Back to school
"You think you've changed? Or do you just want us to think you've changed!? Protective Malfoy, Quiet Malfoy, SAD Malfoy."
This was the part Draco hated, the worst part was about to come, the part that made him want to turn and run before he had to see it.
Harry's words were thick with emotion but the anger always melted into sadness.
"Do you have any idea how many people died Malfoy?! How many people suffered? You helped them. You helped HIM, he killed-... SO many people. You helped him." Harry's voice cracked and his eyes had become red with the stress of holding back tears.
Draco could feel his own face sting, his stomach drop and his heart tear its self apart once again. He didn't walk away he just stood staring at the broken warrior who's life he helped tear to pieces at every turn, even before Voldemort took him.
"Why?" Harry asked breathlessly.
What was Draco supposed to say? 'He would have killed me'? 'He would have killed my family'? None of it mattered, in the end, he betrayed the side of good. He had made his choice, his life had been more important than everyone else's, and so this was the punishment, surviving.
Harry stepped closer to Malfoy brimming with emotion, anger was back in his voice now but he couldn't hide the sadness that stained his words with a tremor, "Tell me why." When he got no reply Harry let out a shaky sigh that held the last of his anger, when he spoke again all that was left was the broken sadness and disappointment, "You can't be evil Malfoy. No one is just evil. Tell me, please. I want to know you aren't I need to." The strength only returned to his voice for the last sentiment. Harry waited unwavering for any answer he could get.
When Draco spoke tears fell with his shaky broken voice, "HE was."
Harry knew who he meant but he had no reply, what could he say to someone who saw themselves as as bad as the worst wizard to ever live.
"My dad was, the death eaters were," Now that Draco started to talk he couldn't seem to stop his trembling lips from pouring out his burning thoughts, "I fought with them, I'm just as bad as them. I'm glad I survived,I'm glad I'm still here. Dying wouldn't have been enough. I-"
"SHUT UP MALFOY!" screamed Harry. He was buzzing with confliction, he wanted to be able to blame Malfoy, in reality he DID want to believe Malfoy was evil but he didn't and he couldn't. Was it fair that even he knew that and Draco didn't? "Voldemort never cried, Draco. He never mourned, he didn't regret anything except losing. You are nothing like him." The venom in Harry's voice didn't match the consolation of his words but Draco didn't want to listen to what he had to say.
"You said it yourself, blood is on my hands. I don't want your sympathy, the only reason I don't want your hatred is because of it h-" Draco stopped short, biting his lips through his unspoken words, he didn't plan on telling his ex-nemesis that he hated seeing him so torn, who was he to something like that? If he didn't want to hurt Harry he shouldn't have been the worst part of his day since they were eleven years old.
Harry just shook his head and walked around Malfoy, heading back to where he belonged, with his friends. And so Malfoy wiped his wet face, cursing himself violently inside his mind as he walked toward the Slytherin dungeons.