmed him--" Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth and Ron groaned. Luna's mouth trembled. "-- more Death Eaters arrived -- and then Snape -- and Snape did it. The Avada Kedavra."

Harry says there was a trap but doesn't mention anything about it having been a trap planned and set by Draco.

He uses passive, distancing language that doesn't even make it clear whose footsteps they heard on the stairs or under what circumstances Draco disarmed Dumbledore.

He doesn't mention anything about Draco having been assigned to kill Dumbledore, and almost makes it sound like he could've just happened on them and disarmed Dumbledore as a reflex or even in self defense.

And then he doesn't say that Draco held Dumbledore there at bay for a while, instead leaving it ambiguous as to whether the other Death Eaters arrived right away on Draco's heels.

And that's it. That's all he says. He puts all the focus and blame on Snape. Only several pages later when McGonagall asks how the Death Eaters got in does Harry even explain about the Vanishing Cabinets. Specifically the text says:

[H]e explained, briefly, about the pair of Vanishing Cabinets and the magical pathway they formed.

Again we see the same passive, distancing language that we saw when Harry mentioned "footsteps" on the stairs but didn't clearly say whose. It says he explained about the cabinets rather than something like "he explained about Malfoy's treachery and his plan to use the pair of Vanishing Cabinets to let Death Eaters into the school."

Harry directs the focus away from Draco and Draco's intent and involvement. I'm not sure this is even on a conscious level. His words are mimicking what his mind and his emotions are doing.

When someone asks what Snape shouted to the other Death Eaters as he ran past we get this:

"He shouted, 'It's over,'" said Harry. "He'd done what he'd meant to do."

Harry says he'd done what he - Snape - meant to do. Not what Draco had meant to do. Or what they'd planned together. So once again we see that Harry avoids blaming Draco or even revealing his full role in what happened.

And then, most interestingly, not till later when he's alone with McGonagall does he reveal that Rosmerta is being controlled. And the way he recounts it is REALLY striking.

"There's one thing you should know before the Ministry gets here, though. Madam Rosmerta's under the Imperius Curse, she was helping Malfoy and the Death Eaters, that's how the necklace and the poisoned mead--"

Again the use of passive language. He says that she is under the Imperius Curse rather than that Draco put her under the Imperius curse. In fact, he avoids directly blaming Draco at all. Harry merely says that she has been put under the Imperius curse by someone and that she was forced to pass on the necklace and the poisoned mead, leaving it ambiguous who cursed her and on whose orders she did those things, thus shielding Draco from blame.

He only brings up Draco to say that Rosmerta had been helping him and the Death Eaters rather than that it was Draco specifically who was controlling her. Given that the use of an Unforgivable Curse carries a life sentence in Azkaban this phrasing is certainly interesting. And it means that if Rosmerta did not see who originally cursed her, she might not be able to say who forced her to help Draco or possibly even whose idea it was to send the necklace and the mead into the school. That would make Harry the only witness who could prove Draco's guilt, and seemingly he doesn't want to do that.

Also. Draco IS a Death Eater. Harry's known it since the beginning of the year. And yet he says "Malfoy and the Death Eaters," because without even realizing it, he mentally puts Draco in a different category.

And then the next time Harry thinks of Malfoy is when he's looking towards where Draco usually sits and thinking about how Crabbe and Goyle look "lonely" without him even though given the tensions between them that we see in books 6 and 7 it's almost certain that they don't miss him at all. It seems much more likely that Harry is actually projecting his own feelings. In this context we get this bit of internal narration:

His animosity was all for Snape, but he had not forgotten the fear in Malfoy's voice on that tower top, nor the fact that he had lowered his wand before the other Death Eaters arrived.

I mean just what? All? ALL of his animosity? Draco is the one who let Death Eaters into the castle. He disarmed Dumbledore, thus (seemingly) enabling Snape to kill him. He also got Bill permanently maimed (though he didn't intend for that to happen).

If Harry simply felt nothing for Draco but dislike I don't think these circumstances would put him in the best mindset to start empathizing with him. Harry has a temper. You'd think he'd disregard all the extenuating circumstances and blame Draco for Dumbledore's death too.

I mean this is some of his narration about Snape, for example:

"So when he arrived at the fight, he joined in on the Death Eaters' side?" asked Harry, who wanted every detail of Snape's duplicity and infamy, feverishly collecting more reasons to hate him, to swear vengeance.

But no. That's not how he feels about Draco at all. In fact after thinking about how his animosity is all for Snape and dwelling with pity and concern on how afraid Draco looked and how he had lowered his wand, Harry actually starts wondering where Draco is and worrying about him and about what Voldemort is "making" him do now.

Because despite their rivalry, there's more between Harry and Draco than simple dislike. Harry understands him deeply. And he's immediately ready to sympathize with him and to protect him.

For all that they are stranded on opposite sides of a brewing war, they also have things in common. Harry is drawn to Draco and he cares about him. He knows Draco isn't a murderer and he can't bring himself to even pretend to hate him anymore. He just wants him to be safe.

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Harry: I don't think about Draco that much. Just because I happen to remember every single thing I saw him look at in Borgin & Burkes four years and coincidentally noticed the second he got a new traveling cloak because I have his whole wardrobe memorized doesn't mean I'm obsessed with him or anything. I'm just generally observant like that. It doesn't mean I care about him.

Ginny: You forgot about the time a piece of Voldemort came out of a diary and possessed me.

Ron: You didn't notice I was eating spiked chocolates right in front of you because you were staring at Draco's dot on the map...AGAIN.

Hermione: Do you even know my parents' names?

Harry: ... Huh. I was right Draco's skin is definitely a slightly different color than it usually is.

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Very interesting to me that Ron and Ginny feel comfortable saying the word in outrage, whereas James straight up cannot bring himself to say it. Thinking thoughts. Not fully formed yet.

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lmao. accidental drarry foreshadowing in book 4.

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smirking all over his pointed face, Draco Malfoy leaned across Harry and seized the largest Bowtruckle. 'Maybe' said Malfoy in an undertone, so that only Harry could hear him

Idk what you think but i can't consider "lean across" as normal for two guys who have no feeling. Like that close? like the imagination is not gonna be absolute normal to me.

This whole bit is such a trip. Harry and Draco then proceed to have a whispered conversation. Meaning they are standing close enough to hear each other. And then it ends with "Malfoy walked away, smirking over his shoulder at Harry" which imho is physically impossible to do in a non-flirty way. Wtf Draco!?

Literally for the first 5 years Draco's whole life revolves around Harry. Harry's got other things on his plate, but Draco's entire priority is to insert himself into Harry's life, even if the only way to do that is by making himself into a rival and constant nuisance (despite the fact that his dad specifically told him not to be openly hostile to Harry).

Harry is also...interestingly relaxed about Draco getting all up in his personal space. They are both always weirdly comfortable around each other, even when they have every reason not to be. They're just drawn to each other.

And once Draco changes his attitudes and cleans up his act I can see Harry, in a postwar world, suddenly realizing that there's no push to balance out the pull that Draco has always had on him. Once Draco is no longer on the opposite side of the war, no longer a bigot who hurts Harry's friends, suddenly Harry becomes fully aware of just how much he's drawn to him, and how much they have in common.

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Mahiwahang S(nape)alamin kailan niya ba aaminin 😔 ang kanyang tunay na pagtingin? 🥺💔

tl: Magical mirror when will he admit his true feelings? (stream & stan bini!! )

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caught

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It’s hard to write drarry because on the one hand, as a fic writer you want to be careful not to go overboard, especially with a noncanon ship, and to develop the relationship gradually and naturally. But you also want to be faithful to canon. And canon is just so outrageously over the top when it comes to these two. 

Special shoutout to: 

The time in book 2 when Lucius gets annoyed with Draco because he has spent the entire summer talking about Harry Potter and his scar and his broomstick.

The time in book 2 when Draco didn’t notice the snitch was next to his face because he was looking at Harry (and Harry only sees it because he’s turning around to glare at Draco).

The time in book 4 at the Quidditch World Cup when Harry, Ron, and Hermione got into an argument with Draco while running away from Death Eaters, and Harry takes time to notice that Draco’s eyes are glittering. Even though he should have other things on his mind and the lighting is poor. 

The time in book 5 when Harry described the rest of the Slytherin Quidditch team in unflattering terms, but noticed how Draco’s hair was gleaming in the sunlight.  

The time in book 5 when Harry and Draco were making faces at each other during their O.W.L. Charms practical, and Draco got so distracted he smashed a wine glass.

The time in book six when in the middle of having a very heated altercation in Madam Malkins Harry noticed that the robes Draco was trying on looked handsome.

The time in book 6 when Harry immediately noticed that Draco had a new traveling cloak because apparently he keeps track of all his clothing.

The time in book 6 when Harry got so distracted by Draco changing into his robes that he got hit in the face by Goyle’s luggage.

The approximately 88990808 times Harry notices Draco’s hair/eyes/skin/voice/facial features.

And those are just the most extreme, over the top, if-this-was-in-fic-it-might-be-A-Bit-Much moments 

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“Maybe home isn’t a place. Maybe it’s a person.”

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eighth year, things are different

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Harry most times that he sees a Veela: lol why is everyone acting so weird?

Harry when he sees Cedric: Omg he's so handsome and good looking and attractive.

Harry when he sees young Sirius: How is he this fit without even trying?

Harry when he sees Tom Riddle: Damn. Credit where credit it due. An 11 has entered the room.

Harry when he sees Draco: That soft, gleaming, sleek blond hair tho. Those glittering, pale grey eyes tho. I hate him. But like. I can see.

JK Rowling: I have written a heterosexual protagonist.

Me: Have you tho?