The truth

The days

After serving detention with Draco in the Forbidden forest, Harry had practically bolted to the Gryffindor common room, unable to contain the beaming on his face as he panted to Ron and Hermione: "Dorms. I have good fucking news!" They had visibly been taken by surprise, but matched Harry's enthusiastic mood to hear what he had to say. Harry had taken them into his dormitory and raved about how Draco had looked at him when he told him how he felt. His mind buzzed and crazed as he described every second of it. When he finished, he was breathless.

"Harry, you know you're talking incredibly fast, right?" Hermione questioned, slightly amused and concerned. "Oh, am I?" He smiled. "So...Draco loves you and you feel the same and you're practically fainting over it, is that it?" Ron concluded. "Shut up," Harry said, grinning from ear to ear as he flopped onto his bed. "I ship it" Ron smirked. "I'm surprised to admit I agree with you, Ron." A small, sunny smile crossed Hermione's features. "Nothing's official yet, but you never know," Harry fantasized.

Since then, Harry and Draco had become increasingly more affectionate towards one another. Hidden in corners of the castle away from Draco's friends, Harry and Draco would meet to exchange news of how their days were and how badly they were thinking of each other. Sometimes they would just talk about whatever came to their minds, sometimes their fingers would intertwine, and they would remain like that. And every so often, it was hard not to get lost in the utopia of Draco's opal, silvery, gleaming eyes.

But today was different. Today was the last day Harry would be at Hogwarts before his inevitable expulsion. Instead of sneaking off to Draco or hanging out with his friends, he decided to take a trip to memory lane. He felt a sad contentment as he wandered around the castle halls, looking back in hindsight. He roamed around the Great hall, remembering the thrill he felt as he sat down at the Gryffindor's table for the first time. He meandered to the wall concealing the room of requirement, where he had started an army of his own last year against Umbridge ("More like Umbitch" Fred had sniggered to George as they practised casting their patronuses, and Harry chuckled at the memory) and Voldemort. He strolled outside towards the courtyards, where the argument had flowered into thorns and started everything. He had started the chaos that his life now was. Enemies had turned into lovers. Vengeance had turned into mistakes. Friendships were soon to remain unrequited. His home would fade into a heartbroken memory. How could you, He mumbled at the memory of himself in the courtyard. You shouldn't have been so selfish.

Frustrated tears promised to spill from his eyes as he lingered in the courtyards. If there weren't a few students standing around and talking to their friends around him, he would have let himself collapse on the floor in tears. Harry pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes and willed the tears to stop. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck-

"...Harry?"A familiar girl's voice sounded. "Oh shit I think he's crying..." said another known voice. Hermione's arm wrapped caringly around Harry's shoulder as Ron fell into step on the other side of him. "I...it's just..." He sobbed in between words. "If it makes you feel any better, I remember something you told us about the hospital wing. You're only a suspected culprit, not an actual guilty one. You're not definitely getting expelled, it's just likely." said Ron. He clearly meant to comfort Harry, but it only made his sobbing worse. "I...suppose..." He broke into tears again. He couldn't fade the tears, no matter how many times he rubbed his hands under his glasses. He would have to leave this world behind, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I...I have an idea. To make you feel better, I mean" Ron muttered. "You two, follow me." Hermione guided Harry with her arm as they tailed behind Ron. As they walked through the bricky corridors, Ron pulled out a familiar piece of paper. The marauder's map. "So Draco is... at the astronomy tower...with nobody else. Perfect, let's go" He hurried his step and Hermione had to quicken her pace to keep up with him. When they had slowed down to stop, they were standing in the astronomy tower, with Draco gripping the edge of the balcony rail in front of them. Harry could have sworn he tensed slightly as he looked out at the vast expanse of the horizon below him.