Year Six

The summer after fifth year, all Draco could think about was Harry Potter. Again. It seemed as if the two had finally made progress in their relationship. There were no more jibes and taunts, only friendly gestures. When they had been partnered up in class they hadn't tried to sabotage each other. Only help. It seemed that they had finally matured.

With maturity came the realization that his parents were, to put it bluntly, bigots. And Draco was loathe to admit that he was no better than them often times. Ever since he was a kid, Draco had grown up thinking that Pure bloods were better than everyone else. Mud bloods were filthy, no better than squibs. It was going to be hard to break out of that mentality.

Despite this, Draco vowed that he would do anything to gain Potter's friendship.

Harry started his sixth year at Hogwarts with a bruise across his cheek bone. All he had done was accidentally drop a plate. That's it. Bur for all Vernon could care, Harry might as well have dropped a bomb. Harry made up some piss poor excuse about getting in a fight with a neighborhood bully to ease Hermione and Ron's worries. It didn't, not in the slightest. With all the nagging they did on the train tide to Hogwarts, Harry arrived at school crabby and tired.

Hermione was constantly shoving leaflets under his nose about domestic abuse and the like. Ron was insisting that Harry live with him permanently, which Harry refused. Molly already had enough children to look after, she didn't need another one to worry about. Finally, Harry snapped in the common room. He snatched a leaflet from Hermione's hand and threw it in the fire.

"I'm FINE. For the last time, I don't need to live with you Ron, and what the bloody hell are these books and leaflets supposed to do Hermione!?" Harry was read in the face, and everyone in the common room was staring at him. Harry stormed out, and when he was a little ways down the hall guilt settled in. He knew he shouldn't have snapped at his friends like that, but recently Harry had felt unusually aggressive.

Harry roamed the halls as guilt ate away ate him. Ron and Hermione were just trying to help the best they could, and Harry had yelled at them for it. He was so bloody stupid. Harry had no idea where he was going, he just knew he was going. Somehow, Harry's feet had taken him to an unused girls restroom. He sighed and slid down the wall, taking deep breaths. He was a mess.

Harry's head thudded back against the wall, and he rested there for a moment before he heard something. Sniffling? Was someone...was someone crying in the bathroom. Harry's curiosity got the better of him and peeked inside. At first, Harry didn't notice anything, until he saw a familiar mop of nearly white blond hair.

"Malfoy?" Harry gasped lightly and covered his mouth. He hadn't meant to say it, but Draco's head snapped up. He had obviously been crying, and made no attempts to hide it. There was no point.

"What are you doing here, Potter?"

Harry stepped in the bathroom. "I was just.. having a wander. Is everything alright?" Harry wasn't used to feeling concern for Draco, but he didn't dislike it.

"I doubt you could help me Potter." Draco straightened his robes and cleared his throat. "Now if you'll excuse me..." Draco made to move past Harry but on impulse Harry hugged him. He didn't know what made him do it, and was half expecting to get punched with a curse. Draco froze, but after a moment he hugged Harry back, resting his head lightly on Harry's shoulder.

Harry rubbed his back. "It's alright...Draco. You can tell me if you want. I won't make fun of you."

Draco shook his head. "It's nothing important. Just silly pure blood stress. Mother and father want me to marry some other pure blood lady. I say no and suddenly I'm a dishonor to the family." Draco's hands tightened on Harry's back. "Do you know how hard it is to hear that? I've been told I'm their pride and joy all my life and suddenly..."

Harry squeezed Draco as more tears fell from him. Harry had never realized that Draco might have it bad. The way Draco always acted made Harry think that he had the best of the best. Then again, things weren't always as they seemed, Harry knew.

"They think I'm a...they think I'm queer. The way they accuse me of being gay-" Draco sniffled and hid his face in Harry's neck. "They say it like it's the worst thing in the world."

Harry's breath hitched and he hoped Draco couldn't feel his heart pounding. God, did he know how that felt.

"Draco, I don't know much, but I know this; Being queer is not bad. You hear me? It's normal, it's okay."

Draco nodded, and for a while the two just held each other in comfortable silence.

When Draco seemed calmer, they finally let go of each other. After that night, Harry apologized to his friends but assured them nothing was wrong. Hermione and Ron clearly didn't believe it, but let the subject drop. Sometimes, on restless nights, when Harry would try to sneak out of the common room, he would stop at the sound of Ron and Hermione in there.

"Ronald we simply cannot let Harry stay with the Dursley's any longer!"

Ron sounded agitated. "I know Hermione, I know! I've talked to Dumbledore about it but he refuses to let Harry stay anywhere else. He says Harry needs to stay with family. It's unbelievable! He's called my mum and dad his parents plenty of times!"

Harry didn't want to hear anymore, heart sinking in his chest. Harry slunk back up to his bed and slipped in, curling around himself. He was stuck with the Dursley's, just as he'd always known.

III

A few weeks later, the Golden Trio was studying in the library - or rather, Hermione was studying, and Harry and Ron were fooling around - when Draco dropped his books on their table and sat beside Harry. All three looked at Draco in silence. Draco looked as calm and cool as ever.

"I've come to apologize."

After a moment of silence, Ron narrowed his eyes at Draco. "You? Apologize?"

"Yes Weasley, I do have a rather large vocabulary, you know." Draco snapped, then cleared his throat.

"Excuse me. Yes, I'm saying sorry for all the frankly racist things I've said to you two. I let my jealousy get in the way. I was raised with the belief that Purebloods were better than any else, but I've come to realize that's not true. Purebloods can be just as nasty as anyone else."

Draco was met with shocked silence.

"Hermione, I apologize for calling you a mud blood. I think it's astounding how brilliant you are with magic despite being raised by muggles."

Hermione's eyes widened, but she nodded. "Thank you Draco, I...I'll come to forgive you, I'm sure."

Draco turned and looked at Ron. "Ronald, I'm sorry for calling you a blood traitor. It was stupid of me, and I think your family is very...quaint."

The tips of Ron's ears turned pink and he only managed to mumble, "It's just Ron."

Harry was shocked, but incredibly proud of Draco. He knew it must have taken a lot of courage for Draco to apologize like that.

"Would any of you mind if I studied here?"

All three of them shook their heads, and Draco opened his book and began studying. After a moment of silence, things at the table returned to normal. After that say, all of them began studying together. They would watch Quidditch games together. Sometimes, if Draco felt like it, he would eat lunch with them. This garnered a few stares but with Harry's encouragement, people began accepting that the four teens had begun a friendship, however slow it did evolve.

Every now and then, on nice days, Harry and Draco would sit at the lake and talk about mundane things. They would laugh with each other, and Draco would hang around the Golden Trio during Hogsmeade trips. Everyone's relationship with Draco seemed to slowly but surly grow into a fond one. Harry was glad to have another friend, someone else he could laugh with and share secrets with.

"Harry, may I ask you something?" The two were sitting so close their arms were pressed together. Not that this was unusual for them. Eventually, the taunts of Harry and Draco had died away. Everyone seemed to accept that the two had become thick as thieves. No one could begin to understand what had brought the two together in the past years, and neither Harry nor Draco made any attempts to explain.

Harry hummed noncommittally. His head was tilted back, eyes closed, basking in the sun as he sat with Draco by the lake.

"Do you remember the very beginning of the year? When you had that bruise on your cheek?"

Draco could feel harry tense against him. "...Yeah, what about it?" Harry was looking at Draco now.

"I was just...Harry if you ever have any trouble you can owl me. Okay? You have to promise."

Harry tried to laugh it off. "Draco there's nothing-"

"Promise." Draco was holding his pinky out, taking none of Harry's shit. As usual. It was part of the reason Harry liked Draco so much. They balanced each other out.

"..I promise." Harry wrapped his pinky around Draco's and squeezed. When they let go Harry resumed his previous position.

"You know, there are better ways to ask me to hold hands with you."

Draco rolled his eyes and shoved Harry lightly. That bastard had such a smug grin. He'd make a wonderful Slytherin.

"Shut up, Potter."

Harry chuckled as Draco admired him. Harry's throat was exposed, and it looked so delicate. For a moment, Draco entertained the idea of licking Harry's long neck. The sunlight on Harry's hair almost turned it golden. Draco sighed lightly. He was falling for Harry, and he didn't mind one bit. He would even be perfectly content to never kiss those lips and just stay friends with Harry. Harry Potter was enough for Draco Malfoy.

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