Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!

Bet

Chapter 10

Harry, Ron and Hermione make their way to the Great Hall the next morning. Harry's eyes are still red around the edges from having cried silently all night. The brunette really doesn't want to go to breakfast.

What was the point? He does not have the desire to sit there for up to an hour and listen to the Slytherins snicker and talk about how he could have been stupid enough to ever trust a Slytherin. However Hermione had nagged and begged until he agreed.

Now he is nearly at the Gryffindor table and so far not even one Slytherin had made even the littlest of comments. Harry has to fight the urge to turn to the Slytherin table and look at his boyfriend.

Ex-boyfriend.

Harry reminds himself sadly. Draco wasn't his boyfriend anymore. No. The blond had lied to him, had betrayed him. And worst of all Draco had managed to make him fall in love with the blond. Because Harry does love him.

He loves him with all his heart and that hurts even more. They are now sitting down and some of the Gryffindors are looking at Harry with pity and understanding shining in their eyes. They all know, but it had to be expected.

This is school after all. Nothing stays secret for long. Absolutely nothing. Harry looks over to Hermione with every intention of asking her to let him leave again. He can't stand the pitying looks and the not so silent whispers.

It is like fifth year all over again with the only difference that he is the victim and not the 'bad guy' this time. He opens his mouth to ask his question when he sees Hermione looking over to the Slytherin table.

"What's wrong?"

Harry doesn't turn around to see for himself because he knows if he does he would just start crying all over again. And he cannot have that. He won't give Malfoy such power over him. Not again.

The brunette girl turns to look at Harry and frowns. Not that that was such a rare occurrence around Harry and Ron, but this frown unnerves Harry a little. It feels like something big is about to happen and no one but Hermione has noticed it so far.

"Malfoy is staring at you. Since we arrived actually. He looks like he cried all night and... well he looks heartbroken."

Harry's breath catches in his throat. Draco? Crying? Heartbroken? That cannot be right, right? For the blond to be heartbroken would have meant that Draco had even cared about him and Harry is sure that the blond Slytherin never did and will never have the chance to ever care about him again.

The brunette Gryffindor refuses to look in the direction of the Slytherin table and continues to eat his breakfast. He loved Draco, but he doesn't think he could ever so much as even look at the blond again.

A sudden gasp from Hermione makes Harry look at her with concern. He notices her gaze being directed at the head table and turns to look what has got her so... so... worried? No she doesn't really look worried. More like... surprised?

When Harry turns around he notices why. There was Draco walking up to the head table talking in hushed whispers to Dumbledore. The twinkle in the headmaster's eyes promises a surprise as he nods and Draco nods back thankfully.

The Slytherin steps up to the front of the head table and turns to address the students the same way Dumbledore does at the starts of every new year. The blond clears his throat and tries to lock eyes with Harry. The brunette quickly diverts his gaze, but listens as Draco starts to speak.

"I'm sure by now most of you have heard about what happened between Harry and me. For those of you who haven't we were together until late last night. The reason for our break up, or rather him dumping me, was my own stupidity."

Some students are torn between laughing and gasping at the Slytherin. It is, up until now, unknown for any Malfoy to ever have admitted to a mistake. And now Draco Malfoy is standing in front of the whole school admitting a mistake and actually, in his own way, apologizing.

And to Harry Potter none the less!

"Two weeks ago I made a bet. Even though it does not really matter I want to say that it was not my idea, but I accepted none the less. The bet was to get Harry to tell me he loved me before the winter ball was over and then to dump him in front of all of you."

A collective gasp rolls through the whole Great Hall as Harry tries to sink further into his seat at the Gryffindor table. Why does Draco have to humiliate him on top of everything that happened?

"What I didn't count on was that I would fall in love with him."

Harry's gaze snaps up and he looks right at Draco. The blond is standing in front of the whole school confessing his love. Is he telling the truth or is it another lie for Harry to believe and then to get hurt again?

"Harry I know you most likely don't believe me and you have every right to hate me right now, but I truly do love you and I am so sorry for what I did. Would you... would you ever consider to forgive me?"

Even from so far away Harry can see the insecurity in Draco's eyes. The blond seems to be sorry for what he did. But can Harry just forgive and forget? Ron would surely explode if he even considers forgiving Malfoy.

But is this really about anyone else. This is about him and Draco. Not what other people thought. Draco is asking him for forgiveness not the the whole fucking school. Harry opens his mouth to answer the blond's question.

That is when all hell breaks lose.

A/N: Just one chapter left! What did you think of Draco's speech? I'm not really that good with the whole touchy feely stuff so please give your honest opinion...:)