Ouch.
The words hit Draco harder than he expected. He was fully aware that this was a possible outcome, but still…
"Draco?" Harry checked on him when he didn't say a word for a couple of minutes.
He just looked up, and smiled. "I'm fine." He said, fighting back tears. "It's getting late, you probably should head to sleep."
Harry stood up, regretful look on his face. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Draco said. "It's alright."
Draco managed to remain calm and collected as long as Harry stayed. Draco was really good at controlling, well not controlling, but maybe hiding, his emotions; a skill he gained from growing up at Malfoy Manor.
"Good night." Draco simply said, still smiling.
"Good night." Harry mumbled back, and retreated to the dorms.
Once Draco heard Harry shut the door behind him, he let the tears pour. He felt like he needed to escape. He couldn't stay here. Even though it was some time around three or four in the morning, he left the dungeons. Professors need sleep too.
He simply roamed the castle, purposelessly. He ran through hallways, cried in empty classrooms, stared at the night skies while lying down near the lake. He kept replaying that night in his mind. Harry's face, so close to his, and the warmth of his body. His soulful eyes, lit by the dim green light of the Slytherin dungeon. What now? Will Harry still want to be friends after this? Will things be weird between them now? He shouldn't have said anything. He should've suppressed his feelings, like he always does. What a stupid mistake! Great job, dumbass!
He's interrupted, at around 6am, by footsteps coming from the castle. Oh shit! Is it a professor. He goes to hide behind one of the bushes, and watches as the footsteps get closer.
The person gets closer, and Draco makes of it a tall guy with blonde hair. He's wearing the Ravenclaw quidditch uniform, so definitely a student, and carrying his broom on his shoulder. When Draco realizes it's not a professor, he gets out of the bushes, and the guy notices him. He squints his eyes at Draco and seems to have recognized him because he waves at him. Draco still does not recognize the person, but he nods to be polite. The person starts heading towards Draco.
"Hey!" He says, "you're the guy from the task yesterday…"
Draco now recognizes him. He's the guy that was sitting next to Hermione and him during the first task. The one with the jokes.
"Oh yeah, hey." Draco replies, blankly.
"Is everything alright?" Corner detects Draco's uneasiness.
"Yeah, yeah." Draco dismissed. "Just a rough night."
"Oh, wanna talk about it?"
"No." Draco is not one to talk about his feelings with strangers.
"As you like," he simply says, and smiles at Draco. "Michael Corner by the way." He introduces himself and extends his hand.
"Draco Malfoy," Draco takes it.
"We've probably taken some classes together," Michael continued to make conversation.
"Yeah, probably." Draco said, "we also probably played each other." He added, nodding towards Corner's broom.
"Oh right! You're a beater, correct?"
"Yeah, and you're a keeper?" Draco guesses.
"Seeker." Corner corrects, but does not seem to mind Draco getting it wrong. "I'm actually on my way to practice some quidditch."
"There's no tournament this year," Draco said.
"No harm in staying in shape." Michael winks at him. "Would you like to join me?"
Draco could use some distraction. "Sure."