Chapter Twenty-Two: I'm sorry

Draco did his best to look embarrassed and sheepish. He didn't want to lie to Harry, but he didn't know what else to do

"Well?" Harry asked, fuming, "what just happened?!"

"I...I called her a mudblood, Harry. I didn't mean to... it just sort of slipped. I'll go apologize-" Harry was boiling now,

"You did *what*?" he hissed through clenched teeth.

"It was an accident! Harry, don't be like this, I really didn't mean to-"

"You didn't mean to? All this time, I thought you and Hermione were becoming friends... you've not 'slipped' as you said- NOT ONCE!" Harry was furious, staring at Draco in disbelief, but he saw his opening. "I think you're lying Draco. You don't just let something like that slip. Is that how you really feel? I thought you'd changed..."

Draco stood- trying to hug Harry, but he wasn't having any of it, he pushed Draco back, hard. Heartbroken, Draco stood there, his hands open in apology,

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"I... I didn't mean to Harry! Please, I want to be with you, I don't hate her..."

"NO! I'M DONE! DO YOU HEAR ME DRACO? I am DONE!"

"Harry... I love you, please don't do this..."

"No!" It was Hermione crying out this time, from the kitchen door. "Harry- don't!"

"Stay out of this," Harry yelled, staring at Hermione. He turned back to Draco.

"I don't want to be with you. I do not love you. We are over. No more of this stupid bondmate stuff, Draco, I'm tired of it. I want you to stay away from me, I mean it Draco- you. stay. away. from. me."

"No!" Hermione sobbed, watching as Draco fell to his knees. She couldn't breathe, trying to scream the truth at Harry, going to the floor herself.

"I'm going to go move my stuff to another bedroom," Harry breathed, noticing that people were starting to arrive for a Order meeting, "I'll be down in time for the meeting."

"NO!" Hermione grabbed for him, latching one hand to his robes, looking up at him, "Harry, you don't mean this, you *know* you don't. Please stop." she begged.

"Get off me," Harry said, afraid that he'd turn back to Draco and beg his forgiveness and tell him how much he loved him. Hermione was staring at him in shock and let him go.

Draco stood, staring after Harry, sobbing hard. Ron turned to look at Draco, concern on his face, shocked that Draco was capable of crying like that.

"I'm going to go talk to him." he said, rushing after Harry. Draco leaned back on the table, holding onto it to keep himself held up.

"Draco," Hermione said, staring at him, "Draco, don't. He does love you- he does. He's just tired and stressed from the attacks. He doesn't mean it Draco!"

"No, he means it," Draco said, his voice and heart broken, "he's never spoken to me like that- ever... I'm leaving. I can't be here, I don't want him to see..." he looked up at the Order members, his mother and Rose Zabini popping in at that moment with Dumbledore close behind. Hermione nearly tackled him again, hugging him fiercely.

"Please, Draco, don't do this. He does-"

"Oh stop it Hermione, stop it. He doesn't. Just quit. I'm sorry I ever said anything at all." Draco hugged her fiercely back, Blaise and Neville rushing into the room, "You have been my greatest ally in this, Hermione Granger. Because of you, I was more easily accepted. This is not your fault. It was not something you could have done anything about. I hope you know that, and know that I appreciate all that you've done for me- whether or not you've had the choice. I would have never have told him if not for your suggestion. I got to spend the best part of my life with him, because of that." Hermione howled again, sobbing harder, begging Draco not to go now. "If I'd ever had a little sister, I'd have wanted her to be like you." Draco said, kissing the top of her head and pushing her away. Then he glanced at Blaise and smiled weakly,

"Brother- I am glad you found your happiness, I love you you know."

"Draco!" Narcissa said running forward with Blaise and Rose. They all understood how he felt, even Rose, who was no more than a witch,

"Do you have to go?" she asked, kissing him on the cheek. Draco just nodded, pulling away from them. With one last glance at Hermione and a weak smile, he was gone. Hermione and Narcissa cried out together, Blaise looked shocked, like he couldn't believe what had just happened. Severus Snape came in then, rushing to Narcissa and holding her up.

"What happened 'Cissa? Where's Draco?" He asked, ready to kill.

"He's gone Sev, he's gone!" Narcissa wailed, falling into him with body racking sobs.

"Harry... Harry rejected him." Neville said, not fully understanding what was happening. "He's left." Snape stared at Neville, wide eyed. Blaise leaned in to him, holding the Gryffindor.

"That means he's going to die," he whispered. Neville turned a very Slytherin shade of green, rushing past everyone to the bathroom, Blaise following.

"He's gone?" Snape said, still not sure that it was really happening. Narcissa nodded and he drew his wand, fury in his eyes.

"No!" Hermione and Narcissa yelled, Narcissa grabbing his harm. Grabbing Snape's face, she pulled him to look at her. "Draco didn't tell him. He doesn't know. He's got the Granger girl in a wizard's debt- so none of them know." Snape looked broken then, sliding into a chair with Narcissa.

Dumbledore made his way to the front of the group and turning to face them, ushering them back toward the fire place, Remus stepping out from the group.

"I think we should postpone the meeting till another time," Dumbledore said, stepping in as the others had and going back to Hogwarts just as Harry came in the room with Ron.

"What's going on?" Harry asked, looking around, confused, "where's Draco?"

Hermione stood, staring at Harry and eerily calm.

"He's gone," she said. Harry looked confused, checking around for Draco again. Hermione watched him look, shaking her head, "he's really gone Harry." He scowled at her.

"No, he can't be." He whispered, turning to race to the potions room Draco spent all his time in. No Draco, but all his potions things were still there. Harry raced upstairs to the room and bed they'd shared. All of Draco's things were still there, why would he leave all his things? He rushed back downstairs to find Narcissa sobbing and wailing, Hermione standing by the door, looking out. Ron was rubbing her back, trying to comfor her while Snape and Rose sat with Narcissa, doing much the same. Remus was there, looking broken. Blaise and Neville were sitting just outside of the bathroom, holding to each other. But, no Draco.

Narcissa looked up at him, her voice and heart shattered to a thousand pieces. Sniffling she gained control of her self- trying desperately to regain the composure she and Draco were infamous for. Instead, she broke into sobs again,

"What have you done?" The world spun around Harry, twisting him inside out. Draco couldn't have left for good.