Chapter Nine
A Web of Promises

This chapter is dedicated to thrnbrooke and scully, both of whom have reviewed nearly every chapter of this fic without fail. I always look forward to what you guys have to say!

"This will be all over soon.
Pour the salt into the open wound.
Is it over yet?
Let me in…

You take the breath right out of me.
You left a hole where my heart should be.
You gotta fight just to make it through,
'Cause I will be the death of you."
--Breath (Breaking Benjamin)

Harry's hands were sweating, and he clenched them tightly at his sides in frustration as his face became flushed and his stomach gave a very uncomfortable jolt. He could feel Draco's magical aura on the other side of the door, and he knew Draco was listening to his words, but all of a sudden, his throat was dry; he choked on his next attempt at speech, and had to swallow multiple times before he could even open his mouth again.

However, before he could voice anything further, the door slowly swung open. Harry found his breath caught in his throat, and he nearly choked again when he caught sight of Draco and his eyes began to fill with fresh tears. He could not believe his eyes; Draco stood before him, looking healthy and happy, and oh, what Harry wouldn't give to be held in his arms once again.

He fought back the sob that threatened to force its way from his closed-up throat, and with a weak smile and only a small struggle, he managed to say the first thing that came to mind. "Hey."

Draco stared at him, wide eyes glistening slightly and his face becoming tinged with pink. When he answered, his voice sounded hoarse and broken. "I, uh…hey."

And in the next second Harry's hand, still curled tightly into a fist, was flying towards Draco and hit him squarely in the jaw. Draco went reeling with a shocked expression on his face, and Harry followed him into the small flat as Draco stumbled back and fell onto his arse.

Harry stared down at Draco, panting slightly from the effort it took not to punch him again. His lips were set in a firm line, and his eyes were burning with an anger he hadn't known resided inside of him.

"I love you," Harry growled at Draco, eyes flashing as if threatening him to say differently.

Draco merely flinched, massaging his jaw with one hand and propping himself up from the floor with the other. He didn't look at all surprised at Harry's sudden anger; in fact, he looked rather like he had been anticipating this very same reaction.

A sour taste filled Harry's mouth at this thought, and he closed his eyes tightly in an attempt to calm himself.

He was speaking the words before he could pause to think them through. And perhaps it was better this way; Harry wouldn't have time to over-analyze his thoughts, and Draco would know exactly what he was feeling. But even as the words left his mouth, Harry was afraid of the vulnerability they would cause him.

"I've never stopped loving you, you stupid berk! I don't bloody care what everyone else thinks. My personal life is none of their business, and the people who matter don't care that it's you that I want to be with!"

It was too late to fear vulnerability now, though. The words had been spoken, and were hanging in the air between them, thick and ominous.

Harry's heart gave a jerk in his chest when he reluctantly opened his eyes to find Draco standing in front of him, his own eyes wet and chest heaving slightly. His jaw, where Harry had punched him, was slowly turning from an agitated red to a bruised purple, and Harry flinched at the sight of the angry mark marring Draco's otherwise perfect features.

"Fuck, I'm sorry," Harry whispered, hanging his head in shame.

Draco ignored the apology, though his jaw still hurt. "Harry, I…I don't care what everyone else thinks, either." His response was soft and unexpected, causing Harry to lift his head to make sure he had heard him correctly. "Don't you get it? It's you that I care about, Harry! And you deserve better than me; you deserve better than this. Can't you see that?"

Draco's rough voice was filled with a passion that Harry had only dreamt about for the past two and a half years. Harry ignored his tone, however, and his eyes narrowed at Draco's supposed confession. Again, Harry found himself lashing out at Draco with his fist. Draco's head jerked to the side with the force of the punch, but this time he seemed to be prepared for it, and did not fall.

"Don't say that!" Harry practically shrieked, trying hard to restrain himself from hitting Draco again. "I don't want to hear it! You're more than good enough for me, Draco; why can't you understand that?"

"But I'm not!" Draco cried. Now there were actual tears streaming down his cheeks, and Harry wasn't sure whether they were from the physical pain that he himself had induced, or pain of an emotional sort. He found himself again flooded with guilt, but he clenched his jaw tight with resolve and rode out the wave of shame the tears forced on him. "I never will be! You could have anyone, anything; why me? What can I possibly give you but pain? Haven't you had enough of that?"

Somehow, the urge to scream wormed its way into Harry's mind, but he shoved it away violently, determined to make Draco understand. "Yes, you've caused pain. But did you ever stop to think that before that pain, you gave me happiness? I want that back, Draco, but it's something I've only ever been able to find with you." Harry's voice was soft now, his breath hitched in his throat and his heart pounding almost violently against his ribcage. "And honestly, if I get to keep you…well, that would make the pain all worth it."

Draco gave a short growl, low in his throat, and turned on his heel to stalk away from Harry, putting a small amount of distance between them. Harry's eyes glistened with hurt, but Draco ignored it, along with the small voice in the back of his head that was telling him to wrap his arms around Harry and never let him go. Instead, he rubbed his face fiercely to rid his cheeks of tears, although he knew they would still be splotchy and pink.

The throbbing in his face allowed him to stay focused, even when looking into Harry's brilliantly emerald, gleaming eyes. They seemed to tug relentlessly at his heartstrings, catching Draco in their web of promises of things that he knew he didn't deserve.

"I'm not worth it, you blathering…I…you…I don't deserve someone like you, Harry! Look at me! Look at who I am!"

Harry cocked his head to the side, his gaze pinning Draco to the spot. "Who are you?"

"I'm a Death Eater's son, for one! On top of that, I'm a Malfoy, and we both know that to be associated with anyone with that name is practically worse than being sent to Azkaban on murder charges, in some peoples' opinion! And --"

"And I love you, no matter what you say to try to persuade me otherwise!" Harry cut him off.

Draco felt a sob rising in his throat, and could not suppress it as it forced its way out of his mouth. He dropped his head in shame as more tears poured down his cheeks, and suddenly, Harry was right in front of him, cupping his jaw and murmuring nonsense into his ear with such tenderness that Draco began to sob even harder.

Harry wrapped his arms tightly around Draco, pressing his body as snugly against him as it could go. He pressed his face into the crook of Draco's neck, inhaling deeply as he cooed softly, and reveling in the powerful warmth that flooded his chest when Draco gave a small sniff and pushed closer into him.

"I didn't want to hurt you, Harry," Draco whimpered into Harry's shoulder.

"I know," Harry soothed, tightening his arms around Draco's shaking body and nuzzling into his neck.

The first kiss, when it came, was chaste – barely a touch of lips on skin, and lingering for only seconds. Draco felt more than heard the whine that left his lips when Harry's lips again came into contact with the skin of his sensitive throat, this time remaining for many long moments, motionless and warm.

With a deep breath, Draco readied himself to pull away from Harry, to explain himself further. "Harry, I --"

Harry stifled whatever excuse Draco may have used with his lips, soft and pliant but unyielding against Draco's own. Harry's tongue snuck out and trailed the seam of Draco's lips, and Draco couldn't hold back the small moan that fought its way from his lips. Harry's tongue slipped into Draco's mouth, and soon their tongues were battling. The kiss was wet and rough and full of desire, and it was everything Draco had dreamed about.

Harry demanded nothing and everything with that kiss, and Draco knew he'd be drawn in by Harry's promise of love if he didn't do something right away to distance himself from him.

Draco forced himself to pull away from Harry with a loud suction noise, and when he finally gathered enough courage to open his eyes he noticed that Harry's were still shut, his posture sad and dejected.

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered, and again Draco felt his heart give a lunge. He grimaced at the odd tightening in his chest. "I just…I should go."

The urge to throw himself at Harry and beg him to never leave caused Draco to curl his hands into fists at his side, but he restrained himself from showing anything but agreement in his features, lest Harry open his eyes and realize that Draco really did want him to stay.

Harry slowly made his way to the door, and Draco found his breath stuck in his lungs as Harry twisted the knob, and with a loud, protesting creak from the door, was gone, perhaps from his life forever…