Pairing: Harry/Draco

Part: 1/?

Warnings: Hrm. This one's pretty mild. Let's see...slash, dark themes, angst. I'd say that about does it. ^^

Summary: What would you be willing to sacrifice for the one you love?

Archive: Sure. Just tell me where you're taking it. ^_^

Disclaimer: The wonder known as Harry Potter belongs to a lot of people, and you can rest assured that I'm not one of them. *sadness* The only thing I own is the writing. Heck, even the *idea* isn't mine! I'm not making any money off of this insane endeavor, and while I don't always play nice with other people's toys, I promise to return them alive, at least. ^_~

Notes: This is in answer to a challenge that was something along the lines of: In just about every Harry/Draco story, Draco is always the one who sees the error of his ways and changes sides. What if, for once, Harry was the one to go to Draco's?

That's way paraphrased, but it's the general idea. Just so you know, this entire thing was written while my muse was beating me over the head with a blunt object, screaming, "Harry wouldn't DO that, you dolt! Voldemort killed his parents, for !@#$'s sake! Do you HONESTLY think he would switch sides....ARGH!!! Out of character...did you hear me? I said OUT OF CHARACTER!!!!!" *whapbangsmashhurtkill*

Heh...which means quite likely that said volatile muse will abandon me after this travesty and I'll never be able to write again. *sigh* Oh well. And just the other day I was mentioning how I prefer Harry/Draco stories to be well plotted with loads of character developement and whatnot. Hm. Do as I say, not as I do, I suppose. Enjoy! ^_^v

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sacrifice

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*~ Masquerading as a man with a reason,

my charade is the event of the season.

And if I claim to be a wise man,

it surely means that I don't know.

On a stormy of moving emotion,

tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean.~*~

- Carry On My Wayward Son, Kansas


God, but he had the most beautiful eyes. The vicious, dark steel of storm clouds when he was angry, melting into twin pools of quicksilver at the barest hint of a smile. They could show every emotion that swirled in their depths, or when he willed it, they were like polished mirrors, reflecting everything and giving no hint to what lay beneath.

Harry sighed, turning his gaze back to his breakfast, which he began poking at disinterestedly. Dancing. That's what it was. He and Draco danced to a melody only they could hear. Step and counter step, all in perfect time, each knowing and reading the other like a pair of long-time partners.

It had been a long time, though, hadn't it? Nearly seven years. Seven years of these intricate steps, the melody growing more and more complicated, and still they never missed a step. They always kept pace, each weaving in and out and around the other. This dance of theirs...it had been a simple thing once. Then the melody changed, and the dance grew more charged, more intimate with every passing year.

Their rivalry had mellowed over the years, even as their dance intensified. He and Draco had come to something of an understanding. A tenuous alliance of sorts. Not that he understood the blonde Slytherin one bit more than he ever had.

He was musing over just what exactly it was that made Draco Malfoy tick, when he felt someone poke his arm. "Hey, Harry."

Harry looked over at Ron. "Yeah?"

Ron jerked his head in the direction of the Slytherin table. "Malfoy's been staring at you for a while." He made a face, "It's kind of creepy."

Harry blinked and looked over. Ron was right. Draco was leaning back in his chair, regarding Harry thoughtfully over the cup of coffee cradled in his hands. "Hm." Harry went back to poking at his breakfast.

Ron stared at him a moment, confused. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"Not really," Harry said, not bothering to point out that he had been doing the exact same thing a few minutes before. Ron and Hermione really didn't know about his understanding with Draco, and he didn't plan on telling them. Things were less complicated that way. Ron hated Draco far too much to react in any way other than badly, and if he told Hermione, then he told Ron. That was just the way it worked.

"If you say so," Ron said after a few moments, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "If he was staring at me like that, I'd walk over there and punch him in the nose."

"If by some cruel twist of fate I were forced to stare at you, Weasley, I would gouge out my own eyes." Ron and Harry both started at the familiar drawl, looking up to see Draco standing over them, smirking.

Ron glared at him. "Sod off, Malfoy," he snarled.

Draco snorted. "And miss even a moment of your stupidity, Weasley? Perish the thought."

"Why were you staring at Harry?" Ron demanded.

Draco blinked at him, vaguely surprised at the question, then shrugged, "If you must know, I was thinking. An activity you're quite unfamiliar with, I'm sure."

Before Ron could reply, Draco turned his attention to Harry. "Would you like to go on a walk?"

Harry stared at him for a moment, surprised at the request. He heard Ron choking on his breakfast, and even Hermione had looked up from her book at the question. "Uh..." he said intelligently.

"Well?" Draco said impatiently, "I'm not going to wait all day."

"Uh...okay. Sure," he said, standing up.

"Harry!" Ron said, staring at him as if he'd gone mad.

"Harry, I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Hermione said.

"Oh, for goodness sake, I'm not going to attack him. Honestly." Draco shook his head and looked at Harry. "Coming?"

"I'll be fine you two. I'll see you later, alright?" Harry said.

Ron growled something under his breath as the two made their way out of the Great Hall, glaring at the door as if it had somehow offended him.

"Well, that was strange," Hermione said.

"Hey," They looked over at the sound of Seamus' voice. "Did I just see Harry leave with Malfoy?" he asked, sitting down and grabbing a plate. His eyes were still bleary with sleep. "Or am I still dreaming?"

"No," Ron muttered, "You just saw Harry lose his bloody mind, is what you saw."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They walked in silence for a long time, side by side, Harry studying Draco's profile curiously. He seemed pensive, so lost in thought that Harry wasn't even sure Draco was aware he was there anymore. Which was fine by him. The silence was a comfortable one, and he was content to leave Draco to his thoughts for the moment.

Harry looked up at the cloudless sky, squinting against the sun. It was a nice day, not even a bite on the breeze to tell of the approaching winter. It was peaceful, but the air seemed charged, poised and tense. Like the calm before a storm, and it unsettled him. Harry got the distinct impression something waited just below the surface, like a predator waiting to strike.

Shaking the thought away, he turned his attention to Draco. "So, why the walk?"

Draco blinked, startled out of his thoughts. He looked over at Harry, smiling wryly. "Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"I wanted the company," he said, stopping at the lake's edge. "Company with more than half a brain cell, and company that wouldn't try to molest me the moment we were alone."

Harry grinned. "You think I have more than one brain cell? Why, Malfoy, I'm touched."

"More than half a brain cell," Draco corrected, "And don't let it go to your head, Potter."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Draco dropped gracefully to the ground, and Harry followed suit. There was silence again, but Harry didn't mind. These silences with Draco were never awkward. They simply were. It never ceased to amaze him, that in these rare times with Draco, words never really seemed necessary.

"Anymore...it almost seems like I'm more comfortable around you than I am Ron or Hermione." Harry blinked in surprise, then made a face. He hadn't meant to say that aloud.

"Oh?" Draco was regarding him curiously.

"I...well, that is..." Harry said, feeling the need to explain himself. "It's just like I've...grown apart from them, I guess."

"Ah." Draco looked back at the lake. "People change, friends grow apart...it's called growing up, Potter. Nothing lasts forever."

"Nothing lasts forever..." Harry echoed, then sighed. "I suppose you're right. Doesn't mean I have to like it though."

Draco snorted. "That's what makes life interesting, you know. Change. The unknown. If everything was safe, comfortable and always the same, what would be the point of living? Of waking up every day and knowing that it will be just like the last. An endless cycle of monotony. No thank you Potter. I'd rather drown myself in the lake." He looked at Harry. "Where's that Gryffindor bravery, hm? Very uncharacteristic to fear change, don't you think?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm not afraid of change, Malfoy. I just don't like it when I was happy with the way things were before."

"You'd prefer we were back at each other's throats then?"

"...No. No, I don't think I want that."

"Hm."

"Oh....bollocks," Harry sighed. "I really should stop whining, shouldn't I?"

"Spectacular idea. I was getting a headache."

"Oh, shut up Malfoy."

"What?" Draco feigned surprise, "You don't like the sound of my voice?"

Harry grinned at him, "Not as much as you do."

"Are you insinuating something?" Draco demanded, sounding highly offended.

"You mean am I saying that half the time you open your mouth just to hear yourself talk?" Harry pretended to think about it. "Nope. You must be imagining things."

Draco laughed then, shaking his head. "Honestly, Potter, I don't know why I tolerate you."

"It must be my wonderful personality and stunning good looks."

Draco snorted. "Hardly."

"Why then?" Harry asked quietly.

"What?" Draco asked, surprised by Harry's sudden serious tone.

"Why do you tolerate me, Draco?" Harry pinned him with a penetrating stare. "We spent years hating each other, so why are we out here now, poking fun at each other like friends? What changed?"

Resting his chin on his knee, Draco considered the question. "We did, Harry," he said softly.

When he said nothing more, Harry took a moment to think about it. Draco was right, he realized. They had changed. They weren't children anymore, running around with stupid prejudices. "When did we grow up Draco?"

"Must've happened when we weren't looking," Draco said, smiling slightly.

"No kidding," Harry said, unconsciously mimicking the other boy's position. "I lied, you know."

"About what?"

"I am afraid of change." Harry hugged his knees to his chest. "This is our last year at Hogwarts. Everyone thinks Voldemort is going to finally make his move soon, and they're all looking to me. Every last one of them thinks I'm their savior, Draco. I don't want to be their savior."

It was true. He was so tired. Tired of the adoration and the expectations, tired of the fame. He didn't want to be the thrice damned Boy-Who-Lived. He just wanted to be Harry. No more, no less. What it so much to ask, to just want to fade quietly into the woodwork, to be just another person for once?

"Then don't be."

"What?" Harry's head snapped up, and he stared at Draco.

Draco regarded him with an even gaze. "I said don't be. Just because everyone has been filling your head with that nonsense since day one doesn't mean you have to do it. They just want you to think you do. There's always a choice, Harry."

Suddenly, Harry realized just what it was about Draco Malfoy he had come to like. There were no expectations. Ron, Hermione, the rest of the wizarding world, they all wanted something from him. Everyone wanted something, and it was draining him. He was sick of it all. With Draco, there was none of that, and he was so grateful for such a small thing.

"I've figured it out."

"What's that?"

"I know why I like you," Harry said.

"Oh, is that all?" Draco said, waving a hand dismissively. "I can think of plenty. My charm, my intelligence, my spectacularly sharp wit, oh, and did I mention that I'm really quite pretty, too?"

Harry choked back a laugh. "I'm serious, Malfoy. I didn't say that so you could stroke your own ego."

"What ego? It's all true." Harry just gave him a look, and Draco sighed. "All right, you win. Why?"

"You don't expect me to save the world."

The blonde stared at him incredulously. "You like me because I don't worship you? That's pretty backwards, Potter."

Harry just smiled wryly and flopped down on his back. "It's nice to have at least one person who doesn't expect things from me. If anyone had heard you tell me not to be a savior, it would have earned you a one way trip to St. Mungo's."

"Consider the source," Draco said dryly. Harry frowned at him, and he shrugged. "Come now, Potter. You know very well my allegiances lie in a different direction."

Harry sighed. "Yeah. I know. Though....for someone siding with the bad guys, you really don't strike me as evil." He tossed a rock in the general direction of the lake. "People must think I'm insane, trusting you. Maybe I am."

"Evil is all relative, Potter. Is killing a child evil?"

"Yes."

"Suppose that child was carrying a incurable disease that could very well wipe out the human race. It it evil then?"

Harry hesitated, unsure how to answer. "I...don't know."

Draco looked down at him. "It gets a little tougher, then, doesn't it? It's all relative. Black and white is an illusion. Everything is in shades of grey. Both sides of any war believe they're right. And, in a way, they both are. It's all a matter of perspective. Though," Draco grinned, "On a lighter note, it's nice to know you trust me."

"War," Harry said the word like it was something vile, "You know, when it comes to that...we'll be enemies."

"I had a selfish reason for telling you not to be their savior, you know."

"So that your side will win?"

"No, actually," Draco said, "Truthfully, I don't want you to get hurt."

"What?" Harry asked, genuinely surprised.

"Come now, Potter. I'm not a complete monster you know, " he sniffed, "I would prefer to keep my friends safe."

"You think of me as a friend?"

"Much to the distress of Death Eaters everywhere, yes I do."

It struck Harry then, how absurd the conversation was. He was talking to Draco about being one of the bad guys as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Draco Malfoy, someone with which he was developing a friendship, was siding with Voldemort. Harry also realized, with a little discomfort, that it didn't bother him nearly as much as it should have.

He looked up at Draco then, eyes catching the other boy's. The stayed like that a moment, just looking at each other, Draco regarding him out of half-lidded eyes. Harry blinked in surprise when Draco leaned down, stopping only when their faces were bare inches apart.

"It's all relative, Harry," he whispered, brushing his lips against Harry's in a feather-light kiss.

It had barely been more than a touching of lips, but it left Harry feeling dizzy and lightheaded, and as Draco pulled away, Harry was aware of only one thing.

He was in a great deal of trouble.