Sectumsempra

7

Weeks passed without Harry and Draco speaking. They tacitly agreed to avoid each other, neither of them wanted to see each other anyway or have to speak with the other, even if in insults. They just wanted to go on their separate ways.

Harry had already almost as good as forgotten about Draco when one day he felt a sweet humming in his backpack. His frown was not because he was confused as to what was the source of the humming, he knew exactly what it was, it had been his idea, after all. When there was a new message in the two way enchanted parchment he and Draco used to communicate, the parchment would produce a soft hum that was felt more than heard. Harry's frown came from his confusion as to why was Malfoy using the parchment. What did he want? Was he really gonna call Harry for another meeting in the third floor corridor like nothing had happened? He could dream and hope all he wanted, but Harry was not going.

But the parchment would only stop humming when the message was read. Harry didn't even know why he still had that thing. He would have thrown it away if he had remembered. Now he did remember, but he couldn't take it out in front of his friends, lest they asked some questions. So he said he needed to go to the bathroom to take it out of his bag and throw it away. Alone in the bathroom, parchment in hand, he might as well read the message.

I would like you to meet me. One last time.

To talk.

It didn't say the time and place because that went without saying. Harry looked at the words for a while. What did Malfoy have to say to him? Sorry? Would Malfoy give him an empty apology? Would he demand one from Harry? Harry didn't know. He tore the piece of parchment in two and watched the ink vanish, then he crumpled the pieces and threw them in the bin. The enchantment broke when the parchment was destroyed, but just for the sake of the action, he had thrown it away anyway.

*

The hours went by and many times during classes Harry caught himself thinking of the note and the message it brought. And whether he would attend to the meeting.

They left the last class before lunch. Harry said he was going to his dorm before heading to the great hall. Walking alone in the hallways, he realized his feet were automatically leading him to the third floor. He walked on still unsure if he should go...

When he arrived at the door to that hallway he stopped, turned back and went away.

*

Later that day, after their last class of the day, Harry, Hermione and Ron were hanging out in the hallway outside the classroom they had just left. Hermione had to stop to organize all of her stuff in her bag, so they had been standing there, talking. Harry saw some movement with the corner of his eye, he looked and saw someone just around the corner. Malfoy. Right before Harry could turn his face to the other way he saw Malfoy beckoning for him to follow.

Harry didn't want to go, but he certainly didn't want Malfoy following him, hiding around corners either. So when Hermione finished enchanting her bag to make it bigger in the inside and could finally close it with all of her books inside, Harry said he needed to go to the bathroom again and that he'd go to his room from there, cause he was tired. Ron and Hermione were getting used to Harry wanting to be alone all the time by now, they didn't quite understand what was going on with their friend, but they were used to it, so they just shrugged and went without Harry.

Harry headed to the corner where he saw Malfoy. When he turned around it, Malfoy was in the corner across that hallway. As soon he saw Harry he vanished again. Harry was hating that following game and wished it was over soon. It did. When Harry turned that second corner he found himself in an empty hallway, one of those that had one side full of windows that gave you a nice view of the landscape. The lake, the mountains far away, even a little bit of the Forbidden Forest could be seen from there. Draco was standing in the middle of the hallway with his gaze lost somewhere in the landscape. He didn't turn to look at Harry when he spoke.