Dread coursed through Draco's veins as he heard rather than saw the owner of the voice. Reflexively, he dropped Harry's hand as though it had burned him. Harry turned to face him, giving him a look that just about snapped his heart in two. Immediately Draco regretted the action. But there was no time to dwell on it, or reach for his hand again, because the nasty voice spoke back up, forcing Draco to turn towards its owner.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't see this coming."

Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan stood side by side, wearing matching smirks. Draco was positive he was shaking. And he'd just let go of Harry's hand. He'd blown it.

"What, too afraid to hold his hand in front of us? Aww, that's so pathetic," crooned Finnegan.

"Remember who you're dealing with," said Harry, a warning clear in his tone. "One more strike with McGonagall and you're out."

"Like we're gonna do anything that she can prove," scoffed Thomas. "But really, Harry? Malfoy?"

"What do you care?" asked Harry. "With me out of the way you can have Ginny all to yourself."

Thomas's eyes darkened. "Don't make this about Ginny."

"Then don't make this about Draco. Leave him out of it. Your problem is with me."

"No, our problem is with that slimy, ferret-faced Death Eater smearing his racist ideals all over us."

Draco hung his head, because ultimately they were right. He'd always be a Death Eater, and he'd always be the one fighting tooth and nail to find a place in society. He'd always be the outcast, the hated one, the one people threw dirty looks at and cast jinxes at.

"Do not call him that," Harry said darkly, and why was he still defending Draco when he'd let go of his hand?

"Well, that's what he is!" exclaimed Finnegan. Then he looked at Draco.

"Just because I'm not going to lay hands on you this time doesn't mean I'm happy about you being around. If I ever see you anywhere near the Gryffindor table, I'll hex you six ways from Sunday."

"Don't worry," sneered Draco. "I won't go near your precious table."

"Would you leave him alone?" growled Harry. "Who I decide to be with is none of your business. None. Now scram."

Thomas and Finnegan looked at each other, as if they were deciding whether this was worth it. Draco sincerely hoped they'd walk away, for he wanted to apologize to Harry about dropping his hand. Suddenly, he had an idea.

"You know," he said calmly, "McGonagall's office isn't that far a walk. I can give myself a couple stinging hexes, maybe throw myself down a flight of stairs or two, and blame it all on you."

Harry gasped, eyes opening wide and hands flying over his mouth. He shook his head back and forth rapidly.

"Maybe I can even bash my head in the sink, give myself a nice concussion," Draco continued, revelling in the power he held over Thomas and Finnegan if their horrified expressions were anything to go by.

"Who do you think she'll believe?"

"You wouldn't," said Finnegan.

"Try me."

"Draco." Harry sounded pleading. His hands had fallen down from his face, and he looked terrified. "Please stop."

"Maybe I can take a razor," said Draco, not wanting to stop, wanting to sicken them further and further until they ran away and expelled all the contents of their stomachs along with all the toxic words on the tip of their tongues, "and bring it to my arm. Slashing myself over and over again, until blood is running down my arms and seeping into the bathroom tiles, running like a river. I can say you held me down, bunched up my sleeve, and took the razor to my delicate skin. I can say you laughed at my pained screams as you sliced me over and over again, one sharp edge at a time, until I lost consciousness and Harry had to drag my bleeding form all the way to Pomfrey."

By the end of his speech, Harry was shaking, mouth wide open. Thomas and Finnegan were white as sheets.

"Y-You wouldn't do that," said Thomas. "That's . . . That's insanity."

"No, insulting someone for who they choose to like is insanity," said Draco. "I have razors upstairs. I can go do this right now."

He made to take off, power-hungry and riding the wave again, this time higher than he'd ever sailed before, but then a hand clamped down around his forearm, strong enough to halt him.

"I don't think so," said Harry lowly. Dangerously.

Draco stopped at that tone of voice.

"I need to show them that I'm serious," Draco said, voice sounding far away to his own ears.

"Y-You're serious. You're serious?"

"If that's what it takes to get them off our back."

"Fuck, okay, please just stop already, we'll leave you alone," said Finnegan.

"Really? Just like that?" asked Draco lightly. "Because I can go get that razor and do this right now, no hesitations."

He made to leave again, pulling his arm as hard as he possibly could, but Harry was stronger. And he wasn't budging.

"Draco, you stay right here and don't fucking move."

And Harry's tone held so much dominance, so much power, that Draco stopped fighting it and relaxed in his grip.

"That's right," said Harry. "Don't you move a fucking muscle." He then turned his attention to Finnegan and Thomas, still not letting go of Draco.

"Get out of here. Right. Now."

The boys didn't wait. They scrambled.

Once they were gone, Harry let go of Draco. "What the hell was that?"

"It worked, didn't it?"

"Who cares if it worked? You think about doing that? To yourself?"

"No," said Draco, as steadily as he could, because he'd be lying if he said he hadn't thought about it before.

"You seemed so confident . . . So ready to harm yourself . . . You don't . . . Oh god, Draco, oh god . . ."

"I dunno what came over me," said Draco faintly. As he began floating down from his high of power he began to realize just how insane the idea actually was. "I was just . . . Well, who cares? They listened, didn't they?"

"Me! I care! In case you haven't fucking noticed." Harry ran a distressed hand through his hair, and Draco felt guilty for making him feel that way. All he ever did was stress other people out and make them worry about him: his specialty.

"I . . ."

"Just forget it, Draco. I'm going to bed."

Draco's gut swam with nausea. He'd let go of Harry's hand. Harry thought he didn't like him anymore. Then he'd gone all . . . Draco and scared him. This was all his fault.

"Wait, please."

"What? What is it? You let go of my hand. That tells me how you feel."

"I-I'm sorry, okay? I'm really sorry. I was scared, and I didn't want them to hurt you."

"Even though they already saw? The damage had been done at that point. What compelled you to let go? Are you ashamed of me?"

"No!"

"Then why?"

"I-It was just a reflex," Draco stammered. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to."

Harry sighed. "It's alright."

Draco could have deflated with relief right there.

"But what's not alright is you threatening to harm yourself like that, whether you meant to or not. Giving yourself a stinging hex is one thing but bringing a razor to your arm is quite another. Something I hope you never, ever do."

"Well, I'm not sorry," said Draco. "It got them away."

"You should be," said Harry. "You scared the shit out of me."

Draco, of course, hadn't thought about Harry's feelings when he'd decided to scare off the others. He hadn't thought about anyone except for himself. Typical.

"I wasn't thinking-"

"No shit, you weren't thinking! You could have gotten yourself killed, and for what? Just to teach some guys a lesson? Does your own life mean that little to you? What about your mother, huh? How do you think she'd feel if she found out the way you died?"

"Do not bring my mother into this, Harry," Draco said hotly.

"I wouldn't have to if you wouldn't threaten to fucking kill yourself!"

Draco shrank away from Harry. His loud voice, demeanor, and facial expression were all wrong, and it was all because of him. He'd done this to the boy he loved.

Oh god. He loved Harry, and now he would never get to tell him.

"If that's what it takes to give you a little perspective on why this was so messed up, then I'll drag your entire family into it."

"Have fun dragging, because my mother's all I've got left," said Draco coldly.

Harry frowned. "More than me. Both my parents are dead."

"This isn't a fucking competition."

"A minute ago you were threatening to slash your wrists, and you aren't even sorry. I think that takes the cake here."

Draco sighed. "I dunno if I can take this."

"What, are you going to walk out on me? Just because this is a difficult conversation, because I'm confronting you about something you don't like?"

Draco crossed his arms. "Just because I'm tired and want to go to bed doesn't mean I'm walking out on you."

"Fine then, go to bed," said Harry passively, and oh but the whole thing felt wrong-

"Wait. You were right. I'm sorry," Draco said, surprising himself.

Harry's facial expression lightened, and he took a step closer to Draco.

"Really?"

"I-I didn't mean to scare you so much. I wasn't thinking about that. I just got so caught up in the moment of scaring them, that I didn't think about you, and for that I'm sorry."

Harry frowned. "How did you not think that would scare me?"

"What?"

"No, I want to know. How on earth did you think you could get away with saying those things and leaving me completely and utterly unaffected? Do you really think I care for you that little?"

"That's not what I-"

"And you seemed so ready to do it. A little too ready. You were . . . Fuck, Draco." Harry threw his hands up and slapped them back down at his sides. "You were going to go up and do it. You really were, weren't you?"

Draco nodded. "If that's what it took to get them off my back-"

"That's not worth it. Hurting yourself like that isn't worth anything."

Harry took Draco's hands in his, bringing them up and holding them tight. A little too tight. "I need you to know you matter to me. So much."

Draco nodded. "I realize that now. This is just all very . . . New for me."

"What, having somebody care about you?"

Draco nodded slowly.

Harry looked heartbroken. "Well, I'll never let you forget it, alright? You scared me so much, don't you ever do something like that again. I need you here, with me. Otherwise who's going to help me make great potions while I get all the credit?"

Draco laughed wetly. "I suppose you're right."

"Of course I'm right," said Harry. Before letting go of Draco's hands, he brought them up to his lips and kissed them softly. Draco, stunned by the gentleness, let his hands slowly fall back to his sides.

"It's getting late . . . I should probably get ready for bed," said Harry. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Draco smiled at him. "I just . . . I can't believe this is real. I've liked you for quite a while."

"I don't even know when it started for me," said Harry. "I think it was slow, and then it hit me all at once, and the next thing I knew, I wanted to push you up against a wall and snog the living daylights out of you."

Draco, grinning, gestured behind him. "There's a wall."

Harry didn't hesitate for a second. Not caring if people saw, he lunged forward, grabbed Draco who responded with a yelp, and backed him quickly against the stony wall, attacking him with his lips.

Harry pressed kisses all around the sides of Draco's face, with Draco laughing and gasping.

"Harry, you are such a-"

All his words were halted when Harry finally put his mouth on Draco's. Draco laughed into his mouth, as their teeth messily collided and they kissed each other until their lips were red and plump. Draco wrapped his hands behind Harry's neck, pulling him closer until their bodies were flush. Harry's hands found solace on Draco's waist, rubbing up and down and traveling around his stomach.

"So pretty," Harry murmured as he broke apart from Draco's lips, latching onto his neck like a leech.

"You're wearing too much," Draco breathed.

"Thought we were going to take this slow?"

"Maybe I don't want to anymore."

Harry stopped, pulled away from Draco, and looked at him. "You set boundaries for a reason," he told him seriously, "and I want to respect that."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Must you always be so noble?"

Harry chuckled. "I certainly must."

He resumed kissing Draco, wrapping his arms around his back and pulling him even closer. Draco sighed into the kiss, pushing forward into Harry's warm chest. He felt safe here. Here, he felt like no one could hurt him.

Until, of course, he heard Theo's voice.

"Fucking slut."

Draco froze in Harry's grip, lips stiffening instantly. Harry pulled away from him and turned to face Theo.

"Didn't I already deal with you?" he asked passively.

Theo scoffed. "Deal with me. As if I'm some pest. And not a hurt person whose ex moved on too fast."

"In case you're forgetting, Theo, you hit me," said Draco. "I think you waived all rights to be hurt." And because he was a selfish, selfish person, he hadn't thought about what those words would do to Harry.

Harry gasped.

"You hit him?"

"He stole from me!"

"You hit him!"

"He ratted me out to my dealer!"

"You hit him!"

By the end of the exchange, Harry and Theo's noses were almost touching, Harry's hands drawn into fists as if he were ready to punch Theo himself.

Again.

"I'd back off if I were you, Nott," said Harry. "Anything you have to say about Draco, you can keep to yourself." He backed away from Theo, but the fists remained.

"You fucking slut," Theo growled, looking straight at Draco, marching towards him. Draco, feeling like this situation mirrored their last interaction all too closely, shrank back into the wall.

"Are you sleeping with him? Huh? Are you?"

"What business is it of yours?" asked Draco. "You clearly don't care about me, why is my love life suddenly so interesting to you?"

"If you can move on from me this quickly, clearly what we had never mattered to you."

"Oh, don't even start. It clearly never mattered to you, because you hit me! And told me you only wanted me for my body."

"You liked that I only wanted you for your body, because you were so pathetic that you craved any and all attention you could get. Any validation. So I gave it to you. I gave it all to you, and you ate it up like candy."

"Leave him alone," snarled Harry, stepping closer to Theo. "I'm not going to ask you again."

"You piece of shit," seethed Theo, raising a fist at Draco. Another reason this interaction felt devastatingly similar to their last. "You filthy, dirty slut, liar. I knew it. I fucking knew it. I knew you were attracted to him the whole time we were together."

Harry's eyes widened. Draco's heart began palpitating in alarm.

"I always saw you staring off at the Gryffindor table when you thought nobody was watching, whenever you'd come back from studying with Potter you'd be all flushed and giddy. And you were so scared of him finding out you were gay. It all makes sense."

"I-I-"

"You wanted to be with me while you were with him?" Harry asked. Draco wanted to disappear. Feeling very small, he nodded.

Theo laughed. "See? You whore. Always wanting more. Was I not enough for you, Draco?"

"It wasn't like that."

"Then tell me. What was it like?"

"I just . . ." Suddenly very angry with this line of questioning, he stood up taller and placed his hands on his hips. "I can't help the way I feel, alright? I just like Harry more than you. I always have, even when we were together."

Harry gasped.

"What?" asked Theo.

"Yeah, that's right," said Draco, gaining confidence. "I liked him more than you. Always have. He's kind, and smart, and he would never replace me with drugs."

He saw Harry's smile and knew, in spite of Theo's enraged expression, that he'd made the right choice.

"Whatever," scoffed Theo. "I'm outta here."

"Good," said Draco. "I literally never want to see you again."

As Theo walked away, Harry took a tentative step closer to him. Draco closed the distance between them and reached for his hands. Harry let him.

"Arsewipe," Harry murmured. Draco nodded in agreement.

"I don't know what I saw in him," he said.

"Did he mean what he said? About your relationship only being about sex?"

Draco frowned. "That wasn't . . . It was and it wasn't."

Harry looked confused. "What does that mean? It either was or it wasn't."

"I dunno," said Draco, irritation rapidly rising. "Maybe it means I didn't know, alright?"

"How do you not know something that important?"

"Oh, and all of a sudden you're the relationship expert?"

"At least I know what I wanted out of my relationship. At least I made up my mind."

"Are you criticizing me? Really, Harry?"

Harry frowned. "No, I'm just stating the facts. If you didn't know what you wanted with Nott, it's no wonder things went awry."

Draco wanted to hit him. "What did you just say?"

"I'm just saying that if you knew what you wanted from the start, the breakup probably wouldn't have been as messy."

"How dare you."

"How dare I what?"

"How dare you act like you know anything about what happened between me and him."

"Like it's some big secret?" Harry asked. "You were shagging, and on his end that appears to be the extent of it. It seems as though the two of you didn't communicate enough about what you wanted."

Oh, and Draco didn't need another fucking reminder of how shit he was at handling anything romantic.

"We did communicate," Draco said hotly. "We communicated plenty. But he lied to me."

Harry's face did that thing where it began to fall several stories. He looked devastated. "What do you mean?"

"I mean he fucking lied. He told me he loved me, he told me . . . How . . . You know what, nevermind. You clearly don't care."

Draco made to walk away, but Harry stepped in front of him.

"Hey, we aren't finished here."

"Oh, really, because I've had enough."

"Draco, please."

"What?"

"I . . . I'm sorry I misunderstood. You're right. I don't know what went on in your relationship. All I know is that he didn't treat you the way you deserve, at all."

"And what's the way I deserve?"

Harry sighed. "Draco, you . . . You deserve to be taken care of. You deserve kindness, and respect, at the bare minimum. You deserve someone who sees all the wonderful qualities in you, and never lets you forget them."

"What wonderful qualities?" Draco asked, partly as a joke.

Harry frowned. "You don't mean that."

"No, please tell me what these supposedly 'wonderful' qualities are, because I seem to be missing the memo," said Draco.

Harry shook his head. "You really don't see it."

"See what?"

"How amazing you are."

"Don't be a sap."

"Can't be when it's a fact."

"You're making it worse."

"Okay, how about this. I'll tell you how I really feel about you."

Draco gulped. "W-What do you mean, how you really feel about me? I thought we already established that you liked me."

Harry looked at him long and hard, brushing his thumbs across Draco's knuckles. "I more than like you, Draco."

Draco was grateful he was holding onto Harry, for he wasn't sure if his legs were capable of holding him up on his own at the moment. "Y-You mean-"

"I just . . . I wanted to tell you that I-"

"Harry! Draco! You guys!"

Startled, Draco let go of Harry's hands for the second time tonight. However, he had nothing to fear. It was only Luna Lovegood.

"Are you . . . Are you two together now?" Luna asked, none too quietly.

Harry looked conflicted, gaze shifting from Draco to his Ravenclaw friend. But Draco had a feeling Luna's question wasn't what Harry was conflicted about.

"Yes. Yes we are," answered Harry, which quelled all Draco's anxieties about where they stood relationship-wise.

Luna beamed radiently. "That's wonderful. I knew it would happen eventually."

"What do you mean, you knew?" Draco asked. "It's not as though we were passing notes and giggling in class."

Luna rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "You'd have to be blind not to notice the tension between you guys. I spotted it at the beginning of the term. Harry over here was always looking at the Slytherin table when he thought nobody was watching. I spend most meals at the Gryffindor table because they like me more than my own house does, so I notice these things."

Draco's heart ached for Luna hearing this, but he couldn't help but feel annoyed by her timing. What had Harry been about to tell him?

Had . . . Had Harry been about to tell him that he loved him?

"Luna," scolded Harry, blushing something fierce.

"That's so sweet," cooed Draco. "You were looking at me, Harry?"

"He was so worried about you," said Luna. "He'd never say anything, but I could always tell. The bluer your aura got, the more he looked toward you. As if he could sense something was wrong."

"Nothing's wrong," said Draco defensively. "What are you talking about?"

Luna tssked. "I only mean the general issue surrounding your situation."

"Which would be . . .?"

Luna cleared her throat. "The fact that I'm no longer the most hated person in school."

Draco hung his head. "That would be me, I'm afraid."

"You shouldn't care what they think," said Luna. "Most of their heads are full of cotton. You, however, are one of the most clear-headed wizards I've ever met. If only you perceived yourself as clearly as you perceive everybody else, then you'd be golden."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You don't think you deserve Harry . . . Which couldn't be further from the truth. You help him, too, even if you don't realize it."

Draco didn't know whether he wanted to laugh or cry, because Luna was so wrong. He didn't help anybody. All he did was demolish and destroy.

"How?" he asked.

"You cheer me up," said Harry. "If I'm having a bad day, I need only think of you and that . . . Incredibly gorgeous smile of yours, and I'm fine."

"That's . . ." Draco didn't know what to do with his hands, or any part of his body, here. "That's really, erm-"

"You understand me," continued Harry. "The things we talk about . . . You get it. I can't talk about these things with Ron and Hermione. They just don't understand. It's nothing I hold against them, it's just a different kind of relationship. You've been through so much in the war, carry so much guilt, and I empathize with that on a really personal level."

"You really should let some of that guilt go," said Luna softly. "Both of you. It's eating you alive. I can feel it."

"I don't know how," Draco choked out before he could stop himself, and fuck he was about to get reprimanded by Harry because apparently that wasn't a good enough excuse-

Harry, however, only wrapped an arm around him and pulled him in close. Draco allowed himself to be held and rested his head on Harry's shoulder.

"Maybe we should sit down," suggested Luna.

Draco couldn't have agreed more. He stood back up straight, and the three of them sat down on the sofa, Harry in the middle.

Without hesitating, Harry grasped Draco's hand and squeezed gently.

"I saw you talking to your ex," said Luna.

"Yeah, he's a piece of- Wait, how'd you know he's my ex?"

"I see everything in this school."

Draco chuckled. "You're something else, Lovegood."

"I'm assuming you've had a pretty eventful night and are ready to wind down," said Luna. "I'm also sensing that you two were talking about something pretty important before I came along."

Harry and Draco looked at each other, unsure how they were supposed to deny her the truth.

"You were, weren't you?"

"It's not a big deal," lied Draco. "You can stay."

"No, I'll go," said Luna. "I'm about ready for bed, anyways. I'll see you two lovebirds tomorrow, hmm?" She winked at them before standing up and bouncing away.

Draco slowly turned his gaze from Luna's retreating form to Harry, who was sitting right next to him and looking deep into his eyes.

"What were you going to tell me before?" Draco asked softly.

Harry blinked, shaking his head. "Nothing."

Draco's hand went slack in Harry's grip. "Nothing?"

"Yeah, it was nothing. I don't even remember anymore, to be honest, so it must not have been that important."

"Oh." Draco looked to the floor, head swirling with confusion. Minutes ago, Harry had been about to tell him something huge. Now he wanted to take it back? Act like it never happened?

Draco was hurt.

"Yeah. Hey, it is getting kinda late . . . I think I'm going to get some shut eye now. You ready to head up?"

"You know what?" Draco asked. "I think I'll stay back."

Harry studied him for a moment, as though he wasn't sure he believed him. Then he spoke. "Okay."

He stood up from the couch, bent over Draco, gently held his face, and pressed a soft kiss into his forehead. Draco shuddered.

"Harry."

"Yeah?"

"A-Are you sure you had nothing to say? Because before Luna came round, it felt like you had something you had to-"

"It was nothing. Okay?"

Draco frowned. It was definitely something, something big. But clearly Harry wasn't ready to tell, so he wasn't going to push. "Okay."

Harry looked relieved. "Goodnight, Draco."

"Goodnight."

Draco watched Harry's figure disappear around the corner, feeling more confused than ever.