Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Draco Malfoy. They both belong to J.K. Rowling. I am making no money from this story.

A/N: This is my first fic EVER. I'm thinking about turning it into a chapter fic, but I'm not sure. It can stand on its own as it is. I apologize for any mistakes, I am trying to find a Beta. If you find mistakes please let me know and I will fix them as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy!

Broken Souls and Shattered Spirits

They hated each other. Everyone knew that. Proof could be found in the plethora of hexes thrown, insults spat, and fights ensued. However, the hatred was only displayed when in public. Behind closed doors, hidden in secret staircases, or tucked away in shadowed alcoves, they were different. They were friends, lovers, confidants, or anything else for the other.

It had all started in their sixth year. Harry knew Draco was up to something but could never figure out what. So he followed Draco through corridors and down staircases until Harry found himself standing in front of the entrance to the prefect's bathroom. He stood there staring at the door for some time before finally summoning as much Gryffindor courage as possible. As he entered the bathroom, what he found surprised him. He had expected Malfoy to be waiting, wand drawn, for Harry to appear just to hex his bits off for snooping. However, what he found was Malfoy leaning over a sink…crying? Was Draco Lucius Malfoy—son of Death Eaters—crying? Yes. Draco was definitely crying.

"Draco?" Harry asked timidly.

Draco started at hearing his given name spoken by his enemy. He turned to glare at Potter only to find himself rendered incapable. All it took was one look in Harry's eyes to know that he was genuinely concerned. It touched Draco to know that even his enemy wasn't all bad. But, after living with a madman for so long, that bit of information only minutely adjusted his faith in human goodness.

"What do you want?" he finally asked, defeated, as he sank to the floor.

Harry just stared into those crystalline stainless steel-colored eyes knowing that Draco was hurting…seriously. Harry knew where Draco was mentally and from the looks of it, Draco's physical state was not faring much better. He looked exhausted. It was almost as if Draco hadn't slept soundly in weeks. In all honesty, it looked as if the war was getting to him as much as it was to Harry.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked as he joined him on the floor, choosing not to tell Draco his exact reason for being in the prefect's bathroom.

"Why do you care?" was the snarky reply, though it lacked the bite it usually sustained.

I love you…and I hate seeing you so upset, Draco.

"I know how you feel. This war isn't easy for anyone, especially you and me. We aren't that different, you know?"

"What are you talking about? Of course we're different! You're Harry Potter: the-Boy-Who-Lived, the Chosen One, the Gryffindor Golden Boy. I'm Draco Malfoy: son of Lucius Malfoy, known Death Eater turned snitch. We're nothing alike, Potter." Even the snarl and disdain Draco tried to force into using Harry's surname sounded weak and faulty.

"You don't think so? Because…I see you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, as a sixteen-year-old boy, forced to become a man by killing his headmaster, betraying his friends, and joining the ranks of his father. I think that even though you act all tough, you're just as scared about this as I am."

"I'm not scared, Potter!" He tried again to instill the hatred he had once been able to manage flawlessly, once again failing.

"Fine," he conceded. "You're not scared. But, I can tell by the look in your eyes that you really don't want to kill Dumbledore. Nor do you want to get the Mark or hurt your friends. You've never been a killer and you've always been loyal to your friends. I understand what it's like having a huge weight thrown on top of you when you aren't ready for it. I wasn't even old enough to walk when it happened, and now it's only gotten heavier."

They sat in silence as Draco let the words Harry had just spoken sink in. Maybe they weren't so different from each other. Maybe he could find some comfort in the words of his (former?) enemy. Draco had always wanted to be friends with Harry and the universe seemed to be presenting him with the perfect opportunity to mend broken ties with the onyx haired teen.

"Potter?"

"Hmm?"

"I want you to tell me something and be honest with me, okay?"

"Sure," Harry said, quirking an eyebrow in confusion.

"Why did you follow me here? I know that you're not a prefect so you can't be just 'passing through.' So what exactly are you doing here?"

"Honestly?" he asked, looking at a nodding Draco, "I was coming to confront you about Katie Bell. I was going to hex you until you told me the reason you possessed her with the package. But, when I saw how upset you were, I couldn't go through with it. I do have a heart you know?" They shared a small chuckle at that.

"But, why do you care if I'm upset? You hate me."

"I don't hate you. I don't always like you, but I don't hate you."

"Why not? You have every right to hate me. We've been rivals forever. What's changed your mind now?"

"It's not a recent change. I've always wanted to get to know you, but every time I ever got close to you, you would throw a hex or an insult at me or one of my friends. Friends are something that I hold very precious because I didn't have any growing up."

"Yeah, right! I'm sure you had loads of people who fell to your feet wanting to be friends with the Boy Who Lived."

"Not even close. I didn't even know I was a wizard until my eleventh birthday. You were the first wizard I'd ever met, back in Madame Malkins while we were getting fitted for school robes. Until my letter from Hogwarts came, I lived in the broom cupboard under the stairs because my aunt and uncle refused to have a nephew who was a freak like my mother. I was verbally abused by my aunt, uncle, and cousin and physically abused by my uncle and cousin. That's the reason why I love being here so much. I can finally get away from all the bad memories of my childhood. I was never loved by anyone until I came here."

Draco sat in stunned silence at the new confession. Maybe he and Harry weren't so different after all. Maybe if he'd tried harder to win Harry over, they could have been friends. Draco wasn't used to having conversations like these with anyone, let alone Harry. Maybe it was time to turn over a new leaf and move on from the past.

"My name is Draco Lucius Malfoy. I am the son of a known Death Eater, I have a madman living in my home, and I would like to make your acquaintance."

Harry looked at Draco curiously, but understood the huge leap they'd just made in mending a broken relationship and starting over. Effectively wiping the slate clean. So Harry decided to accept the offer that was being presented.

"Hello, Draco. I am Harry James Potter. I am the orphaned son of parents killed by the madman living in your house. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," he smiled.

A/N: Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.