A/N: This isn't the last chapter. One more, so it will end up being an even 30. :)
XxXxX - separations between parts of the story or points of view
blahblahblahblah - thoughts/Flashback
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It had been a week since the faithful Slytherin Revolution, as Seamus was calling it. It was odd, everyone continued going about their daily lives as if nothing had happened. Nobody treated each other differently. Insults were still shot across Potions. Neville still had at least one query over his masculinity a day. It was the normalcy that was so strange, the knowledge that an entire world was about to change and yet there was no sign of the impending transformation whatsoever.
Of course, acting as if nothing had happened was the only logical course of action. If Voldemort got even the faintest whiff of what was brewing at Hogwarts they would all be besieged by morning.
Still, there were some facts that couldn't be hidden or denied. One look at Draco Malfoy reminded you of the futility of trying to ignore reality, in case anyone miraculously managed to forget the immensity of the situation in the Wizarding World for even a second. News had spread around thoroughly by now. Everyone knew that the Malfoys had chosen the side of light, in the case of Lucius and Narcissa, as their last act. A majority of the Slytherins refused to so much as look at Draco (at least they pretended so).
He was so grave and…lost, he seemed so lost, that was the only way to describe it. Harry couldn't get through to the blond, no matter how hard he tried. You would think, considering that all of Harry's existence seemed to have revolved or revolve around death that he would have gotten the knack of the whole thing by now but that was sadly just not the case. Trying to comfort Draco, or even just get him to open up the tiniest of cracks was like trying to flirt with a stone wall. Impossible. He was absolutely unreachable, even Snape had taken the blond aside after a Potions class! All to no avail, at least if Draco's unchanged and forlorn demeanor had anything to say on the matter.
Finally fed up with what was basically the silent treatment, Harry, about to blow, forcibly trapped Draco in his room.
"I have to go to class, Harry," Draco said, monotone and miserable. "Step away from the door."
"No. Not until you talk about this. You can't just brood and dwell! I know I'm not exactly the best person to give you advice on this, but it isn't healthy. And Hell, we all know I'm the world's biggest hypocrite so I guess it doesn't matter. Draco, you can't start to heal until you accept. And acceptance doesn't come from shutting out the world and determinedly reinforcing your own sadness." Draco didn't say anything, just stared at Harry with those unseeing eyes, normally like swirling mercury and now reduced to the hue of emotionless pavement.
"I don't want to talk about this, Harry. Move or I will move you."
"You have to! Draco, this isn't something you can ignore. You can't just shut me out. Please, please, talk to me. You just lost your parents, Draco, your parents." Suddenly, Draco's eyes blazed and he whirled on Harry.
"Do you think I don't know that? Do you really think I'm not being eaten away by the guilt of murdering them? They died because of me, because I acted like a selfish and impudent child. All I cared about was forcing my new found liberated reality on them! I didn't give a rat's ass for their reality, or what revealing everything to them would mean. I didn't care! I didn't care that my desire to force my father to see things my way could cost him his life. I didn't care that telling my mother I wasn't her perfect little deatheater would break her spirit and end her life. I didn't care! What kind of son doesn't care?" The last bit was spoken on a choked sob. Draco sank to the ground, head in his hands and tears flowing freely now.
"Oh Draco… Draco, no. Love." Harry carefully lowered himself to the ground to face his boyfriend. "Is that what you think? You think this is your fault? That they died because of you?" The blond hiccuped and began repeating "I murdered them" over and over, like some sort of perverted mantra.
"Draco. Let me tell you something. They died for you, not because of you. There is a huge difference there, huge!"
"But I didn't care-I didn't care." Draco howled.
"You did. Do you really think your parents would have preferred to live in utter ignorance if it meant that you would be unhappy for the rest of your life? They were your parents; they loved you more than anything. They would have wanted to know, Draco. This isn't your fault."
The blond sharply raised his head, staring at Harry. He looked almost crazed, mad with an emotion Harry chose not to identify. Draco had stopped crying, but Harry almost wished he hadn't. The choked sobs were far preferable to the deranged lunatic staring him down.
"You're right. It isn't my fault. But I know whose it is." The blond stood up so quickly it nearly gave Harry whiplash as he fought to get a grasp on what was going on.
"Draco, what are you saying?"
"Bellatrix ruined all of this. It would have been fine if she hadn't come. And there is no doubt that she was the one who would have run to her master like a cat with a mouse to inform him of my parents' betrayal. I bet the bitch even got to cast the killing curse, the Dark Lord would have reveled in the irony and poetic justice of having my mother killed by her own sister. Bellatrix. Bellatrix will pay."
"Draco…" Harry tried. "Draco darling, you're scaring me. Talking is good, but see reason! Calm down."
"Oh, I am calm. One has to be calm when using an unforgivable or it could go awry." With that, Draco, sprinted out of the room.
"W-what?! DRACO WAIT!" Harry got to his feet as quickly as he could, but even as he dashed out of the Slytherin common room after his lover he knew it was no use. Even on the best of days Harry would have had trouble catching Draco, the blond was incredibly fast and most definitely had Harry beat when they both had their feet on the ground. The problem was this was not the best of days. Heavily pregnant, unable to walk without waddling, out of breath embarrassingly quickly, and with Draco having a head start, Harry was well and royally screwed.
Guessing his intent, Harry made his way as fast as he could to the gates of Hogwarts. Draco wouldn't risk a teacher seeing him, so he would never use Snape's floo and besides, he hadn't stopped to get any powder. No, Draco would have had to apparate.
Harry went as fast as he could, but he wasn't surprised to reach his destination and see no sign of the blond. No, it was too late.
Draco was gone.
