Harsh words and curses flew as Harry and Draco battled in the entrance hall. Not one of the onlookers dared to intervene, even the teachers – the sheer power that crackled from the two was tangible and terrifying.
They had always been rivals but never like this, never with so much passion.
It was only when they had both abandoned their wands in favour of fists that Professor McGonagall stepped in. She quickly stunned them both and floated them up to the hospital wing, laying them in beds side by side and instructing Penny to leave them to 'reap what they'd sown'.
Harry came to first, and when he saw no one but Draco he slipped out of the bed and hovered over the sleeping boy. When he saw the dark purple bruise marring his perfect face, he gasped, and tears welled in his eyes. He had never meant to hurt Dray, he just … he just knew exactly how to push all of Harry's buttons. Not that was a bad thing, most of the time.
A soft smile spread over his face as he remembered all the times they'd spent in the room of requirement, the first time he'd heard Dray play the piano, the time they shared childhoods in the pensive … the first time they made love …
It had been perfect, even with Voldemort drawing ever closer, Harry had never been happier, and neither had Dray. Then one day everything changed.
Draco been withdrawn and surly, he avoided Harry when he tried to talk to him and when they were intimate, what had once been loving and shared was now harsh and impersonal. Harry had taken what he could, tried to stroke Draco and hold his hand, but every time he was rejected.
He had longed to see Draco as peaceful as he was now, to see the childlike innocence and honesty that only he was allowed to see. But he would never have chosen for it to happen like this. It had been such an insignificant thing too, Harry had put his hand on Dray's arm as they went into the Great Hall, just to let him know he loved him and Draco had freaked out.
They weren't 'out' as a couple because, well, Harry couldn't actually remember why, but Draco had insisted.
Gently, so gently, he moulded his hand to the other, undamaged, pale cheek and a tear fell from his eye onto Draco's nose, which scrunched up as delicate eyelashes started to flutter.
"Hey Dray," Harry whispered.
"Hey," Draco whispered back, sounding just so broken that Harry gathered the damaged boy into his arms and held him as they cried together. He didn't understand, but he didn't have to. If this was what Draco needed, he'd do anything for him.
Finally the tears stopped and Draco looking into Harry's eyes and said simply, "I'm sorry. I was scared."
Harry hugged him closer, and they both knew that everything would be okay, because deep down, no one mattered more to each of them than the other.