CONQUERED - DRARRY

16

HARRYS POV
He looked so innocent. Just lying there, eyes closed peacefully, a white blanket pulled up around his shoulders.
Watching him made me feel hollow. My Draco, I'd thought, once my eyes fell on his mark. Mine.

Why did I think that?

What did that cross my mind?

In what universe is Draco Malfoy, the pretty, sly, quick witted boy mine?

And why did I even care?

A light yawn made my head shoot up. His eyes were still closed, his movements slow and sleepy. It was such an intimate thing to behold, a boy waking up. I could imagine, in that moment, all the times he'd woken up before, without me watching him. His movements becoming less and less drowsy each time, until he finally opened his pale grey eyes and tousled his white-blonde hair.

Slowly he blinked his eyes open, a soft silky grey that made me quickly inhale. He turned his head slightly, stretching, and his gaze fell on me.

Something passed between us. His eyes widened slightly, and I smiled gently.
"Potter?" He asked, eyebrow cocking like a confused puppy.
"Are you okay?" I asked, my eyes searching his.
His eyes flicked toward the door nervously. "You shouldn't be here."
A pang to my heart.
"I needed to know you were going to be alright."

It took him a second to process this, but his gaze eventually landed back on me. His face was pleading.
"You shouldn't be here."
I chewed my lip anxiously. "What's wrong?"
His gaze became panicked as he threw glances across the room, as if paranoid he was going to be overheard.
"I can't talk to you, Potter."
I narrowed my eyes. "What, the dark mark strained your vocal cords?"
His mouth fell open. "You don't- how-?"
"I can't believe you're a death eater," I spat angrily. "Do you genuinely believe Voldemorts gonna return and love you for some stupid tattoo?"
Draco sat up quickly, an icy glare forming on his face. "Shows how much you know," he sneered.

I pushed my fringe up, baring my lightning shaped scar. He watched it, as if hoping the scar would vanish.

"Your precious dark lord," My voice was oozing with sarcasm. "Did this to me. To a baby. You want to support that kind of man?"
"My family-" he began, voice blazing with fury.
"I don't care about them! I care about you!"

Silence fell as we stared at each other. He glanced at the scar, and then back into my eyes. Something passed through them, a wave of sorrow.

"Potter-"
"My name is Harry."
"Harry." His voice was just below a whisper.
I swallowed. "Draco."
His face was set, mouth tight and expressionless, but his eyes looked overwhelmed. He looked close to tears, to breaking down like he did that night at the lake. At the same time, he had to struggle to be strong, to keep his emotions in check, but I could see that he wanted to.

We both let ourselves look at each other for a moment. Then he looked away, and closed his eyes.
His voice was dead when he spoke again.
"Get Pomfrey."

I watched him, stunned despite myself, then stood up.

As I walked away, tears welled in my eyes. I hated myself for it, but something in me just hurt. Was it stupid to think of him the way I did?

To hope he thought of me the same way?
Ignoring his order to fetch Pomfrey, I threw open the  oak doors and, without a glance back, I left.

"Harry?"
I wiped my eyes quickly, and looked up. Eric was towering over me, his eyes full of worry.
"Are you okay?"

I managed a smile. It was weak, yet my cheeks began to throb with the effort of it. "Yeah, course."

He wrung his hands nervously. "Look, when I came in before, I wasn't trying to upset you. I just needed to make sure I wasn't a murderer."

I stared at him. Tall, ripely muscled, kindhearted and the deep brown eyes that would make you melt the first time his gaze fell on you. He had the smile that made you believe that you were the most important thing in the world. That you were special to him.

In that moment, I hated him.

But he stared at me, his face loving and hopeful. A face that Draco could never look at me with. So I smiled at him, and he smiled back.