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He spotted him in the corridor, it wasn't hard, he was briskly walking towards their next class. The other students had long since gone by now. "Potter." He nodded curtly.
"Malfoy." He said, nervously.
Draco frowned in confusion. "Why so distressed?"
"Oh, no reason." Harry quickly looked down at the floor.
Raising an eyebrow, "Really."
Blushing slightly, "yeah, sure. Forget it, it's nothing. We better get to class" Harry began walking again.
"No, Potter. I don't get it. You're suddenly excited about getting in time for History of Magic? What is wrong with you?"
"You know me, always punctual." He laughed slightly.
Draco snorted with laughter. "That is so not true."
Smiling slightly, "Oh you don't believe me?"
Draco shook his head. "I really don't." He sat down at the nearest windowsill and gazed out upon the green. "Well, you can go to class if you want, but I won't."
Harry's brow creases, "Is everything..alright?" He sits down next to Draco. "You can tell me."
Shaking his head, "No, I'm really fine."
Harry's frown deepens, "are you sure?"
Shrugging, "Yeah. I'll manage."
Harry shakes his head. "I don't believe you. I know we're not exactly 'friends' but hey, if you can't tell 'the chosen one'.." He smirked at the thought.
Draco manages a small laugh, "Well, I guess I'm just kind of bummed about my future."
Harry smiles at him. "You're Draco Malfoy. You could do anything you wanted, it's not like money would be an issue. What would you have to worry about?"
Shaking his head, "I can't. I can't do anything I want."
Harry dropped his smile and suddenly became serious. "Why? Because of your Father?"
Draco shakes his head. "No, he's in Azkaban and has no control of me anymore. Mother, on the other hand..." he broke off, and looked out the window once more.
Harry, confused, said "Narcissa loves you, I'm not really seeing the issue here."
"She.... well, she doesn't love me enough to let me go off on my own."
"Maybe she's just scared after all you've been through. Maybe she doesn't want to feel like she's lost you."
Draco shook his head. "No, it's not like that. She just wants me to do what I was brought up to do."
"Which would be.. what exactly?"
Draco sighs. Harry sure is a persistent one. "She wants me to live at the Manor, firstly. And I can't stand that place. Not since... what happened there. Secondly, she wants me to take over the family business and fortune, which I just want to get rid of. Lastly, she's forcing me into an arranged marriage, because she wants me to carry on the Malfoy name. And I really don't want to be a Malfoy anymore. I want a different name and a different future. I can't stand for what the Malfoy name stands for."
Suddenly Harry understood. His tone became worried, "I know you already know this, but you can't let her control you like that. Your Father forced you into a life you didn't want and now that he's gone your Mother wants to keep you caged like that? She cares about you, sure, but you despise the Malfoy name. You can't pretend like everything's okay when it's not." Suddenly concerned, "arranged..marriage?"
Draco nods slowly. "Yeah. July first, this summer. As soon as we have graduated."
Frowning, Harry asked, "who's the lucky lady?"
"Astoria Greengrass." He said bluntly. "Sixth year Slytherin, you probably don't know her. Pureblood, of course." Draco rolled his eyes at the thought.
Harry looked down and focused on the tiled floor. "Only the very best for you."
Shaking his head, "not at all."
Harry looked into Draco's eyes, but then quickly looked away. "No, you deserve the best."
"I really don't. And she's not, anyway."
"I'm sure you'll do what's right." And then, quietly to himself, "I didn't mean her."
Draco became slightly helpless. "I can't do anything, that's the problem. There was a contract signed by my parents before I had become of age, and that applies. The only way I could ever get out of this, is if I married someone else before summer. But the one I'm in love with hates me, has never even looked my way, so if I were to marry someone I didn't love... then why shouldn't it be her? It would be the same with anyone."
Harry tries to lighten the mood, he jokingly states "throughout all the enemies you've made you'd find a way to charm them all." Suddenly serious, "they at least deserve to know... you at least deserve to be happy."
Draco shook his head once more. "No... never him." He blushed as he realised what he'd just said. "I don't deserve to be happy, though. That's the thing. That's why I'm not fighting this. I've done some horrible things... and I deserve to be punished."
Harry frowned. "Everyone deserves a second chance" His eyes widen, "..Him?"
Draco's blush deepens "Y-yeah."
"Y-you don't mean.. you.." Harry cleared his throat.
Draco nodded slowly. "I... Yeah. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I wasn't thinking."
"N-no, it's good that you told me-" He blushes slightly, and clears his throat once more. "That you told someone. Does anyone else know?"
Draco shook his head again. "Yeah... I've never told anyone, but the Dark Lord knew, because he could see into my head, which was why eventually I had to learn Occlumency, and he punished me for it. Father knew, because the Lord knew, and he punished me for it. And since all the Death Eaters knew, it somehow got out... And now some of the people in school know, too. Like Smith in Hufflepuff. He likes to beat me for it." He shrugged it off as if it was ordinary.
Harry suddenly became angry. "You don't deserve that." He shook his head. "No one has the right to make you feel bad for wanting to be yourself." He smirked at himself. "Smith's one to talk, I always catch him staring at me."
Draco blushed in surprise. "Oh.... I didn't know you were with him."
Harry looked surprised. "Oh, I'm not. He's just desperate, soon as he found out I was ga-" He caught himself, and began blushing. He looked away, embarassed.
Draco's eyes widened in surprise. "Y-you're...?" He blushed. "What did he do, when he found out?"
Harry cleared his throat. "Heh, guess the cat's out of the bag for both of us, ey? Y-yeah I'm.. yeah." His brow creased. "Something I'm not proud of."
Draco bit his lip. "Wait... are you not proud of being gay, or not proud of what he did?"
Harry looked straight at Draco. "Let's just say he's more then a little desperate."
Draco frowned in confusion. "Did you... did you succumb?"
Harry's cheeks flushed red. "I didn't have a choice."
Draco felt his eyes begin to water. "Oh, Harry...." He placed a comforting hand on Harry's. "I know how it feels. I'm so sorry, you didn't deserve it."
Harry looked grave and his face paled. "We've all done things we're not proud of." He looked at Draco once more. "Th-thank you, Draco."
Draco smiled sadly. "Well, I didn't exactly do anything. And neither did you, if I've got it right."
Harry sighed sadly. "I, I didn't put up much of a fight." Ashamed, he admitted "I knew there was no point, he left me alone after that. Mostly... B-but enough about me." He smiled softly. "So, I guess I should ask who the lucky guy is then?"
Draco shook his head. "I couldn't, either. He had Nagini hold me down." He blushed heavily. "I... I can't say."
Harry looked solumn. All traces of a smile gone. "You don't mean to say.. when you said you were pu-punished for being.. Draco tell me it's not what I think, please."
Draco blushed, biting his lip he nodded slowly, avoiding Harry's eyes. Harry gasped, his eyes began to well up and he placed his arms around Draco. Draco sighed shakily, leaning into Harry's embrace and whispered, "he's gone now, at least. I just wish I could vanish Smith for you, as well. To repay my debt."
Harry closed his eyes to refrain from crying and breathed deeply. "I'm sorry Draco. I'm sorry for the years of pointless rivalry. I'm sorry I wasn't a friend to you, when you clearly needed it. Forget Smith, he's not worth it." His arms tightened around the boy.
Draco managed a small smile. "I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry I didn't break out, I'm sorry I didn't help you. I'm sorry my first impulse when you saw me crying was to curse you. I'm sorry I didn't die when you tried to kill me. I'm sorry for so many things, Harry."
Harry turned him to look into Harry's eyes. "You don't need to apologise for anything Draco. It's all in the past now. All that matters is you're happy now." He smiled somewhat. "I like your smile.. I've never really seen it."
Draco blushed, looking down. "I'm not happy. I probably won't ever be." He shrugged. "I guess... I guess I've never really had a reason to smile before."
Harry put a finger under Draco's chin, forcing him to look into Harry's green eyes. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't be."
Draco shrugged. "I can't change it. I'm stuck."
Harry smiled sadly. "There's nothing I can do to help, I guess."
Draco shook his head, sighing, "n-no. Nothing you would want to do, anyway."
He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Draco shrugged, trying to make a joke about it, "you could marry me before summer."
Harry looked at him, surprised. "Would that make you happy?" He laughed slightly.
Draco blushed deeply, stammering. "N-no, I just meant... It would get me out of my marriage with her"
Something flashed across Harry's face, but then changed to a small smile. "Draco?"
He bit his lip nervously. "Y-yes?"
Blushing, he asked "will you marry me?"
Draco felt his eyes start to prick. "No. Not like this."
Harry sat back, feeling the sting of rejection. "N-no?" He tried to laugh it off. "Oh, I understand. No, really.. yeah."
Draco sighed. "I don't want you to marry me just because you feel sorry for me, Harry. It wouldn't make either of us happy. You deserve to be with the person you love."
Harry's blush deepened, he looked away sadly. "He doesn't want me."
Draco sighed sadly, he felt the treacherous tears begin to run down his cheeks. "Then he's fooling himself."
The brunette wiped the tears away with the edge of his thumb. "He's right not to want me, he deserves better."
Draco shook his head, shivering at Harry's touch. "No one could be better than you."
His hand lingered on Draco's face. "I really do love him, you know. More then anything."
He felt tears flow down and he tried to look away, feeling pain just from seeing Harry's face, "then he's very lucky."
Harry's brow creased. "Draco.. why're you crying?"
Draco tried to smile. "I... nothing. I'm fine."
Harry's face saddened. "Draco don't lie to me. Please.."
He shook his head. "N-no, I'm really fine, Harry. I'll be okay."
Harry pulled him into a soft hug and whispered. "I know you better then that."
Draco managed a slight laugh. "You don't know me at all."
Harry became serious, "but I want to."
Draco blushed. "I want you to. I want you to know me."
Harry hugged him tighter. "Then please, tell me. Tell me anything. Everything. I want to be there for you."
Draco melted into his embrace, sighing sadly. "I'm in love. And that's the problem."
Harry saddens, his eyes beginning to well up with fresh tears. "It doesn't have to be. Just tell him how you feel. Show him if you have to. Just.. do what makes you happy. Please, for me."
Draco felt tears continue to run down his face. "No... he'd be better off not knowing. I know it would make him sad to know that I'm unhappy, that I want something he doesn't want to give me... And I don't want to hurt him."
Harry squeezed his eyes shut. "Wouldn't you rather tell him and find out how he feels, then spend the rest of your life wondering if he felt the same? You really want to spend your life married to Astoria, unhappy?"
He shook his head. "I already know he doesn't want me. He's in love with someone else. And I could never measure up to his standards, anyway."
Harry's heart yearned for Draco. "How can you be sure if you don't tell him?" He laughed slightly. "'his standards' please, anyone, and I mean anyone, would be lucky to call you his own. He doesn't know how lucky he is."
"He told me he's in love with someone else." He blushed and shook his head vigorously. "No. I'm disgusting, and ugly, a criminal, vermin, scum. No one would ever go for me. My father told me so himself; the only way I could ever get some action is if I sold myself in Knockturn Alley."
Harry clenched his fists, tears threatening to spill over and then falling silently. "No Draco. Enough. I can't bear to hear you talk like that. Just.. stop. Don't listen to your Father, he's in Azkaban for crying out loud! You're beautiful. You're funny and intelligent and charming. You're everything a man could want and more. Don't ever think less of yourself, please."
Draco shook his head. "You know it's true, Harry. You know it. No one will ever love me, or even desire me... And least of all him."
Harry let go of Draco and stood up. "Damnit Draco, open your eyes. Open your eyes to what's right in front of you." He looked into Draco's pearly grey eyes and said, bluntly, "he loves you."
Draco sighed shakily, immediately missing Harry's soft touch, but knowing he let go because he disgusted him. "He doesn't. Of course he doesn't."
Harry looked away and whispered, "I love you."
Draco shook his head again, tears streamed down his face. "No, I know you don't."
Harry blushed deeply. "Draco. Listen to me! I.. I love you."
Draco bit his lip, sighing shakily. "I wish you would, Harry. I really do."
Harry grabbed his hand and forced him to stand. The sound of him almost stumbling onto Harry vibrated through the empty halls. "Draco. You're not listening to me. You are beautiful. You're amazing. You're everything I want and more. Why am I not good enough for you?"
"You are good enough, Harry. You're everything I've ever wanted. I'm not good enough for you, though. You deserve so much better."
"There's no man better than you, Dray. I love you." He uttered, exasperated.
He blushed, shaking his head. "This can't be real. The Harry Potter I know would never say that."
Harry laughed lightly and repeated what Draco had said. "You don't know me at all."
Draco became solumn and smiled sadly. "I know. Because you never wanted me to."
He became serious, "that's not true." Shaking his head, "I thought I wasn't..good enough."
Blushing once more, "You surely must have known that you were always way out of reach for me. I could never get to your level."
Harry was taken aback. "Excuse me? I'm out of your league? Oh Dray, you really are clueless aren't you?"
Draco shook his head slowly, not quite understanding him. "I'm... I'm quite perceptive."
He run his hand through his hair and bit his lip. "You don't understand and I'm afraid you never will."
"Then please, try to explain!"
Harry turned away. "I have Dray. I have.. I love you, but I don't think that's enough for you."
"Of course it's enough! It's more than I could ever ask for!"
Harry bowed his head, still turned away from Draco, and said, glumly, "then why won't you marry me?"
He sighed shakily. "I wouldn't hesitate to marry you if you were asking because you love me, because you think it's the right time, because you want to spend the rest of your life with me. But if you're asking because you feel sorry for me... then I can't do it. It would hurt too much."
Now desperate. "Dray, you're still not listening." He sighed heavily. "I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't what I wanted, more then anything."
"S-so... what are you saying?"
Harry turned around slowly, looking Draco right in the eye and got down on one knee. "Marry me. Make me happy. Love me. Desire me. Be mine."
Draco's blush deepened madly, he bit his lip to try to swallow a huge smile. "Y-yes. Please, Harry."
A huge smile broke across Harry's face, he stood up and pulled him into a soft kiss. Draco gasped and immediately melted into the kiss, shivering. Harry wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled back slightly, opening his eyes.
"I love you, Dray."
He smiled softly and blushed. "I've loved you ever since I met you."
Harry smiled back, blushing slightly. "I really do love that smile."
He took a shaky breath, "you make me dizzy, Harry."
Harry gave a very cheeky grin and winked at him. "I'll do more than that, Dray."
Blushing, "what, then?"
Laughing softly and blushing slightly, "anything. Everything. I love you Dray, I want you. I want every part of you. You're finally mine." He smiled.
He leaned forward and whispered in Harry's ear. "I've always been yours."
Harry's blush deepened. "I know."
Seemingly out of the blue, "did you know before, as well? Did you know, that night when I almost died at your hand?"
Harry stopped smiling. "I've always regretted that night. Always at the back of my mind, screaming at me. 'How could you? How dare you hurt him?' That wasn't me... I'm not him. Not anymore.. I'm sorry, Dray."
He shook his head. "You don't need to be sorry, you helped me. I wanted to die, that night. I was going to...well, I was going to end up slashed to bits that night anyway, and I was actually disappointed when I woke up a week later in the Hospital Wing. When I passed out on the bathroom floor, it was with a smile. I thought you had finally saved me."
He shook him slightly, "No Dray. Don't you see? I'm saving you now. Now you can finally be happy. I can hopefully give you everything you deserve, maybe more." Biting his lip, "I love you so much."
Draco smiled, blushing. "Yeah, this time, you're saving me for real."
Harry pulled him close against his chest, laughing softly. "We should really get to class."
He bit his lip nervously. "That means we have to hate each other again, right?"
Harry shook his head softly. "I could never hate you, Dray. Never. Screw what everyone else thinks, we're graduating soon. Soon, we'll be married. They're going to find out one way or another."
"So.... they could find out today?"
He looked into his eyes, "only if you're ready. I don't want to pressure you into anything too soon." He laughed. "Even if we are now engaged."
Draco blushed slightly, "I want them to know." He said, decisively.
He smiled. "Me to." He laced his hand with Draco's.
Draco smiled and pecked Harry's lips with a soft kiss. "So... class, then?"
Blushing, "after you."
Draco said, smiling, "always the gentleman." And they began walking through the stone corridors to class.