He really couldn't understand it.

When he was a first year, he didn't realize that the boy who fascinated him was The Boy Who Lived until told so. He just thought there was something different about him that he liked and wanted more of. He was eleven; he did not understand crushes and that homosexuality wasn't a bad thing. He'd only heard his father's words. And what his father had said was that if you insult people and appeal to others, that will get you far. So, of course, he assumed it would work on Harry Potter. When it backfired on him, he felt so incredibly hurt and humiliated, he felt glad for the distraction of Professor McGonagall.

After that, he took every opportunity he could to see Harry. It sucked that he had to pretend to hate him; he really just wanted to be Potter's friend. So, of course, he took every opportunity he could to see Harry, even if it meant breaking the rules.

He didn't like Weasley and Granger, honestly; he thought Weasley was a bad influence on Harry, and Granger was a stuck-up know-it-all Mudblood. He stopped using the word Mudblood eventually, but he still didn't like her. Harry was the only one of the trio who held any interest for him.

He secretly visited him whenever Harry was in the hospital wing. Dumbledore caught him their first year, just after Harry had gotten hold of the Philospher's Stone, and was supportive. That was the first time he ever found himself questioning his father. Dumbledore seemed like a good man.

He finally discovered what exactly he felt for the boy in their fourth year. When he found out that Harry and Cedric disappeared, he felt panic overcome him. The only thoughts inside his head were Oh, my god, please let him be alright and Don't let him die and Bring him back to me, oh dear God! He had to steady himself on Crabbe and Goyle because of the ferocity of his thoughts. They gave him weird looks, but he paid no attention to them.

He finally realized he was desperately in love with Harry James Potter.

Oh, bloody hell, he thought. Why him, of all people. And why a boy?!

Nevertheless, he found himself extremely relieved when Harry came back, albeit with a dead Cedric. Draco didn't care for Cedric; he kept his eyes on Harry the entire time, watched him sob and cry out that the Dark Lord was back. That alone caused him worry; if You-Know-Who was back, he'd want Harry dead.

Draco didn't want Harry dead.

And he was going to make sure Harry didn't die.

And maybe fall in love with him, but Draco didn't want to get his hopes up. He was pretty sure Harry was straight. But he would damn well try his hardest.

He went to Dumbledore very late that night. Barty Crouch, Jr. hadn't been dealt with yet, so Draco did his best to avoid him. Dumbledore was, to say the least, shocked.

"Hello, Draco," he greeted as he peered over his glasses. "And what brings you to my office?"

Draco glowered down at the floor before mumbling, "He won't die, right?"

Dumbledore gave him a bemused look. "Who's 'he'?"

"You know damn well who 'he' is, Professor!"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Ah, yes, I have a guess. Why would you care, Draco? I thought your obsession with the boy had lessened the summer between your first and second years?"

Draco's glared up at him, before muttering, "Expecto patronum," under his breath. The animal issued out from his wand surprised Dumbledore. "A doe…?"

"I saw him, that night last year. The night he saved Sirius Black. Harry Potter cannot die," Draco growled at Dumbledore.

"Would you be willing to go against your parents to ensure Mr. Potter lives?" the older man questioned.

That question made Draco freeze. Could he? Could he defy his parents, just to protect this one boy? This one boy who had seemingly meant everything to him ever since his first day at Hogwarts?

Draco smirked at his Headmaster and quipped, "Is that even a question?"

Hey, look, I'm alive.

I was up late reading Drarry fanfiction last night, and this just kinda happened. I'm not abandoning Sorek or Heardom Kingst, but I really like this and I like where I want to take this, so this might just be updated more regularly.

Once again, I don't own HP and I never will. Unfortunately.