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Harry couldn’t wrap his head around it, why on earth would Draco protect him? It just didn’t make any sense. Lucius asked Draco directly, if it was Harry, and Draco didn’t turn him in. Harry knew just from the way Draco looked at him that he knew it was Harry, so why wouldn’t he say so? He could’ve handed Harry over right then and there and he would’ve been murdered, and that would be it. Voldemort would rule free without anyone to stop him, and Draco could’ve gone on his life as a Deatheater. It had been bothering Harry ever since he left Malfoy Manor, it was all he could think, he couldn’t concentrate on schoolwork or defeating Voldemort, it was eating him alive. He had to know.
He was sat in the great hall eating dinner when he spotted Draco at the Slytherin table, Harry had been watching him closely, watching for anything suspicious, then again Draco was always suspicious in Harry’s opinion, even when the blonde was simply existing. Harry was staring daggers at him when Draco suddenly got up, smiling at Pansy as he excused himself to go to the toilet. Harry knew this was his chance and so he followed him.
Draco had been having a perfectly lovely day, he hadn’t heard from his father which was always a bonus and him and Pansy had no lessons so had spent the day in their common room simply laughing and talking and playing board games. Pansy had even managed to distract him from thinking about Potter all day. It was nice to get a break from the intrusive thoughts of The Chosen One all day every day. The thoughts weren’t exactly negative, just pining and unreciprocated love for the brunette boy. Draco had been crushing on Harry for almost a year now, after realising that his hatred for the boy was actually just a mask for the fact that he was extremely attracted to him. Though he’d been trying every day since to forget about it, he’d avoided Harry like the plague this year, every interaction with the boy just serving to remind him even more that Harry hated him and would never feel the same.
He’d ignored the thoughts as he sat at dinner with Pansy and Blaise, enjoying listening to Blaise talk about his terrible his lessons had been that day. Draco suddenly realised he needed to pee and began standing up, excusing himself to the bathroom when Pansy gave him a questioning look. He exited the great hall, making his was through the corridors until he reached the bathroom, he went to the toilet and walked over to the sink, washing his hands before checking himself over in the mirror, he smiled, satisfied with how he looked and turned to leave. As he faced the door, he stopped in his tracks as he saw Harry standing in the doorway. Draco cleared his throat and began walking forwards, deciding to ignore the brunette and just get out. Except Harry had other plans. He quickly stepped in front of the door, blocking Draco’s only exit. Draco stopped walking again, sighing. He was about to speak but Harry beat him to it.
“Why didn’t you tell them it was me?” Harry blurted out, he was angry at the situation, mainly because he was so confused, and he hated being confused and not understanding what was happening. He was also angry because he’d started questioning himself, started wondering if maybe Draco was good deep down and it was his way of showing it, not wanting to expose Harry was his own small way of doing good without his father giving him serious consequences. Harry was angry that nothing was clear in his mind anymore and that all he could think about for the last two weeks was The Slytherin Prince.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Potter.” Draco huffed as he attempted to leave again but Harry moved, stopping him. Draco sighed, getting irritated.
“At Malfoy Manor, you knew it was me, why didn’t you say anything?” Harry clarified, wanting an explanation. Draco rolled his eyes.
“Like I said, it was too hard to tell.” Draco lied. Harry closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm himself from getting angry, he just needed an answer and Draco was making this extremely difficult.
“Stop lying to me! I just want to know why!” Harry shouted, his arms flailing in his annoyance.
“There isn’t a reason, I just couldn’t tell!” Draco shouted back, just wanting to get back to his meal and getting more and more irritated by the second. He could feel the anger bubbling inside him, feeling like he’d explode any second.
“Just tell me why!” Harry shouted louder this time and Draco did explode, the last year of longing and anger erupting at once.
“Because I fucking love you, alright?!” He yelled back without thinking. The room fell silent as they both processed the words, Harry seemed to deflate somewhat and if he hadn’t have been blocking the door Draco would’ve already bolted out of there. Instead, he just stood there, shrinking in on himself as he waited for Harry to say something. His anger was now gone, replaced with anxiety and fear at what would happen next. Suddenly, Harry blew up again.
“What the fuck do you mean you love me? You hate me.” He said, his voice raised but not quite shouting, just exasperated because he didn’t know why Draco had said that, but his voice absolutely refused to believe it was true so there had to be a reason and Harry was sick of being kept in the dark. Draco looked at him incredulously, his eyebrows raised in complete and utter disbelief. He had just confessed his love and Harry was still being a stubborn bastard and didn’t believe him. He felt the anger rise inside him again.
“Are you serious?! I just told you I love you and you think I’m lying? Why would I lie about that?!” Draco yelled, just fed up with the situation and the entire conversation. Harry huffed, seemingly considering it and trying to think of an answer before giving up and exhaling sharply through his nose.
“Well, I don’t know but it can’t be true!” Harry now took a step forward towards Draco, causing the blonde boy to take on backwards, unsure of what Harry would do and slightly scared.
“Why?! Just because you hated me since the moment you met me doesn’t mean I hated you, Potter.” Draco spat his name, the fact that he had finally had the courage to tell Harry how he feels and now the brunette refused to even believe he was telling the truth was infuriating.
“You made my life a living hell!” Harry retorted, taking another step forwards as Draco took another back, realising he was trapped as his back hit the wall, Harry still directly in his path to the exit. His expression became more worried, causing Harry’s to soften ever so slightly.
“Because you didn’t love me back!” Draco screamed, feeling a tear slip down his cheek, only now realising how much the entire ordeal had gotten to him, the anxiety of it all and the emotions running through him were too much. Harry noticed this and suddenly he was only angry that Draco hadn’t told him earlier, that they’d wasted so much time being enemies instead of friends, more even. Harry took a second to look at Draco, the fear and anxiety in his eyes was real, he was telling the truth, and it only confirmed Harry earlier thoughts, that Draco was good deep down and was trying his best to prove that through his father’s awful restrictions. He thought about how beautiful Draco really was, for the first time ever he noticed how Draco’s suit fit him perfectly and his eyes seemed to shimmer in the low light of the castle and how his slightly pink lips looked so stunning against his pale complexion. Harry was now furious, all these years he could’ve had Draco as his own, could’ve loved the Slytherin boy instead of spending his days hating him and watching him from afar, he could’ve been protecting Draco from all the evil that he was surrounded by, taken him back to the burrow as Molly cooked a nice meal and they watched the stars on clear nights. He was livid that Draco had kept his love from him and stopped all of that.
Harry suddenly surged forward, taking the last few steps towards Draco and grabbing his hips, pinning him against the wall as Draco’s eyes filled with fear, not knowing what was coming next. Harry gripped his hips tightly and kissed him hard, making the blonde gasp in shock but he immediately kissed back, hard and passionately. There was so much anger and pure emotion behind the kiss, like all their problems were pouring out as they clung to each other, clawing and grabbing onto the other, their tongues battling like the boys themselves had the last seven years of their lives. Draco threaded his hands into Harry’s soft hair, pulling as Harry pushed his leg between Draco’s thighs, creating beautiful friction and making the blonde moan. He’d never experienced this much passion in his life, it was like he could feel the years of hatred fighting with the years of unrequited love inside him, the love ultimately winning as he gave in to Harry, allowing the brunette to take over, to dominate him without question. Harry noticed this and picked Draco up, the blonde’s legs wrapping around his waist as he slammed him against the wall. Draco just moaned into Harry’s mouth, finding this aggressive and dominant side of Harry extremely hot.
When Harry finally pried his mouth away, they were both panting heavily, trying to catch their breath. Harry rested his forehead on Draco’s as he lowered him back to the ground, neither of them letting go of the other, like they couldn’t imagine ever letting go again, they had to make up for lost time.
“You should’ve told me.” Harry said quietly, his voice rough as he looked into Draco’s gorgeously blue eyes.
“Well, if I’d have known you’d do that I probably would’ve.” Draco couldn’t help but chuckle, Harry let out a breathy laugh and shook his head, causing Draco to laugh properly. Harry suddenly realised he’d never heard Draco laugh; it was a beautiful sound and he instantly decided it was his favourite noise in the world and he would spend all of his time trying to hear it over and over again. He just now realised that he really did love Draco too, Draco was right, the hatred was simply a cover up because he’d convinced himself he wasn’t allowed to feel anything else for the blonde boy.
Harry kissed his lips again, softly this time, all the anger and pining gone, replaced with love and infatuation. Draco smiled into it, causing Harry to do the same before he pulled off, taking Draco’s hand in his own and leading him out of the bathroom.
“Come on you prat.” Harry joked, smiling widely as they walked into the corridor. Draco rolled his eyes fondly.
“Where we going?” He questioned; Harry just smirked, which worried him.
“Back to my dorm to finish what we started in there.” Harry winked at him, and Draco blushed hard but felt arousal stir in his stomach as he happily followed Harry, hand in hand with his love, finally.