Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

WARNING: Male/male relationship that includes incest. Harry and Draco are angsty and sentimental in this story so that means they're OOC.

A/N: I'm not making any money out of this and I'm a homophile. For all of my loyal readers who have been watching the progress of this story, I 'kowtow' to all of you. Thank you for coming back to this fic. And this time, after I reload all my former chapters, there will be a NEW chapter. I beg all of you be patient and for your information, I made a few not so subtle changes in the story. The changes WILL affect the story in the future. The Hardship That Brothers Face

Chapter 2

(2 weeks after the incident in Chapter 1)

'Have you got a date for the Masquerade yet, Har?' asked Ron, flipping through the small stack of parchment that was his Potions homework. Snape had to be impressed this time. He had Hermione's help after all.

Harry shook his head, cleaning the nib of his quill with some tissue. "I'm planning to ask Rhianna from Hufflepuff, but I'm not sure she'll agree."

From across the common room, Draco lifted his head slightly from the book he was reading. The Masquerade was going to be held in the Great Hall on the upcoming Tuesday and it was currently Friday. The Masquerade was going to be something like the Yule Ball except everyone was going to be wearing masks and Muggle formal dressing instead of the usual dress robes they were comfortable with.

Ron had no objections. At least he didn't have to wear the same lace cuff robes as he did in the Yule Ball. He got a fine black suit that was a rental but still was quite cheap.

"You two are going together, right?" asked Harry, looking at both his best friends who immediately had something urgent to do and excused themselves to their respective dorms. Harry shook his head. "I know some people are avoidant but sheesh!" Draco buried his nose in the book again. He found out that if he curled up and kept to himself, nobody would bother him. Unfortunately, this didn't apply to his older brother who tapped his shoulder for some attention.

"Hey Draco, have ­you­ got a date for the Masquerade?"

Draco inched away from his brother, something that Harry took note of. "It doesn't matter if I have one or not," Draco drawled lazily, hoping that Harry would just go away. "It's a Masquerade. You're not supposed to know who you're talking or dancing with. So what's the point if you already appointed yourself a partner?" Draco turned a page of his book.

"I don't know," said Harry, ignoring the unfriendly vibes Draco was sending. "I think I'd feel much more comfortable if I knew who I was dancing and talking with. What do you think of Rhianna?"

Draco turned away from his brother so that his sibling would not see the slightly pained look on his face. "She's pretty, nice and polite. What's not to like?" Draco frowned a bit at his lie. Rhianna was definitely not nice and polite. At least not to him.

"You don't exactly choose a date just like that," replied Harry. "I mean, take you for example. What's not to like about you?"

"The pessimism, the anti-sociability, the imposter…"

Harry looked at Draco intently. "The imposter?"

"Nothing," Draco said quickly. "It's nothing." He closed his book. "I'm going to bed."

"Would you ask someone to be your date?" asked Harry.

The only one…

Draco gripped his book and made for his dorm.

…I want…

"No." With that, Draco disappeared from the common room.

…is you.

With the common room empty save for him, Harry turned to look into the fire. Its gentle flames were licking the top of the fireplace, dancing in a merry tune made up by Harry in his mind. A moment ago, it seemed to Harry that Draco was actually irritated when Harry talked to him. A sort of sadness gripped his heart. Harry neared the fire and his hand hovered near the licking flames. Even before he touched the flame, the heat was too much for him, causing Harry to withdraw with a hiss.

Flame, Harry thought, if you are what is destroying my relationship with Draco… if you are what is keeping him from me, I will plunge myself into you and incinerate you with a greater fire within my soul.

That was how much Harry wanted Draco to love him again.­­­­­­­­­­­

"Mother," whispered Draco as he stared up at the top of his four-poster bed. "Would you hate me if you know what I feel for your firstborn?"

There was a sound of flapping wings near the window by Draco's bed. Draco pulled open the curtain around his bed and saw an eagle owl perching on the stone windowsill. "Sergei?"

Sergei allowed Draco to untie the note attached to its leg and flew off to the Owlery to rest to with rest of its kin. Draco unrolled the note. It was from Remus. It read:

How are you doing, Dragon? Just so you know, Sirius and I will be attending the Masquerade at Hogwarts this Tuesday. We look forward to meeting you, Harry and everyone else again. And another thing, Dragon. Avoidance does not help in matters. You are dealing Harry with a heavy blow. –Remus

Draco glared at the note. It seemed as though someone was playing a trick on him. Why would those two come? What was their purpose for coming? Draco admitted the answer to himself bitterly. They were the only ones who knew of his affections for Harry. And they were determined to make it work out for the both of them. Draco didn't know why Remus and Sirius couldn't see that Harry would be happier with a girl who could take care of him rather than his little brother who only knew how to be a coward.

A heavy blow. That was what Remus wrote. He crumpled the note and threw it out the window in frustration. Do they think that he doesn't know that? Draco turned on his bed and drifted to sleep.

The next morning was Saturday and since it was the last weekend before the Masquerade, students were allowed to go into Hogsmeade to get their last minute costumes, masks, corsages and the like. Draco had not put much thought into what he was going to wear.

He hadn't thought much about the Masquerade either, being too worried about his own problems. He was so muddled he even considered missing the event altogether. But it would make Harry worry more about him. Draco didn't want that so he had no choice but to go even if it's just to sit alone and eat while happy couples danced across his him.

The small bell that hung above the doorframe jingled as Draco entered Gladrags Wizardwear shop. All around him were racks of clothing. Quite a number showed wizard robes for different occasions and the rack standing beside it displayed different assortments of hair accessories for women. Draco passed those without a second glance and crossed to the back of the shop. That was where the costumes were displayed.

Draco checked how much he had on him. Five Galleons. That was how much he had saved for the past few weeks. He wasn't poor but unlike Harry, he hadn't requested for extra money from their father for the costume. Five Galleons would only buy him half of a costume in Gladrags. There was a part of the store that displayed clothing for rental as well. Draco looked through the clothing that hung on the hangers and sighed. None of them looked good enough for the Masquerade.

He exited Gladrags without buying anything and drank Butterbeer in a dark corner of the Three Broomsticks for the remainder of the afternoon.

Harry touched the soft material of the velvet cloak he had just purchased from Gladrags. It was dark grey, only a shade lighter than black. Along with the cloak he had also bought a grey vest with a white dress shirt and dress pants a bit darker than the colour of his vest.

Hermione hugged the package that her new dress was wrapped in close to her chest. She hadn't allowed Ron and Harry to see her dress. "You'll just have to wait and see."

Looking at both his friends in envy, Ron almost felt like sulking about the rental he had in his closet. "So, Har, you asked Rhianna yet?"

Harry nodded with a smile on his face. "She said yes."

"That's odd," said Hermione.

"What is?" asked Harry.

"You don't seem too enthusiastic." Hermione looked at him doubtfully. "Don't tell me you're already regretting asking her to be your date."

"Of course not!" exclaimed Harry. "Why would I be regretting? Everyone agrees she's a nice person."

"A person can be the nicest person in the world and still not be right for you. Who knows? Maybe you like the bad girl type." Hermione giggled.

"Hermione!" cried Harry, horrified.

"Maybe, I said maybe," said Hermione in self-defense. Ron merely grinned at the both of them and moved closer to Hermione.

"What time should we leave for the Great Hall on Tuesday?" asked Ron.

"So you ARE going together," accused Harry.

"W-what?" stammered Ron. 'I didn't say that. When I said "we" I meant the three of us.' But the identical blushes on Ron and Hermione's cheeks were proof that Harry was right.

"Come on, I've got an errand to do," said Harry. The three of them entered Honeydukes which was half-packed with Hogwarts students. Many were trying samples of a new candy called Crackle Frazzle. It was almost like its Muggle counterpart of Crackling Candy but while it gave crackling sensations to the tongue, it also sent the same crackling feeling all over the taster's body till it made all hairs stand on edge.

Marie, the part-time worker at Honeydukes, spotted Harry and waved at him. "Hey Harry. Remus is in the storage room and Sirius got the day off."

Harry nodded and he, Ron and Hermione made their way to the back of the room where there was a ordinary-looking door that led to the back rooms and storage room of Honeydukes. Harry laid his hand on the doorknob but his forefinger got bitten in return. 'Ouch!'

"No trespassers," scolded the doorknob in a high-pitched voice.

"It's me. Harry!"

"Oh. You may pass," replied the doorknob. It turned itself and the door opened itself before the trio.

"Thank you," said Harry bitterly. "You'd think it 'd remember me by now."

Like Marie said, Remus was in the storage room, trying to find where the new stock of Fizzing Whizzbees was placed. "Harry. Nice to see you here."

"You too." Harry produced a note from his pants pocket. "From Severus."

Remus took the paper from Harry with an exasperated sigh. "Three crates of Droobles Best Blowing Gum? Shouldn't a man his age be watching out for cavities?"

"Ah, you know him," said Harry carelessly. "He probably has a potion to prevent them and another potion to increase his metabolism for sweet things. So, how much will it be this time?"

"Three crates," muttered Remus. "28 Galleons and that's after a discount."

"I'll tell Severus," assured Harry.

It was Sunday. Remus had sent Draco another letter saying that he and his boyfriend would arrive at Hogwarts on Monday. Draco tore the thin parchment and sent the scraps flying over the battlements of the castle. 'I never keep any of their letters,' he thought, drinking in the red sun that was sinking below the horizon. 'Cause they always write bullshit about me and Harry being able to be together.'

"I thought you'd be here," said Harry. Draco turned around so quickly he almost gave himself a whiplash.

"Harry?"

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" Harry crossed over to the edge of the battlements and leaned out a little. Draco watched his brother close his eyes as though wanting to savour the moment.

"What are you doing here?" asked Draco, his voice void of emotion.

"Checking up on my little brother." Harry sat down beside Draco who moved away slightly. "Is that so wrong?"

Draco ignored Harry's question and tried to ignore Harry's presence altogether. But Harry would have none of this. He gripped his brother's forearms. Draco quickly tried to pull away but Harry's grip was like vice.

"Draco, look at me," said Harry. Draco continued his attempt at escape, now trying to pry his brother's fingers off his arm. "Draco." Harry's voice took a new tone of desperation. "Draco, please. For the past few weeks you have been avoiding me. At first I thought it was nothing but now I'm worried. You won't come near me and you move away whenever I come close. What has caused us to be so distant? If I had done something wrong please tell me. If ridding it can heal our relationship then I will do so."

Draco paused in his actions but kept his face away from Harry.

Tears sprang to Harry's green eyes but he kept it from falling. "Won't you even look at me?" he whispered. Draco winced slightly. His fingers were wrenching Harry's from his arm. "Mom would not have want us to be like this," Harry continued.

At this, Draco leapt to his feet. With his head bent, his eyes hidden in the shadows of his fringe, he said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Do not speak about Mother with me. She would've hated me if she knew how I turned out."

"Draco," Harry started. "What are you talking about? You are an angel." Harry moved to take Draco in his arms but the blonde moved away.

"Whatever the situation is," said Draco, "trust me. The fault is not yours. It's mine." His voice became hard. "Leave me alone, Harry." Draco took leave of Harry, not noticing the clear drops of tears that now ran freely down Harry's cheeks. Harry removed his glasses.

Hiding behind a niche in the wall, Draco peeked out at Harry who was stationary for several moments. "Please do not cry for me, Harry. Your tears will be wasted on me."