There were no words to describe the sinking feeling Harry Potter felt as he watched Draco Malfoy fall, pale and crumpled, to the floor of the cold bathroom.
It was just one little spell, Sectumsempra, but in an instant, he knew he'd made a grave mistake. It wasn't his fault, of course, having read the spell in the Half-Blood Prince's Potions textbook, but as he watched Draco groan, deep slashes seeping scarlet blood across his lithe frame, just one tear ran down Harry's cheek.
The dark shadow of Professor Snape appeared in the doorway. Harry was silent, not even stumbling towards Draco in an effort to see what damage Sectumsempra had truly inflicted. Snape crouched over Malfoy, murmuring a healing spell.
'Vulnera sanentur,' Harry heard Snape mutter, the bloodflow slowing as the newly appointed Defence Against the Dark Arts professor healed Draco.
Professor Snape looked up at Harry with an unforgiving look in his dark, glassy eyes. 'Who would have thought you knew such dark magic?'
Harry was numb for the rest of the day. He had never meant to harm Draco in such a drastic way. He couldn't even concentrate properly while he was being scolded by Professors Snape and McGonagall, not even when he was in detention, not even when he learned Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup. Harry Potter was a stumbling, hazy-eyed mess for the rest of the day.
Ron's younger sister Ginny had kissed him that day, and Harry had obediently kissed back, but these feelings he had for Ginny were platonic, brotherly. It was true, Ginny Weasley was very pretty, with glossy red hair and a shining smile, and yes, Harry had fancied her for a long time, but casting Sectumsempra upon Draco Malfoy seemed to have changed him. All he could think of was Draco.
When Harry closed his eyes, he saw Draco's watery blue eyes, glinting with tears in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He saw Draco's hand, closed tightly around his wand, shouting spells at Harry. He saw Draco's mouth, open in a silent scream, as he fell.
When Harry slept, he saw Draco's watery blue eyes, gazing into his own. He saw Draco's hand, closed tightly around his own. He saw Draco's mouth, pale pink lips pressing timidly against his own.
And when Harry woke up, he headed straight to the infirmary.
Madam Pomfrey was hunched over her desk in the office, scribbling something onto a piece of parchment. Harry slipped past, unnoticed. He saw Draco's sleeping form, peaceful and seemingly unharmed, apart from the great ugly scratches on his face, the bandages wrapped around his torso.
He also saw Pansy Parkinson, face contorted into a fierce scowl.
'Get out, Potter,' she hissed. 'Haven't you done enough?'
Harry said nothing, only slid into a chair next to Draco's bed. He felt tears welling in his emerald-green eyes, bitter tears of regret. Pansy watched Harry as he struggled to keep a straight face.
'I didn't mean it, I swear, I didn't!' Harry protested. It was becoming difficult to keep back the tears. 'I read the spell in my Potions book, well, somebody else's Potions book and it… it was the only thing that came to mind. Draco was just firing all these spells at me and I didn't know what to do.'
Pansy's scowl had softened and she was leaning closer to Harry. 'Do you love him?'
Harry was surprised. 'What kind of a question is that?'
'I said, do you love him?' Pansy murmured. 'He's truly not as bad as he seems. He's just misunderstood.'
Harry mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'maybe'.
'Potter loves me?'
Both Pansy and Harry looked up with a gasp. Draco was no longer asleep, and was sitting up in bed with an amused expression on his face. Harry saw the little smirk on the blond-haired Slytherin's face and stared at his shoes.
'M-maybe I should get going, then.' Harry muttered, cheeks the colour of his Gryffindor tie. He stood up and gave Pansy a quick nod, as if to say goodbye.
'Stay!' Draco ordered, reaching out to grab Harry's hand. 'I didn't tell you to leave, you git.'
And there were no words to describe the warm feeling Harry Potter felt as Draco Malfoy kissed him tenderly on the lips.