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#1: Kissing Cho Chang

Cho is a Ravenclaw seeker and the ex of Cedric Diggory. 

She’s a little taller than Harry, and very pretty. Her long, black hair is silky and smooth, her eyes are wide and sweet, and her smile is soft. 

Harry’s head over heels in love with her, and it’s the first time he feels love for someone. 

One night, when both of them stay longer in the Room of Requirement after the D.A meeting, magic happens. 

Mistletoe hangs from the ceiling and before Harry even registers what’s happening, they’re moving closer. 

When Cho kisses him, it’s a soft press of the lips. 

Unfortunately. Harry isn’t particularly enjoying the kiss, as wet snot is dripping between the gap of their lips, Cho is sniffling, and he just tastes steak, remnants of the night’s dinner.  

After a while, Harry’s legs are sore from standing and he’s almost suffocating from the lack of air.

In short, it’s his worst kiss yet, and he’s only had one.

Harry leans back and Cho seems to get the idea, as she leans back and starts wiping at her face with her sleeve. It’s obvious that Cho isn’t in a talking mood, but what is there to talk about?

Hey, so I kissed you, what now? 

He opens his mouth, but no words are coming out, so Harry flees, and the next time they see each other, Harry asks her on a date to Hogsmeade. 

On their date, they go to Madam Puddifoot’s, a flowery cafe that’s too girly for his tastes.

Halfway through, Cho suddenly cries and runs off, and Harry is left there, wondering what he did wrong.

The next time they meet, they have a normal conversation and Cho suddenly says, “I’m sorry, Harry, but I don’t think it’s going to work out between us. I’m truly sorry,”

She gives him a hopeful smile, a token of friendship, and he returns it with a cold stare, so they part on lukewarm terms.

When they see each other before the battle, he’s cordial and far too polite. The coldness between them is like a big chasm. 

After the war, they become somewhat friends and he’s invited to her wedding.

The card is white and decorated with lace. The silvery words spell out “Cho Chang and Cormac McLaggen welcome you to their wedding!” 

He spends the day at home, drunk, and vows that he won’t go. 

But, in two month’s time, he’s sitting in a plastic chair, clapping as Cho and Cormac kiss. He’ll never forget that image of her: Cho, glowing with happiness, in a gorgeous lace dress, her luscious black hair loose and her eyes sparkling.

After he drinks himself to obliviousness, he registers a feeling of emptiness, as Cho is off to a bright future and he’s in the past, always looking back.

All he can think about is that one line: 

“I’m sorry, Harry, but I don’t think it’s going to work out between us. I’m truly sorry.”

~

#2: Kissing Ginny Weasley

Ginny Weasley, his best friend’s sister, is absolutely beautiful, with a long sheet of red hair, bright eyes, and filled with pleasant, light laughter. She’s vibrant, sassy, and has a hot temper, which is as fickle as flames. Her presence brings a smile on his face, though Ron grouches in the background whenever Harry makes conversation with Ginny.

When Ginny and Dean get together, Harry feels blinding jealousy and he feels a wave of relief when they break up, like a douse of water over a fire.

There’s a Quidditch match and they win.

When they celebrate in the Gryffindor common room, Harry kisses Ginny and he smells her flowery fragrance all over him.

Ginny reciprocates the kiss just as eagerly and the kiss becomes heated. 

Harry feels as light as a cloud, though he isn’t sure of it’s because of kissing Ginny or winning the game.

They keep kissing anyway, and Harry convinces himself it’s the best feeling on earth. 

Afterwards, Harry and Ginny visit the Room of Requirement and Ginny sits there, a bright, dazzling smile on her face and a puffy lip. 

“So, what did you think of the kiss?” Ginny asks shyly, covering his hand with hers. 

Harry gives her back a smile and pulls her in a kiss. 

Apparently, when he kissed her, that was some kind of universal girl sign that he wasn’t aware about. He didn’t even know that they were dating when Ginny introduced him to some girl called Matilda and called him her boyfriend. 

When they start officially dating, it’s nothing special to Harry. They just hang out in his room, talk about Quidditch, and occasionally kiss. 

It’s like having a friend with benefits. 

Unlike Ron and Lavender, he doesn’t feel the need to kiss Ginny every second. It’s mostly Ginny kissing him. 

Again, the kisses feel like perfume and lips, but aren’t kisses supposed to taste like that?

Soon after, Dumbledore dies and they break up. 

Afterwards, Harry feels oddly empty; wrung dry of all feelings, but he’s isn’t missing Ginny. 

When Ginny kisses him on his birthday, he still feels nothing. He still remembers the moment:

”That was the silver lining I was looking for,” Ginny tells him and leans in. 

Their lips touch again, and he feels Ginny’s perfume float up. 

Harry only remembers that it was rather uncomfortable and he was almost relieved when Ron barged in, his face red and mouth bursting with unsaid words. 

Later, he’ll tell himself that he was just wrapped up in his search and didn’t mature enough.

Ginny pushes them over the brink when she sends him a letter with only two words on it: 

Bye, Harry

The next day, she travels somewhere faraway to train for the Holyhead Harpies.

When he’s 23 years old and fresh as a daisy, his light saddens dims when he feels left in the dark as he sits in the pub, watching Ginny, freshly returned as the new Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies, and Luna, a professional magizoologist, laughing together and entwining hands. He can’t stand that feeling of wild envy that he isn’t included in that happiness so he guzzles down more butterbeer. 

Ginny and Luna’s relationship progresses and soon, Ginny flashes a shiny ring on her finger, her face filled with joy and her tinkling laughter fills the air.

While they’re surrounded by celebration, Harry goes off and buries his depression into some random girl he picked up.

Indeed, it was a farewell. 

~

#3: Kissing Hermione Granger 

Hermione and Harry are best friends, and that’s all they’ll ever be. He can’t even imagine engaging in anything with her, least of when she’s engaged with Ron.

When he looks at Hermione, he feels pride and love for her. 

Hermione has come so far from the buck-toothed, bushy-haired nerd in her first year at Hogwarts. 

She’s matured in her twenties and is now the Minister of Magic after years of hard work.

Of course, he and Hermione are just friends, and when Hermione presses a kiss to his cheek, he feels affection for her, as a sibling. 

He’s genuinely happy for her when they announce their engagement and pregnancy.

Of course, he delivered a kiss to her cheek and a hug to Ron when they made him godfather to their first child, an adorable baby called Rose. 

“I know you’ll be the very best godfather to her. I trust you better than anyone else.” Hermione had said, giving him a smile. Ron had nodded beside her, muttering, “You deserve it, mate,”
~

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#1: Kissing Pansy Parkinson 

Nowdays, Draco and Pansy are the best of buddies, but back at Hogwarts, they used to date. 

When they kissed, it felt empty, just tasting like Pansy’s heavy perfume, matte lipstick, and her favorite sweets. 

Of course, they’ve only kissed twice and after both Pansy and Draco admitted that they were better off friends, they stayed together for the sake of their image. Both of their parents were strict about bloodlines and purity, so Pansy and Draco were an approved match for each other. Of course, once their fathers had been sentenced to Azkaban, they had broke off their dating.

That incident had strengthened their friendship rather than harm, and now that they matured, they joke about it all the time. 

That moment was still engraved in his memory:

“Draco, I think we both know this isn’t working,” Pansy said, squeezing his hand. 

Back then, Draco had panicked when he had felt no attraction for Pansy, but he convinced himself that he and Pansy just weren’t meant to be.

After all, the kiss only feels right when it’s with your one true love. 

There were plenty of other girls for Draco, right?

That was what he told himself every time he was invited to a wedding. 

Even Pansy had gotten married, to Urquhart, from Hogwarts. He’d had been at their wedding, his wine glass raised respectfully towards Pansy and Urquhart.

After the wedding, things started spiraling, and before he knew it, Pansy was showing off her round belly. He’d stopped hanging around with her after that, and they usually only interacted at their weekly lunch dates. 

~

#2: Kissing Astoria Greengrass

Astoria Greengrass was one of his biggest mistakes and regrets.

Astoria was the younger sister of Daphne Greengrass, a fellow Slytherin from Hogwarts. 

From a angle, Astoria could be considered pretty.

Unlike her pale-skinned, blonde-curled sister, Astoria had an olive complexion, with dark hair and hooded eyes. Astoria always put her hair up in a low bun and wore regal clothes, like a queen. She was the perfect choice for a wife, pure-blood, rich, and well-entwined through connections. 

They met at 17, when the trials had just ended and Narcissa was looking for a suitable wife for Draco. Draco had been sentenced to a month in Azkaban, along with regular appointments by the Aurors. For the first few days after his release, he wandered around Andromeda’s house, like a lost puppy, before Narcissa suggested he pay a visit to Malfoy Manor. The wards no longer responded to her, as Lucius had taken full control of it and while the Dark Lord inhabited the house, he and the Death Eaters laced the house with traps and such as a sport.

Since Lucius had been forced to release control of the wards, Draco was technically now the owner of the wards.

For once, Draco had listened to his mother and at Malfoy Manor, found that the wards did respond to him. He’d also found a knack for finding the traps and disabling them. The whole work of renovating Malfoy Manor took five months, and during that time, Astoria had arrived. He was far too distracted in Malfoy Manor to pay her any attention so, the most interaction Astoria had received was a kiss on her hand at their first meeting, where Draco had acted like the perfect, polite pure-blooded suitor.

He still remembers. It’s not something anyone could forget. He even keeps the memory in his Pensive to watch:

Narcissa, prime and elegant in a black dress, sits in the parlor, legs crossed, her posture straight and her hands clasped in her lap. 

Astoria sat across from her, glowing in a sage green dress and her hair in her signature style, accompanied with a bow. 

Her eyes were dark and twinkling, her lips were stretched in a smile, and she held herself with grace. 

”Draco, darling, meet Astoria Greengrass,” Narcissa says as she rises from the couch, beckoning for Astoria to follow. 

Astoria dares a smile at him and holds out her hand for him. The first thing he notices that they’re encased in sheer, lace gloves. 

Draco bends down and presses his lips to the fabric before straightening and responding, “My pleasure, Lady Astoria,”

Astoria turns a faint pink but still manages to reply with the same amount of elegance, “It’s a honor, Lord Malfoy,” 

Draco grimaces slightly at the title, but cracks a smile for the sake of his reputation.

Astoria must have guessed that, as her lips stretched wider. 

They stayed together for 8 years until Draco was 25 years old. 

He and Astoria never kissed much, only their wedding kiss and the mild, polite kisses on the cheek Astoria gave him every morning and night. 

Astoria’s kisses had a lingering sweetness from her lip balm, but they were dull and dry. 

The kisses never lasted more than a few seconds, and once it was done, Astoria would draw back, a smile on her lips and leaving her faint perfume scent on his clothes. 

It wasn’t until Astoria died from the blood disorder did he realize that he and Astoria were never fated to be. Though Astoria was a lovely girl whose death came too soon, Draco was forced to admit that Astoria had wasted her time on him. She showered him with small bouts of affection, though Draco had always brushed them aside and put on his cold mask that he had adapted since he was eleven. Astoria saw a lonely soul in him wherever he just saw a Death Eater in himself. Astoria had always doted on him without a word of complaint. She was the one who suggested he find a professional career in dark houses. She was the one who brought him tea and sandwiches whenever he returned late from the manors. She was the one who had thrown him a small celebration fling when he had his first client. 

In her own way, she had quietly loved him for almost a decade, and he was sure that somewhere deep down, he had loved her too.

To honor her legacy, he played the mournful, polite husband society had required him to be and he attended her funeral, funded the whole thing, gave a speech, and brought her fresh flowers every Sunday.

He even commissioned his watch with her final words: Life’s just as fickle as fire. Those words had been uttered in a low, raspy tone, seconds before she closed her eyes forever.

He knew what those words meant. She had told him that every time he complained of something.

It meant that with the slightest reaction, his life could go on another course. 

He owned a lot to Astoria. 
~ 

Chapter Text

He reunited with Harry when he was 27, two years after Astoria’s death. 

It was just a few days after he had turned 27, and Narcissa had told him, her hands brushing against his cheek, “Twenty-seven is a magical age,”

Draco and Harry had met for the first time since the war when Harry was looking for a Cursebreaker for his house, and of course, Draco had been recommended. Draco’s career had been flourishing, as there was hundreds of dark houses scattered around London, all set by Death Eaters. 

Well! Wasn’t it just sweet that how fate would backstab Draco?

Just when he thought his life would settle down, the golden boy just had to reappear in his life. 

Since Draco was oh-so generous, he accepted Harry’s offer and started work in his house. 

Unfortunately, instead of leaving Draco alone to work in silence, Harry kept pestering him, and soon enough, he had been persuaded. He had fallen in love.

Their first ‘date’ involved Indian takeout in the dining room. 

Wouldn’t his father choke to death if he ever saw Draco holding hands with Harry? 

~

Their first kiss, almost a year after Grimmauld Place had been completed, took place on a cold, windy street. It was Draco’s 28th year, and Harry had taken him out to dinner as a birthday gift.

Afterwards, they stood outside, and Draco watched the wind that left Harry’s cheeks and nose bright pink, and the snowflakes that melted in his hair. 

It was under a warm street lamp when Draco took Harry’s chin in his hands and leaned in. It was the best birthday gift he had ever gotten. 

Kissing Harry felt like a sugar rush. They were always passionate and sweet no matter how long it lasted, and always left Draco wanting for more.

They tasted like peppermint and chocolate, two things that shouldn’t have tasted too good together, but somehow, it worked for Draco.

No matter how chapped Harry’s lips were, they would always feel soft to Draco.

Draco kissed Harry all the time, whenever he felt an urge to, and Harry always kissed back just as eagerly.

Draco felt that he could have spent all of eternity with Harry and never get bored. 

Whenever they would together, Harry would trace lines on Draco’s palm while Draco played with Harry’s rat-nest of a hair. 

It just felt right whenever they touched, a burst of warmth and certainty bound into it. 

It was when Draco was 30, two years after their first kiss, when Harry kneels on the ground and pulls out a ring.

It’s the most beautiful thing Draco has ever seen, and he slides it on his ring finger before kissing Harry’s lips over and over.

After waiting for 11 years, he had finally found the love of his life, and two years after that, secured a future with him.

”I love you,” He tells Harry every day, to make sure he never forgets that. 

Him. 

Harry Potter.

Savior of the wizardry world.

Draco Malfoy’s husband.

What a sugar rush.