𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓

Chapter 9

Mother Knows Best

Chapter Nine

Black and White

At first, Draco didn't think he'd be able to handle the rumors on his own, but now... Well, now he was sure he couldn't. He'd been furious when he first read The Daily Profits article, and when Draco's furious, his brain has a harder time filtering what should come out of his mouth. He ended up saying a lot of awful things that he now regretted to Potter, just to hurt the other boy. Like what he said about Potter's parents.

Ever since Snape made that jab about Potters last name on that first day of school, Draco knew that the subject of parents was a sore spot for the raven. Yet when Potter said that the only thing Draco was afraid of was his father thinking he was gay (which was an entirely correct statement) Draco made the mistake of saying the first thing that came to mind; that Potter didn't know anything about parents since he didn't have any. It was cruel and uncalled for, but it flew out of his mouth before he could stop it.

The second he said that, Potter threw him against the wall and held him there with a hand to his throat. Draco could admit that he was a little frightened, he could maybe even admit that he noticed the way Potters brilliant green eyes burned like emerald flames whenever he was angry, but he would never, not in a million years, admit the fact that... Well, he couldn't exactly say he hated it, having all of Potters attention focused entirely on him, furious or otherwise. He probably wouldn't have felt that way had Potter actually punched him, but since he didn't, Draco was left seriously confused about his own reaction.

He was confused about Potters reaction, too. The boy seemed ashamed of even attempting to hit him, when he actually had every reason to. Then Potter did something that completely shocked Draco back into reality; the boy kissed his neck. Now Draco knew that Potter probably meant it as just an apologetic gesture for throttling his neck or something, but, seriously. Who does that? What normal person raises a fist with the intent to cause physical harm, but then drops it, kissing their bruises not even a minute later? Especially when said person insulted him over the fact that his parents were dead?

Draco didn't actually mean to say that, though. The only thing he really meant was what he said about it being Potters fault. Sure, he knew it wasn't, not really, but if Potter wasn't so touchy, The Daily Profit wouldn't have had that wretched picture to show the world in the first place.

And sure, Draco knew that Potter was technically right. It was true that the only thing he was worried about was what his father thought about him. If Lucius found out that his son was gay, there's no telling what he'd do. Probably something like send him to one of those church camps to 'pray the gay away' or something equally ridiculous that'll look good to the public.

After Draco called Potter some especially deleterious things and actually saw the shock and the hurt expressed on the other boys face, the way his eyes seemed to dull at the word 'freak', Draco felt some things he rarely ever felt; remorse, guilt and regret. His conscious practically eating him alive from the inside out, his arm reached out to the boy of its own accord, trying to initiate contact with the boy, something he was sure he'd never do, but subconsciously, he knew it was something that only Potter could understand. Body language was practically the ravens native tongue, so if Draco wanted him to understand how truly sorry he was, he had to say it with more than words. So, reaching out to him, Draco was fully prepared to apologize, but it seemed he went a little too far this time because Potter moved beyond reach and told the blond not to touch him, repeating Draco's words from earlier out of spite.

The argument completely slipped away and died, falling bitterly cold on the floor in front of them when Potter called him by his last name.

Draco had no idea why Potter calling him 'Malfoy' would hurt him so much. It was his name, something everybody calls him on a regular basis, a name he was incredibly proud to have, so why, when it fell from Potters lips in baritone, did it make him feel like someone was holding his chest in a death grip? Why did it make his throat constrict and his eyes sting as if he was suffocating?