Disclaimer:

I do not own Harry Potter.

Warnings:

MANY quotes from HP series

Draco Malfoy's POV

Encounter

I saw a boy with messy raven hair.

I was too well-protected to step outside Malfoy Manor.

Merlin knew how much I wanted a friend of my age.

'Hello. Hogwarts, too?'

'I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?'

'Why is he with you? Where are your parents?'

I became his friend, almost.

Train

'Is it true?They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?'

'And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.'

'You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.'

He just gave shrift to my hand.

I held his hand, almost.

Quidditch

'Training for the ballet, Potter?'

Then my eyes widened with fear because I thought he was attacking me.

'What the –'I gasped, careening out of his way.

The boy, however, made a wild snatch, and fell.

With a splattering thud he hit the mud and rolled off his broom.

Through a haze of rain, I saw he focused on the shimmering gold Snitch clutched in his hand.

'Aha,' he said vaguely. 'We've won.'

Only those stupid Gryffindors regarded triumph as more essential than safety.

I won the game, almost.

Dementor

He whipped out his wand and roared, 'Expecto patronum!'

Something silver-white, something enormous, erupted from the end of his wand.

I lay on the ground with other Slytherins, struggling to remove myself from long, black, hooded robes.

He laughed out loud.

I found out his fear, almost.

Murder

'My options! I'm standing here with a wand - I'm about to kill you -'

'I haven't got any options! I've got to do it! He'll kill me! He'll kill my whole family!'

My eyes fell upon the second broom.

Who else is here?

I saw my destiny, almost.

Wand

'The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy.'

'But you're too late. You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took his wand from him.'

He twitched his hawthorn wand in leisureliness.

'So it all comes down to this, doesn't it? Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does, I am the true master of the Elder Wand.'

I was too late as well, because the saviour of the wizarding world went through too much to allow anyone to easily walk inside his heart.

I fell in love with him, almost.

Reunion

In a pub, many peeked at the handsome young man, but none dared to talk to him.

He consumed too much alcohol, but I knew better than to stop him.

I believed I must be insane, but I did not care.

There was a perfect opportunity waiting for me. Not every day was my lucky day.

'Blueberry tea. My treat.'

He cast me a cold glance, which made me burning with special emotions without any possible reasons.

'It's cocktail rather than tea.'

He took a sip.

Enough.

I smiled to him, almost.

Hotel

Those emerald green eyes lost focus.

I knew the potion in cocktail had already taken effect.

'Say my name. You know who I am.'

I persuaded him in a tempting voice.

He opened his thin lips and spoke one name.

I heard it, almost.

Harry Potter's POV

The Chosen One, a god-like wizard, was not expected to display any sentiment.

Lonely glory. How true it is.

I missed someone, almost.

0o0o0o0o

In Diagon Alley where I began, I met a boy with sunshine-like blonde hair.

Just a spoiled child, I was too dramatic to label him as my 'enemy'.

I became his friend, almost.

0o0o0o0o

I found a diary of a handsome 16-year-old teenage.

His beautiful handwriting made me feel like I failed at life completely.

He talked to me.

He lied to me.

I trusted him, almost.

0o0o0o0o

An unexpected misfortune fell upon him in his childhood.

He never complained.

He always wore a soft and kind smile on his face.

Coldness flooding the room, his warm hand held my wrist, and my heart settled down.

'The incantation is this,' he cleared his throat. 'Expecto patronum!'

I ate a sweet Chocolate Flog in his hand and tasted the bitterness of his calluses.

I adored him, almost.

0o0o0o0o

'Kill the spare.' A high, cold voice said.

How innocent.

'Tell you what, use the prefects' bathroom. Fourth door to the left of that statue of Boris the Bewildered on the fifth floor. Password's 'pine fresh'. Gotta go…want to say good night-' He smiled like an angel.

On that Christmas Night he danced with his girl so elegantly.

I envied him, almost.

0o0o0o0o

What is beyond the veil?

'Does it hurt?'

"Dying? Not at all. Quicker and easier than falling asleep."

I could never hug him again.

I saved him, almost.

0o0o0o0o

Those hints and shortcuts in that Advanced Potion-Making made me Slughorn's favourite.

From imaginative hexes to vicious curses, I still believed the owner was not evil.

Until what happened on the Astronomy Tower.

'Look…at…me…'

I understood him, almost.

0o0o0o0o

In the final battle, I saw a man with familiar blonde hair.

He once escaped from being imprisoned. A sly fox.

He ran through the crowd, not even attempting to fight, screaming for his son.

How could a powerful noble Malfoy get into such a messy situation?

I laughed out loud, almost.

0o0o0o0o

I consumed too much alcohol but I did not care.

'Blueberry tea. My treat.'

'It's cocktail rather than tea.'

I took a sip.

I was drunk, almost.

Third Person's POV

The potion Malfoy put in the cocktail had a nickname called 'Almost', because it was not Amortentia but 'almost' Amortentia.

It did not let one who drank it fall in love with one who made it as Amortentia did. Instead, it caused an illusion for one night that the former would mistake the latter for the beloved one.

Harry hesitated and then he spoke.

Now the story ended, almost.

A/N:

Harry did not tell who was his favourite, so the story almost ended...