Author's Note: Hmm... I guess the previous chapter was pretty disappointing, sorry about that but we need some serious/sad chapters here and there don't we? After all, no little Draco running around equals depression for me Dx Ughhhh…Well here comes the next chapter! Hey hey hey look, I wrote one more chapter soooooo quickly! Personally I LOVE how this chapter turned out, and I hope you guys do too! For those who have been reviewing, thanks soooo much I love you guys! Please continue to do so :) For those who haven't been reviewing, your reviews will be very much appreciated! Thanks~ R&R!

Acceptance
Chapter 36
Because Paths Do Cross

"You're still not focusing, Potter! What the hell do you think you're-LOOK OUT!"

Pushed aside once again and watching my partner block yet another spell, I shook my head violently and forced myself into what I hoped was full concentration. It was my fifth lesson today, and Draco's fourth. Yet, he seemed to be the more professional one. Imagine that, the 'chosen one', Harry Potter, can't even hold a candle to a random Slytherin. Then again, Draco wasn't just a random Slytherin. He was Draco.

I could see the creases on Dumbledore's head increasing in folds each time he witnessed Draco having to save my ass. I felt bad, honestly, I did. But at the back of my mind lay a sea of wild thoughts which I tried desperately tried not to think about. It was distracting me half the time. And it didn't help that the one involved in these thoughts was the one standing by me in every training session. I understood the seriousness of the situation and I wanted more than ever to be the one Draco could trust entirely and rely on, but earning his trust was harder than expected, especially since I was making a total boob of myself in front of him lately.

"Okay, take a break, you two. Or rather, I'll be taking a break, so if you'll excuse me for a minute…" Dumbledore mumbled as he headed out of the room, telling us he'd be back in about ten minutes. I knew he was pissed with my pathetic skills in basic concentration and would rather observe how the others were progressing outside instead of watching me fail to meet his expectations. I sat in a corner with my legs crossed, staring blankly ahead. Apparently I was unaware that the Slytherin had stepped in front of me until he began to stamp his feet.

"What the hell, Potter. What's wrong with you?"
"What do you mean what's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? The hell are you getting so pissed about, Draco…"
"You can't even do something as simple as concentration. Damn, I could be entirely focused at a young age. I was like...what, three? And my parents were proud of me for being able to drown everything else out while I focused on what I deemed was important. Look at you…How am I supposed to work with someone like you?"

Something in me had snapped. I couldn't keep the anger in me any longer, "Draco fucking Malfoy, you shut the hell up right now! I thought you changed. Why are you acting all high and mighty now? When you were three, you were practically pampered by all of us. Speak of concentration…you never needed to concentrate on anything because everyone was concentrating on you! Everything was about you! You know why I've been acting all fucked up lately? It's because of you! Every single day, those thoughts of you haunt me and I question myself if I really did the right thing…letting you turn back…turn back into…"

At that moment, my voice chose to seal itself within me, making me incapable of speaking. What was I thinking… Draco didn't even remember those things, I probably sounded like some bloody retard spouting nonsense. I lowered my head in what seemed to be embarrassment and sadness. There was no more anger, I had let the steam out. Besides…how could I stay angry at Draco…I loved him…

The Slytherin had a look of shock planted on his face the whole time, he too had become silent. At least we weren't argueing… After a few awkward seconds, Draco decided to speak.

"Potter, I don't know what to say…"

"If I seemed like a pompous asshole, I'm sorry, okay?"

"Why are you not saying anything, Potter? Show a little respect, you're making me look like a fool talking to myself here."

"POTTER!"

Abruptly, I raised my head up and stared into his silver eyes. My eyes were gleaming with tears and I saw that his were beginning to water as well, although I couldn't tell why. It was then that he had unexpectedly bent down to my eye level and our gazes never left each other. I was still speechless at that point. But little did I know that what Draco was about to say to me was going to leave me even more dumbfounded than I already was.

"Listen, I didn't mean to be rude or anything, okay? And I'm sorry for whatever I did in the past, but now we gotta be focused on our mission. Voldemort's a scary guy and personally, I don't wanna die in the hands of a bald guy, and I doubt you do too. I don't know much about what you've been thinking lately, all I know is that your mind is obviously pretty fucked up with stuff you think I probably don't understand. But know this," He inched himself closer to me such that our faces were only a few centimeters apart. I could feel his breath on me and my skin was crawling. Draco and I hadn't been so near each other for a hell long time, the last time we did was when he was still a three year old. It was an unfamiliar feeling to me, yet…still somewhat nostalgic…

"Dumbledore appointed you as my protector, and I believe there's a perfectly good reason why he chose you out of all other students and professors."
"A-and…what do you suppose that is…?"
"Well…I don't know exactly but…whatever it is," he placed his hand on my shoulder and shook it gently. My eyes went wide and I felt a tear trickle down my cheek. Draco had his hand on me…Wow…I haven't felt this for a long time…

Draco's usual cold eyes morphed into warm ones which looked at me longingly and he smiled. Holy shit, he actually SMILED at me. "You," He said. "You're supposed to protect me. Now how is spacing out during battle going to do that?" Draco's smile had turned into a smug grin, one that I recognized from the past. It was one of those grins he used when he was insulting me, but this time I didn't feel insulted somehow. In fact, I felt…what was it…flattered? Shy? Then, Draco sighed and looked away for a brief moment, breaking the eye contact. Strangely, I found myself wanting to grab him and make him turn around to face me again. I didn't need to though, eventually he did turn back and his voice became rather sullen. Tears had already begun flowing down from his beautiful eyes and I felt a pang of pain in my heart seeing him cry. What made it worse was that he was still struggling to maintain a false smile while he spoke… Every word he said began tearing me apart…

"You know…If you space out when we fight Voldemort…we're screwed. And…he's going to kill me…I don't wanna die, Harry…"

"Har-ry! Dra-Draco so s-scared! Dr-Drac-co gonna die r-right?"
"No no no don't say that, baby. You won't die, I won't let you!"

"…Please…You're supposed to be my protector…If you can't protect yourself, how are you going to protect me? I don't wanna die, Harry. Please…don't…Don't let me die…"

At that moment, more flashbacks of little Draco clinging on to me for protection, asking me to stay with him, telling me not to leave him…began penetrating my mind. Draco had been my responsibility during that time and I had failed him more than once. He almost died on a few occasions in my care. And now, I was supposed to protect him again. It was then that I realized that this time, Draco could really ACTUALLY die if I wasn't there for him. I needed to protect him from Voldemort or else…

I had no idea what came over me, but I suddenly reached forward and pulled the astonished Slytherin into my arms.
"P-Potter! What are you-"
"I know what you're thinking: what the hell is he doing…right? But please hear me out. I just want you to know that I'll be there for you, Draco. I'll be with you all the way. I won't let you die…I don't want you to die…I promise, this time I won't leave your side. We'll take him down together! If anyone's gonna do the dying here, it's Voldemort!"
"You…really will protect me? You're actually willing…?"
"Of course, Dray…"
"But why? Why would someone like you do this for someone like me…?"

"Because…" I felt myself shaking, or maybe Draco was the one, I don't know. All I knew was that I desperately wanted to proclaim my love for the boy in my arms. But what would happen if I did? It was already weird enough that someone from his rival house was embracing him, saying "I love you" would definitely be taking it a little too far.

"Because…Draco…I…I just don't want to see you get hurt, let alone die. Every life is valuable. I've lost several people in my life and I don't expect you to die too! Not when we just became friends!" I said the closest thing to what I felt. Honestly, I was half expecting to get pushed away and hear Draco protest something against befriending a Gryffindor. Who was I to decide our relationship anyway?

"Friends…? That's what we are, huh?"
"Well…If you don't want to be friends, we could start of as acquaintances I guess. Or perhaps just battle partners?"
"Nah, friends is good…"

I released him from the long, unexpected hug and found him smiling. It was a real smile this time. I was glad to finally see his true smile again, how I missed it… Draco had wiped the tears off his eyes and I could sense him looking at me while I did the same.

"What?" I laughed between tears. Draco chuckled a little and shook his head. Just as he was about to say something, the entrance to the room reopened and the silhouette of Dumbledore appeared. When the smoke had cleared, we saw him blink a few times at us with a weird expression on his face. I couldn't blame him. Draco and I WERE in fact sitting abnormally close to each other.

"Uh…how are the others doing, sir?" Draco tried to lighten the mood, slowly gliding away from me almost unnoticeably. Dumbledore simply shrugged and replied, "Pretty good, but they could definitely do with more practice. Same goes for you two."

Draco and I nodded in unison, watching Dumbledore nod in awkwardness as well. The quietness of the room made the situation a little more awkward than it should have been. Apparently Dumbledore couldn't stand it much longer and declared, "Well…shall we?"

I immediately stood up and got ready to resume the training. Glancing down at Draco, I stretched my hand out towards him, a broad smile on my face. He gave me one of those signature smirks as he took my hand, "thanks, Potter."

"No. Harry. Just call me Harry. You called me that a few minutes ago, although I bet you didn't realize it."
"Haha okay, fine. Thanks…Harry."