A/N: This is a short fic in response to #1 of Eden Malfoy's challenges. Enjoy.
WARNING: This story contains Slash.
Harry Potter was numb.
He was cold, his blood running like ice through his veins. Pain was his constant friend, though he did not feel it anymore. His heart had hardened against it.
And no one noticed.
Not one of his friends ... his family ... had seen what was happening to him. They all knew he was struggling to recover from losing Sirius, but they all expected him to still be Harry. The bright, caring, innocent boy who glittered with life. Their hero, their savior, their hope.
None of them noticed the coldness. None of them cared.
Except one.
Draco Malfoy stood in the shadows of Harry Potter's life. He had gotten used to being there. Harry was the Golden Boy, the one everyone respected and praised. He was perfect at everything he did. The Boy That Could Do No Wrong. And Draco always fell second best.
But sometimes the back of the audience is where you really enjoy the show.
Draco Malfoy noticed the life gone from Harry's eyes. He saw the boy go through his school days without even thinking about the future anymore. As far as Harry was concerned, his entire life had already been dictated out. He had no future.
Harry Potter was dead to the world.
And it made Draco shiver in anticipation.
"Come here often," said Draco, eyes glittering in amusement as Harry jumped. The black-haired boy turned to him.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" he asked in a monotone voice. He turned back to staring at the grounds, watching the moonlight bathe the world around him. Being here, alone, not thinking about anything, was the only thing Harry looked forward to these days.
"Just to enjoy the pleasure of your company, Potter," he replied smoothly, taking a seat next to Harry by the Astronomy Tower window. Harry ignored him. "Is that all the fight you're going to put up? You're no fun."
"Go away."
"I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Because, Potter, everyone knows that you don't come to the Tower alone," he leered suggestively. "And unless Granger is hiding behind that cabinet over there, you aren't up here for a midnight tryst."
"What do you care?"
"Come on, what kind of good samaritan would I be if I left you to jump to your death?"
Harry glared at him, the first sign of life Draco had seen in him for months. "What do you know about me, Malfoy?"
"More than you'd think, Harry." He purred the name and saw Harry shudder slightly. "I know that you're hurting right now. I know that you want vengeance for your godfather's death."
"Vengeance on myself?" He raised a sardonic eyebrow. "I thought you just said you weren't going to let me do that?"
"It wasn't your fault, Harry. It was theirs."
"Oh, really?"
"My father told me why they were trying to lure you to the Department. He told me that when you got there, you didn't even know about the Prophecy. Doesn't that make it Dumbledore's fault? He never warned you. He could have."
"Well, - "
"And what about your friends, Harry?" Draco put a hand on Harry's leg and started to lazily trace circles.
His breath hitched. "My – my friends?" Draco kind of looked like moonlight himself, Harry mused.
"They aren't paying attention to you. They should know about the agony that you are going through. But they don't seem to care." He leaned in closer to whisper in Harry's ear. "Tell me, how does it feel knowing that your sworn enemy knows more about you than the ones you love?"
Harry closed his eyes and pushed Draco up against the wall, smashing their mouths together. He was desperate to feel something again. Anything.
Slowly, he backed away, his heart pounding in his chest. Draco looked him in the eyes and smirked.
"Stay with me, Harry," he said quietly. "I can give you power beyond your wildest dreams. And you will get your revenge."
In response, Harry nodded slightly and Draco pulled him in for another kiss.
Harry Potter was numb. But now, now he had a spark back into his eyes. The fires of dark passion gleamed there and he smiled evilly.
Harry Potter would have his revenge.