Dedicated to theloveoctagon! Readers if you knew this girl you would love her. She is quiet but when she speaks she speaks both deep premeditated truths and zany randomness. Sometimes it's hard to tell which she is contemplating in her cute head.
I do not own Harry Potter or Draco Mallfoy or even the OC in later chapter because it is based on theloveoctagon.
I'm not a fan of this pairing but it was a request. Please forgive me Ginny!
"You'd think killing people would make them like you! But it doesn't: it just makes them dead!" ~Voldemort in A Very Potter Musical
Draco was just as surprised by what the room of requirement revealed he needed as Harry was to see him. They were in the DA's old meeting room where Draco had busted Harry before everything had happened. Even though it had only been a few years, it seemed like ages to the both of them. Since then they had both seen so many cruel things and had been forced to grow up. Both boys had abandoned their childish schoolboy antics and they faced each other in that moment as adults even though they were only 18. Draco's hesitant footsteps echoed in the empty room.
The room seemed so gray and dreary without the lively passion of students. Draco had longed to be a part of that passion long ago and had enviously sabotaged it in a fit of rage he had always regretted.
"How long has it been?" asked Draco tentatively.
"A year. Maybe longer. It feels like just yesterday and an eternity ago all at once."
"Yeah, I know!" Draco rushed forward, thrilled at someone summing up his emotions so perfectly. He stopped himself though. "Look, Harry, I'm sorry."
"Speak no more of it, mate…Its in the past and I thought you knew I forgave you the night you wouldn't sell me out…Here" Harry passed him the bottle of fire whisky he had. They sat on a rickety bench, slouching identically. Harry rubbed his scar as a force of habit. The fire whiskey burned their throats.
"You know, I didn't forgive you because you didn't sell me out. I didn't forgive you because we were even. I forgave you because…you deserved it."
"Thanks."
"Again, don't mention it."
Harry got up and continued what he had been doing before Draco's unexpected entrance. He cast spell after spell at the poor, battered, iron practice dummy. Draco observed the tension filled motions of the other wizard. After a moment he joined him and they let out their mutual anger in a blind fury. The entire time they passed the bottle and took, long indulging swigs to further delude their pain.
"Our generation will never be the same," who spoke that sad truth will never be remembered because they were both thinking it. Whoever was able to finally form the words hardly mattered.
Both of them had suffered from regrets and anguished over the losses of the massive events that had maimed their lives and the lives of all the witches and wizards of their generation permanently. Sleepless nights filled with numbing substances had become the norm. Not a day went by without something reminding them of their mistakes and those who had died because of their mistakes.
Harry reached his fingers to brush a white lock from Draco's forehead. They stood; staring into each other's eyes for a long moment, sweat dripping from their messy hair. Harry's wand clattered to the floor and then so did Draco's. Reaching out a hand, Draco caressed Harry's cheek. He breathed hard, from the exertion and the uncertainty he felt about his actions. He leaned in and buried his head in Harry's shoulder, wrinkling the robes. He clutched at Harry and cried silent tears into his chest. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco. Draco couldn't see but knew Harry's face was also tear stained.
They sank into each other's arms and took solace in each other. The two powerful wizards in the room of requirement, feeling mutual pain, held each other and wept. For all the strength and wisdom they had gained they could not go back and undo their actions in the past. They would carry the burden of the tragedies they had caused, been unable to prevent and had had no power over for the rest of their lives. Yet in that one moment they took comfort from each other and everything seemed slightly less dark and scary because they were together.
Draco brushed a kiss across Harry's neck. And before either of them knew what was happening they were locked in a passionate kiss. It burned with all the fire of their past hate, their camaraderie, their love, their friendship, their sorrows, regrets and anxieties. It was fervent and scary. Each inch they examined of each other was intriguing and forbidding. Yet it comforted the broken wizards. They felt their fears fade, their wounds scab over, stinging still but patched up for the moment, and one of the many regrets washed away entirely.
The single deed Draco had regretted the most healed: Harry. Draco had regretted everyday since they had last met; all the times he had hurt Harry and ultimately not revealing his true feelings.
