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Life carried on in much the same way.
Draco would occasionally end up cornered whenever he found himself alone. Every now and then, he would run into Harry in the corridors. They would exchange a nod before continuing on their separate ways.
But sooner or later, something had to give.
After all, secrets never stayed hidden forever.
Until the Aurors’ supervision period ended, Draco’s wand would remain in Harry’s possession. The Ministry called it “temporary safekeeping.”
A neat little phrase for taking away his wand.
Without a wand, magic could only do so much.
And no one could expect his attackers to be kind enough to cast a Cleaning Charm or a healing spell every time they were done with him.
One day, Pansy realized she had forgotten her lipstick and returned to the common room to retrieve it.
She happened to catch Draco coming back.
The sight nearly broke her heart.
He was covered in bruises.
Even his face bore signs of injury.
Pansy could do nothing but cry.
After that, she, Blaise, Nott, and Goyle refused to let Draco go anywhere alone.
Not under any circumstances.
Just as Pansy had stumbled across Draco after he had been attacked, Harry’s attention toward his former rival had only grown stronger than before.
“Draco!”
In a quiet corner of the castle, Draco froze at the sound of someone calling his name.
That voice.
He missed it far more than he should have.
But he didn’t want Harry to see him like this.
So battered.
So undignified.
A Malfoy should never look this pathetic.
Especially not in front of the person he loved.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Harry was slightly out of breath by the time he reached him. He rested a hand on Draco’s shoulder.
“Draco, I just ran into Irwin and the others. Are… are you okay?”
Draco shuddered.
His eyes closed.
He refused to answer.
That silence was answer enough.
Harry felt anger flare inside him.
And something else.
Helplessness.
He had no idea how many people had been treating Draco this way.
No idea how long it had been going on.
Earlier, he had simply happened to pass through a secluded corridor and encountered Irwin’s group coming around a corner. Out of simple House camaraderie, they exchanged greetings.
Then Irwin had brought up Draco.
Their old rivalry.
With a grin, he had informed Harry that they understood he was a noble and forgiving Savior who even showed mercy toward former Death Eaters.
But there was no need to worry.
They had already taken care of Draco for him.
Harry had been furious.
There was only one person in Hogwarts who still carried any real association with the Death Eaters.
Draco.
It had taken all his self control not to punch Irwin in the face.
Instead, he demanded to know where Draco was and hurried off in search of him.
Which had led to this moment.
Mixed in with the anger was an ache he couldn’t quite explain.
Seeing Draco hurt bothered him.
A lot.
Maybe it was because Draco was his friend now.
That had to be it.
If Ron were the one being treated like this, he would feel exactly the same.
Wouldn’t he?
“Draco, we’re friends. If something’s wrong, you can tell me. I’ll help you. I promise.”
Harry stepped around until he was standing in front of him.
His green eyes were full of concern.
“The great Savior has another hero complex episode, has he?” Draco snapped. “A Malfoy doesn’t need anyone’s pity.”
The moment the words left his mouth, he wanted to bite off his own tongue.
Brilliant.
Absolutely brilliant.
Harry had just said they were friends.
Could he not go one conversation without ruining everything?
Why did he always make things worse?
Inside, Draco was screaming.
Outwardly, he remained cold and composed.
He lowered his gaze.
His thick lashes hid the regret in his eyes.
“You…”
Harry choked on whatever he had been about to say.
He swallowed down the familiar urge to argue with Draco.
Taking a deep breath, he tried again.
“Draco, maybe you could try accepting kindness once in a while? We’re friends now, aren’t we? You get along with Pansy and the others. You can do the same with me.”
A grin spread across his face.
“Besides, I’m a Gryffindor.”
Harry sounded absurdly proud of that fact.
And somehow, that was what finally broke Draco.
Honestly.
He was completely helpless against this stupid lion.
“Then, Potter…”
“It’s Harry. Not Potter. You should call me Harry, just like Ron and Hermione do.”
“Well, Pot… Harry.” Draco corrected himself with obvious reluctance. “As you’ve probably noticed, this would be called… what was the Muggle term? Bullying? I believe that’s it.”
“Draco…”
“Stop looking at me like that. There’s nothing tragic about it. I brought this on myself.”
His tone was deliberately casual.
Unfortunately, the movement pulled at a cut on his lip.
Pain flashed across his face.
“But they don’t have the right to do this.” Harry stepped closer. “The Ministry cleared you. None of this is your fault.”
Then, before Draco could react, Harry wrapped his arms around him.
“This isn’t your fault, Draco.”
For a moment, Draco’s brain simply stopped working.
One second they had been talking.
The next, Harry was hugging him.
Was this how Gryffindors expressed friendship?
Draco generally disliked being touched.
But Harry’s embrace…
It was warm.
Dangerously warm.
And hearing Harry say it wasn’t his fault made something ache deep inside him.
His eyes stung.
He refused to blink.
He had embarrassed himself enough already.
“But Dumbledore…”
“That wasn’t you.”
Harry cut him off immediately.
Dumbledore’s death remained one of Harry’s deepest wounds.
And one of Draco’s.
Even knowing that Dumbledore had planned everything in advance, Draco could never fully rid himself of the guilt.
If he had never disarmed Dumbledore.
If the Elder Wand had never changed allegiance…
Harry suddenly tightened his arms.
The thought vanished.
“Mhm.”
The sound was barely audible.
His Harry.
Always so certain about right and wrong.
Always charging forward without fear.
Draco loved that about him.
Just as much as he loved Harry’s recklessness.
His stubborn sincerity.
What was he supposed to do?
He was falling even deeper.
He had reminded himself countless times that Harry had Ginny.
That they belonged together.
Yet a little kindness from Harry was enough to soften him.
A little warmth was enough to make his heart race.
Slowly, Draco returned the embrace.
His hand moved gently across Harry’s back.
Because he knew Harry needed comfort too.
Harry had just spoken about Dumbledore.
The afternoon breeze drifted past them.
Vines rustled softly against the castle walls.
Hidden away in an empty corner of Hogwarts, everything felt peaceful.
Everything felt perfect.
*
Later, Harry cast a healing spell on him.
The results were not particularly impressive, but Draco felt somewhat better afterward.
Harry then accompanied him to the Hospital Wing to collect potions.
Afterward, he walked him all the way back to the Slytherin dungeons.
“Thank you for today, Harry.”
“Huh? Oh. It’s nothing, Draco. If anything happens in the future, you can always come find me…”
“All right. I know. I’d better go now. You should head back too.”
Draco interrupted him.
This was the entrance to Slytherin.
Far too many eyes were around.
He didn’t want anyone speculating about what exactly had changed between him and Harry.
Harry, fortunately, didn’t overthink it.
After a few more reminders to take care of himself, he finally left.
Draco let out a slow breath.
Only when Harry disappeared around the corner did he speak the password and enter the common room.
The moment he stepped inside, he was surrounded.
“Draco!”
Pansy practically launched herself across the room.
“The Savior walked you back? Harry Potter walked you back?”
Her voice climbed higher with every word.
Blaise looked up from the sofa.
Even Nott and Goyle turned their attention toward him.
Draco immediately felt a headache coming on.
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
“It wasn’t a big deal?” Pansy repeated. “Draco, Harry Potter escorted you all the way to the Slytherin dungeons. Do you have any idea how unbelievable that sounds?”
“He was just making sure I got back safely.”
The room fell silent.
Pansy stared.
Blaise stared.
Nott stared.
Even Goyle stared.
Draco suddenly regretted opening his mouth.
“Got back safely?” Blaise asked slowly.
“Yes.”
“Harry Potter?”
“Yes.”
“The same Harry Potter you’ve been feuding with since first year?”
Draco hesitated.
“…Yes.”
Pansy collapsed dramatically onto the sofa.
“I knew it.”
“Knew what?” Draco asked.
“I knew something was going on between the two of you.”
Draco nearly choked.
“Nothing is going on.”
“Please.” Pansy rolled her eyes. “Do you think we’re blind?”
Draco looked away.
Unfortunately, that only made him seem guiltier.
Pansy narrowed her eyes.
Then she gasped.
A long, horrified gasp.
“Oh my God.”
“Pansy.”
“Oh my God.”
“Pansy.”
“You fancy Harry Potter.”
The common room exploded.
“What?” Nott nearly shouted.
Goyle looked completely lost.
Blaise covered his face with one hand.
Draco felt as if the entire world had stopped spinning.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Then Pansy pointed directly at him.
“Look at his face.”
“He’s blushing.”
“I am not.”
“You absolutely are.”
“I am not.”
“Draco Lucius Malfoy, your ears are red.”
Instinctively, Draco raised a hand to cover them.
Which only proved her point.
Pansy let out a triumphant shriek.
“I knew it!”
Draco wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole.
This was worse than any curse.
Worse than any duel.
Worse than being cornered by half of Gryffindor House.
His secret had survived years of war.
It had survived Voldemort.
And now it had been exposed by Pansy Parkinson in under five minutes.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Draco.”
“I don’t.”
“Draco.”
“I don’t.”
Blaise sighed.
“You do realize that repeating it doesn’t make it more convincing.”
Traitor.
Absolute traitor.
Draco shot him a glare.
Blaise looked entirely unbothered.
Eventually, after nearly an hour of interrogation, Draco escaped.
He retreated to his dormitory with what remained of his dignity.
Not much, admittedly.
The moment the door closed behind him, he buried his face in his pillow.
This was a disaster.
A complete disaster.
Pansy knew.
Blaise definitely knew.
Nott probably knew.
At this rate, Goyle would know too.
And Goyle noticed almost nothing.
A muffled groan escaped into the pillow.
How had things become this ridiculous?
A short while later, the dormitory door opened.
Blaise stepped inside.
“You alive?”
“No.”
“Good to hear.”
Draco threw a pillow at him.
Blaise caught it effortlessly.
“Relax.”
“I am relaxed.”
“You look like someone just announced Harry Potter’s engagement.”
Draco froze.
Blaise immediately raised an eyebrow.
“Interesting reaction.”
“Get out.”
“No.”
“Get out.”
“No.”
*
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Blaise sat down on the edge of his bed.
“You’re serious about him.”
It wasn’t a question.
Draco stared at the ceiling.
Eventually, he exhaled.
“…Yes.”
The admission felt strangely relieving.
Blaise nodded.
As though he had expected it all along.
“Does he know?”
“No.”
“Are you going to tell him?”
“No.”
That answer came far too quickly.
Draco closed his eyes.
Harry had Ginny.
That was the beginning and end of it.
Some feelings were better left unsaid.
*
Blaise was quiet for a moment.
Then he said softly,
“You know, for someone who claims to be a Slytherin, you’re surprisingly terrible at pursuing what you want.”
Draco laughed.
A small laugh.
A tired one.
“Maybe.”
Outside, the Black Lake pressed silently against the windows.
The common room beyond had finally gone quiet.
Tomorrow would bring new problems.
New gossip.
New complications.
But for now, Draco simply lay there and listened to the distant sound of water.
And, despite everything, found himself thinking about Harry’s hug.
Again.
And again.
And again.