"Harry? Is everything alright?" He expected to hear the concerned woes of Hermione, but the voice backgrounding him was slightly raspier and much more masculine.
Everyone had left the Room of Requirement at the conclusion of the latest DA meeting with the exception of the original Golden Three.
"I saw Malfoy looking all snarky, and he yelled at you or something. And then he left. What in the bloody hell was that about?" Ron was advancing in what Harry feared was an Anti-Draco Tyrade. As he approached closely, however, there was a redemptive gleam in his eye.
When Harry didn't respond, Ron continued further. "Is everything with you two alright? 'Cause I can hex him, if you want, Harry. The second he hurts you, I'm using Hermione's spell book on his ferret arse." The words were harsh, but the corner of his lip tugged into that famous lop-sided Weasley grin.
"Please, Ron. Don't hurt the spell book by hitting Malfoy upside the head with it." Hermione's grin gave away her playful intent.
"I'm serious, you know." He tried to sound convincing, but there was an air of forgiveness in his voice. For the first time, Harry saw a glimpse of acceptance from his best friend.
He chuckled. "Don't worry, Ron. He's just having a tough time. Everything's going to be fine."
"Okay, mate, but promise you'll let me hex him if he screws up too much."
"Ronald!" Hermione scolded frivolously, and Harry reveled in the weightlessness of the present moment. A blissful feeling had settled deep within his bones, and, for the time being, it seemed as if everything would be alright.
For the first time in a while, the trio exited the Room of Requirement as a group and headed to Gryffindor tower. It was nice to have Ron back for the moment, and Harry was more than grateful for the reprieve. Even through the jokes and lighthearted jabs, however, a sinking feeling had begun to descend upon his gut. Perhaps it was the doubt that Ron's apparent acceptance would last. Or maybe it was the fact that Draco was out there, somewhere, upset and alone. Harry shook his head, determined with each step to find out where exactly Draco had disappeared to.
Upon entering the portrait hole, Ron and Harry bid Hermione goodnight and headed up to the boy's dormitory. Harry immediately crossed the room to his trunk, hurriedly sifting through his belongings until he retrieved the Marauders' Map. Ron stared after him curiously, watching him hastily unfold the parchment and mutter the words "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
"What are you doing, mate?" He questioned suspiciously, offended that their redemptive stint had been cut short.
"I'm going to find Draco," he answered, eyes scanning actively across the map.
"But I thought he was mad at you!" Ron exclaimed, hurt oozing from between his words.
"I told you, he's just going through some things. That doesn't mean I'm not going to find him and make sure he's alright."
"But we've spoken more in the last 20 minutes than we have in weeks! And you're just going to up and leave for Malfoy?" His face was reddening, anger spewing with each syllable.
Harry felt his whole body tighten at Ron's fury. "Seriously, Ron!? You don't get it, do you? You're my best mate, but I need you to understand how much he means to me!"
"How much he means to you? I know you fancy him, Harry, but we've been friends longer than that!" Ron was speaking with his hands now, a sign that he was most definitely losing any sense of calm within him.
"I don't just 'fancy,' him, Ron! You're my best friend, and I would expect you to understand that he means more to me than just some fling!" Harry was extremely appreciative of the fact that they happened to be alone.
"How do you know, Harry? How can you be sure?" His intent was concern, but his words were poisonous.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I don't question your feelings for Hermione, so why are you questioning mine?" Harry's shoulders slumped in defeat. He'd had a feeling that Ron's open mindedness would be short-lived.
"That's different, mate! I love her!" There was a chilling silence between them at Ron's newest proclamation. Harry sighed, calming himself.
"First of all, why haven't you told her that? And secondly, it's not any different. I'm not asking you to fully understand, I'm just asking you not to hold this against us."
Ron flushed, becoming a bit more self aware at Harry's calm sentiment. "I- I have my reasons." He found himself stumbling over the words he'd been unprepared to speak. He watched voicelessly as Harry's eyebrows perked at the discovery of Draco's location.
"Mischief managed." Harry folded the map and placed it away. He glanced upward, meeting Ron's uncertainty.
"Look, I have to go find him. Please don't be rash. Nothing will ever replace you and Hermione, Ron. I promise." Harry was already grabbing his invisibility cloak and patting himself down to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything. Ron didn't say a word, but his eyes were understanding.
With a single nod, Harry exited the dormitory, cloaked himself, and set out toward the main entrance.
The moon was a perfect circle, completely round in its full glory. The light rested in a pale glow across Draco's cheeks, reflected off of platinum hair, and cast a deep shadow on the grass beneath him. It was almost peaceful, the silence ringing in both ears and drowning his thoughts. The only sound that resonated in the following moment was the gentle breeze that rustled the trees and tickled Draco's hair against his forehead. He closed his eyes, resting his head back against the coolness of the soil. He'd cried his heart out, sniffled, and then sobbed some more, and now he was strangely empty. There was nothing he could do now, he supposed, other than accept what was to come. And hope that Harry could forgive his belligerence.
The wind died down, and there was a serene quiet resting across the landscape once more. Mountains dotted the horizon, visible even in darkness. Draco tried to appreciate the beauty of one of his favorite spots, but fell short in the absence of Harry. A knot of loneliness and regret seemed to twist into his stomach, and he swallowed back any additional tears.
It was at this moment that he heard the rustling of grass beside him, a bit too close to mistake for the wind. He turned his head laterally to see an empty space but wasn't fooled. His lips turned up into a small smile as he allowed his eyelids to flutter shut once more. "Harry," he whispered softly, voice washed with a happy relief that spread from head to foot.
There was a shuffle of fabric as he removed the cloak and turned onto his left side. "Are you surprised, love?"
Draco nodded, eyes still shut blissfully. "I didn't think you'd come for me. I thought you'd hate me after I flipped out on you."
Unexpectedly, Harry chuckled. "Hate you? Draco, I could never hate you. You are everything to me." Draco's lids flashed open, steel eyes meeting green.
"God, I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to freak out on you. There's really no excuse for it."
Harry reached a hand up to brush Draco's blonde lock behind his ear. "You've had a lot on your mind today. I can tell."
Draco nodded, enjoying the thrill of Harry's touch. "I don't know what happened. I was doing alright, really, and then today everything just sort of came crashing down on me." He leaned into Harry's palm, nuzzling his cheek against cool skin.
"Voldemort. That's what happened." Harry paused, gazing into Draco's shocked pupils. He drew in a breath before continuing. "Last year, Hermione and Ron thought I was a ticking time bomb. I had nightmares, and visions, and no one seemed to believe me. I was quiet, withdrawn. And no one knew exactly when I would snap at them next."
Draco's gaze softened at Harry's apparent understanding. "I know what it's like to be angry for no reason. I used to think something was wrong with me. The truth is, it's not you, Draco. It's him. Messing with your head and threatening to take everything from you."
Draco felt a choking sensation near his Adam's apple, particularly moved by Harry's words. Voldemort WAS going to take everything from him, and there was nothing he could do about it. Speechlessly, red rimmed eyes threatened to pour.
"Draco..." Harry began, choosing his words carefully. "I know that your family and friends are all you've ever known. They're going to see you're change of alliance as a betrayal. And that's going to hurt. It's already hurting, I can tell. But please, try to remember... these are the same people that would hand you over to him." Harry's stare was truthful and earnest, wanting nothing more than the best for his mate. Draco reluctantly allowed the next round of water works to begin.
"I know." He whispered, and it was all he could say before the sobs took heir. Noticing Draco's scrunched up expression, recognizing the verge of tears, Harry placed a hand on the back of his head and pulled it onto his shoulder, forming an embrace that was both warm and fuzzy.
Draco held nothing back, sobs coating the surface of Harry's robes, fingernails digging into his shoulder blades. His chest heaved, gasping for breath in between fits of crying. It was both a physical and emotional reprieve; his body threatened to vomit and similarly his panic was slowly leaving with each fit. Harry's arms were so comforting, so much like home, and knew that as long as he had this, he could do anything.
"It's okay, Draco," Harry consoled in a hushed tone, "I've got you. You're mine, and I'm not letting you go."
The words only fueled the breakdown, and Draco found himself thrusting every molecule into Harry. He could feel them mixing, combining and forming compounds that were chemically intact. Nothing could separate them now, not without each forming a new element. Not without destroying themselves.
Harry sensed Draco's longing and held him tighter. "I love you, Harry," Draco spoke between muffled sobs.
Harry pressed deeply and forcefully against Draco, atoms becoming flush. "I will always love you, Draco. Always."
