I wrote this bc I'm a slut for draco dying his hair and harry being a gay disaster

heehee i think it's so goddamn funny that people keep messaging me like "but i credited you!" and "you gave me permission!!!" like
a) crediting me doesn't excuse you you should ask if you are allowed to repost my work before posting it. i will say yes if you ask, but you have to ask
and
b) i have a running list on a google doc of every person who I've personally given permission to use my ideas, translate my stories, and make artwork inspired by my stories to make sure I don't accidentally report them, i know every single person who I've given permission to and SWEETIE YOU ARE NOT ON THAT LIST LMFAO

its also so funny to me that i never write smut but almost all of the fanfic i read is rated explicit, and i write on Wattpad but i almost exclusively read on AO3

Pride month might be over, but our pride will live on  🏳️‍🌈

Harry was just lifting his fork to his mouth when his eyes happened to catch sight of something across the Great Hall.

He dropped his fork.

"Hhhhnngh," he said eloquently.

Hermione stared at him, and Ron paused his eating to give Harry a concerned look. "Something you wanna tell us, mate?"

"I-" Harry was still speechless, so he settled for pointing across the room. "Hngh."

Hermione and Ron slowly turned around and gaped.

Draco Malfoy's hair was pale blue.

"Hnglm," Harry mumbled.

"Oh Merlin, Harry's having a gay crisis," Dean said, eyes flicking between Malfoy and Harry. 

"I would too," Seamus added, swinging his arm around Dean's shoulders. "Look at him!"

Dean squinted at his boyfriend in mock-jealousy, but even his eyes roamed appreciatively over Malfoy's frame. 

Harry finally found his voice. "I'm not having a gay crisis, I already know I'm fucking gay. I'm having a Malfoy-Is-Attractive-But-He's-Also-A-Giant-Prick-So-I-Don't-Know-How-To-React-To-This crisis."

Dean was nodding, and it took Harry a moment to realize that Seamus, Ron, and Hermione were nodding as well, eyes locked on Malfoy. 

Some sort of weird jealousy sparked in Harry as they stared at Malfoy, but before he could think about that too much, Malfoy looked up and met Harry's eyes, startled. His wide eyes scanned each person who was staring at him with confusion before he seemed to realize why they were staring and ran a hand through his hair.

That, however, caused a new problem, because Harry's eyes caught onto one of the many bracelets adorning Malfoy's wrist. The rainbow one, to be specific. The rainbow one that Harry also had, the one that came from one specific store in Diagon Alley that sold LGBTQIA+ accessories.

He turned to face his friends. "Okay, now I'm having a Malfoy-Is-Attractive-And-I-Also-Think-He-Might-Be-Gay-But-He's-Also-A-Giant-Prick-So-I-Don't-Know-How-To-React-To-This crisis."

Dean snorted and Hermione started laughing. Malfoy was still staring at them in confusion.

"We can't have one normal year, mate," Ron muttered with a grin, turning back to his food. Despite his words, Harry caught him glancing over his shoulder to stare at the blue-haired boy several times over the course of their breakfast.

Harry couldn't judge Ron much, because he was doing the same thing.

*

"Harry?"

Ron and Hermione both paused in their walking to stare at him.

"Harry, why'd you stop walking?"

Harry, for the second time today, found himself speechless at the sight of Draco Malfoy.

Hermione rolled her eyes, grabbing Harry's left arm. "Do we have to drag you?"

Ron cheerfully nudged Harry's right shoulder. "We will, mate."

Malfoy stopped about a foot away from Harry, Zabini and Parkinson beside him also faltering in their steps.

"Um, Potter?"

Harry just stared at him blankly, trying to slow his heartbeat's reaction to Malfoy being so fucking close and his hair being so fucking blue.

"Potter, would you mind moving?"

Oh god, and now he was being polite!

Malfoy stared at him with a slightly concerned expression before putting one hand on Harry's left shoulder. Hermione immediately let go of his arm with a grin and Harry registered that Malfoy's right wrist was the one with the bracelets, which he just stared at as Malfoy gently moved him to the side and stepped past him. Zabini and Parkinson followed with easy smirks shot at Harry.

After about thirty seconds of silence in which Malfoy and his friends had long disappeared, Harry croaked out "I'm having another crisis."

"Oh yeah?" Ron was grinning, although his cheeks were flushed too. "Have you named this one yet?"

"It's a Malfoy-Is-Attractive-And-I-Also-Think-He-Might-Be-Gay-And-He-Might-Also-Be-Less-Of-A-Prick-Than-He-Was-Before-And-I-Don't-Know-How-To-React-To-This crisis."

"Ah," Hermione replied helpfully, unable to hide her grin. 

"You people are useless."

Ron and Hermione's ringing laughter followed him down the corridor.

*

"Do you have a problem with my hair?"

Harry blinked, quickly realizing he had been staring at his potions partner's blue curls for far too long. "Hm?"

Malfoy frowned and ran his fingers through his hair self-consciously. "Do you have a problem with the fact that I dyed my hair blue?"

"No!" Harry shouted way too fast and way too loud. Several people turned to stare at him, and he desperately tried to lower his voice. "No, of course not, no, why would you think that, no!"

Malfoy blinked and stared at him for a long moment. "Because you won't stop looking at it. It's not that distracting."

Yes it is. "Sorry, I guess I'm just surprised that it's blue is all. Thought your blonde hair was your pride and joy."

"It's a Malfoy's pride and joy, and I'm no Malfoy," Malfoy responded with a grin.

Harry tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. "Come again?"

"Changed my last name. Mother did too. I'm a Black now."

Harry's mouth moved several times to form words he couldn't speak. "What?"

Draco's grin faded away. "I'm a Black. Draco Black. My mother's maiden name?"

"But you're Malfoy. I've always called you Malfoy." Harry's brain was not working.

"Then I guess you'll just have to call me Draco, because some people might start getting confused if you just shout 'black!' down the corridor." Malfoy's smile was making a beautiful comeback and Harry's heart was doing things that he was pretty sure the human heart wasn't capable of doing.

"Draco," he said weakly. "You're asking me to call you Draco."

"Are you doing okay?" Malf- Draco looked concerned. "You're acting very strange."

"Yep. Yep. Doin' great. Excuse me for a minute?" Harry didn't wait for an answer, standing up so fast that his stool crashed to the ground and dashing over to where Ron and Hermione sat.

"I'm having a Malfoy-Is-Attractive-And-I-Also-Think-He-Might-Be-Gay-And-He-Might-Also-Be-Less-Of-A-Prick-Than-He-Was-Before-And-He-Asked-Me-To-Call-Him-Draco-And-He-Changed-His-Last-Name-To-Black-And-I-Don't-Know-How-To-React-To-This crisis."

"These names are getting longer and longer," Hermione commented. Ron's lips were twitching.

"This isn't funny," Harry huffed, eyes still wide. "I think I'm having a heart attack."

"Go have a heart attack over there," Ron replied, pointing back to his table, where Draco was staring at him with a very confused look on his face.

"You two are useless," Harry hissed. "What am I supposed to do about this?"

Hermione shrugged. "Make out with him? Call him Draco? I don't care. Just figure something out before I hit you with a newspaper like fourth year."

Harry absently rubbed his head at the thought. "I can't just make out with him, don't be stupid. And I've never called him Draco before, why would I ever start now?"

Hermione rolled up her potions essay and smacked him with it.

"That was for calling me stupid." She hit him again. "That's for you being stupid." Another hit. "And that is for standing over here talking to us while your very hot Potions partner stares at you getting hit with parchment."

Harry blinked. "You really are the worst, you know that?"

This time Ron took the rolled-up parchment from Hermione and smacked him. "Go away."

Harry obeyed, if only to avoid being hit with the paper again.

"What the hell just happened?" Draco asked lightly, giving Harry that fucking smile again.

"None of your goddamn business," Harry huffed, in the habit of irritability toward the blonde.

"Oh," Draco replied softly, smile fading. He turned back to the potion in front of him with a much sadder look, and Harry caught Hermione's eye across the room. She gave him a look as if to say what the fuck are you doing? before rolling her eyes and returning to her own potion.

"Sorry," Harry said. "I'm used to being rude to you."

"No, it's fair. I shouldn't have pried. You three have always kept everything between you, I shouldn't have tried to break that."

Harry immediately felt guilty for the more serious expression he had put on Draco's face. "I was having a crisis and I needed their help. They're no help, though, they're useless. I have the worst friends." He rose his voice a bit at the end of his statement, making Ron look up as Harry flipped him off.

Ron returned the favor as Draco laughed, and Harry realized in one shocking moment he had never heard Draco laugh before.

"What was the crisis about? Maybe I can help."

"You might be the only person who can, but it's too embarrassing." Harry flushed and Draco looked far more interested in the topic.

"Well now you have to tell me."

"I have to do nothing of the sort."

Draco smirked. "Is it about me?"

"Wh-How did you know that!?"

"I didn't really, not until just now, but I told you to call me Draco and you bolted, so it was kinda obvious."

Harry blushed. "I've been having crisis after crisis ever since you came back with blue hair."

Draco ran his hand through his hair. "Why?"

"Because I was freaking out. I named all of my crises. They've been getting longer and longer names the more I talk to you."

"And what is the name of the newest one?" Draco asked, leaning forward slightly with an interested smile.

"Malfoy-Is-Attractive-And-I-Also-Think-He-Might-Be-Gay-And-He-Might-Also-Be-Less-Of-A-Prick-Than-He-Was-Before-And-He-Asked-Me-To-Call-Him-Draco-And-He-Changed-His-Last-Name-To-Black-And-I-Don't-Know-How-To-React-To-This crisis."

Draco blinked. "Wow. That is a long name." After a pause, he froze. "Wait, you think I'm attractive!?"

"Yeah, why the fuck did you think I was having the crises?"

"I don't know?" After another beat, he spoke again. "And for the record, I am gay."

"Lovely," Harry responded, every brain cell he had (which was regrettably few) coming to a screeching halt.

Draco tilted his head, studying him for a minute. "Wait. Let me guess. Malfoy-Is-Attractive-And-He's-Definitely-Gay-And-He-Might-Also-Be-Less-Of-A-Prick-Than-He-Was-Before-And-He-Asked-Me-To-Call-Him-Draco-And-He-Changed-His-Last-Name-To-Black-And-I-Don't-Know-How-To-React-To-This."

"No!" Harry protested. "It's Malfoy-Is-Attractive-And-He's-Definitely-Gay-And-Less-Of-A-Prick-Than-He-Was-Before-And-He-Asked-Me-To-Call-Him-Draco-And-He-Changed-His-Last-Name-To-Black-And-I've-Never-Heard-Him-Laugh-Before-And-I-Don't-Know-How-To-React-To-This."

Draco laughed brightly, and Harry watched in stunned fascination as his blue curls fell into his eyes.

"Merlin," Draco sighed, wiping his eyes with a grin. "We've got to finish the potion, Potter, unless you want to fail Potions."

"Worth it," Harry responded, shrugging, which only made Draco laugh again. 

*

"Potter! Hey, Potter! Harry!"

Harry froze at his name and spun around. "You've never called me Harry."

"Well you've been calling me Draco, so I figured it fits." Draco smiled brightly at him. Harry was momentarily blinded.

"I-um-uh-" Harry stuttered, cursing himself for his inability to find words. "What-uh, what do you need?"

"I was wondering if you might like to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?"

"Pardon?" Harry croaked out.

"Would you... um... like to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" Draco shifted from side to side nervously.

Harry swallowed, congratulating himself for the calmness in his voice. "Can you stay here while I leave for a couple minutes?"

Draco's face fell slightly, twisted into confusion. "Why?"

"I need to go find Hermione and Ron and scream and jump around for about five minutes."

Draco broke out in a smile that actually almost stopped Harry's heart. "Can I get my answer first?"

"Actually I'd rather scream first so I seem cool and calm when I give you my answer."

Draco grinned and stepped to the side. "Be my guest."

"Thank you." Harry got about five steps past Draco before he spun back around, smiling brightly. "Yeah. Yes, um, yeah. Yes, I'll go with you. Yeah."

Draco lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah. Really."

"Awesome. I mean-cool. Great. Good. Right. See you then."

"I'll see you before then.  We have Potions together."

"Right. Yes. Right. See you then."

"See you," Harry replied, unable to stop blushing.

Both boys turned around and walked away with blushing smiles and changed lives.