Right in Front of Me

under pressure

That's okay, it's the terror of knowing what this world is about,
Watching some good friends screaming, 'Let me out!'
Pray tomorrow gets me higher, pressure on people...

"How are you feeling about everything?" Draco asked him while they were walking to the kitchens. They missed dinner because they got carried away with the map, so they wanted to grab something from the house elves.

"I dunno... I guess... fine. As fine as someone can be when they've got murderers after them." Harry said with an airy laugh, trying to lighten the mood. Draco didn't look amused. "I'm kidding, D. Look I dunno, Ok? I mean I'm scared. And I know you don't think I should do this with Dumbledore but... I can't just sit by and let these crazy people kill defenseless families when they really want me! I mean... what kind of Gryffindor would that make me?"

"One who's 12 years old and who isn't responsible for the actions of grown witches and wizards!" Draco stopped in his tracks, causing Harry to stumble a bit to stop with him. "Look, Harry... I get that you somehow feel responsible for this all but-."

"No! You don't get it, Ok? Look at this." He lifted up his bangs to show Draco the scar on his forehead. "Know what this is? Recognize it? This is from when Voldemort tried to kill me and my parents! He tried and failed. Somehow... I stopped him when I was a baby. No one knows how, no one knows why... do you know how maddening that is!? I... I mean do you get how confusing it is to me? To grow up my whole life wondering what it is about me that stumped him? So don't say you get it, Ok? Because you don't!" He took a deep breath and then looked at Draco, who was smiling.

"How'd that feel?" He asked.

"Shuddup..." Harry said, and then continued on as if nothing happened. The classic 12 year old boy thing to do.

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"You know we just care about you." Remus said the next day at lunch. Harry had taken to visiting Remus during lunch, just to chat. "Reckon Draco cares more about you than anyone in the world." Harry flushed bright red. "None of us want to see you get hurt, lad."

"Uncle Moony... just... look. I know Draco only means well. But could everyone just stop for one minute and think about what they'd do if they were me?" Harry ran his hands through his messy hair in aggravation. He was basically pleading with Remus for him to understand. Remus sighed and rolled his eyes.

"That's the annoying part about it all, yeah? I mean... we'd all do the same thing, and you know it. But perhaps I can twist your own words. What if it were Draco doing what you're about to do with Dumbledore? Wouldn't you be asking him the same things we're all asking you?" Harry stuttered for a second but then realized that, of course, Remus was right. He knew that Draco and all his loved ones just wanted to see him safe. Maybe he could get through the rest of the day without anyone else bringing it up.

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"Harry this plan that Dumbledore has devised is not safe! You could get seriously injured!" Hermione practically shouted. So much for not hearing about it anymore, Harry thought.

"Hermione, Dumbledore will be there the whole time. Besides the whole reason people are being murdered is because of me... it's the least I can do." Harry said, sitting down beside Ron on the common room's couch. He was getting really tired of explaining it over and over again.

"Would you stop saying that?" Ron exclaimed. "The reason people are being murdered is because they're psychopaths! You're 12. You're not the reason anyone's dead." Harry shrugged and fell back into the couch cushions. Draco had said almost the same thing, so it made Harry think that Ron and him had spoken about it together.