𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐃𝐮𝐬𝐭 & 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 | drarry

23

The green flames of the Floo Network erupted into Draco Malfoy's sitting room, casting a vivid glow upon the dim, meticulously kept space. Draco had been reclining in his chair by the hearth, nursing a glass of wine in silence, when the fire roared to life, and Harry Potter emerged, brushing ash from his sleeves. Instantly, Draco's gaze hardened, his body stiffening at the sight of his uninvited guest.

"Potter," Draco drawled, the word nearly a hiss. He straightened, his eyes flickering to the wine glass-a reminder of the solitude Harry had so abruptly shattered. "To what do I owe this impromptu visit?"

Harry stepped forward, his eyes searching Draco's face, desperation etched in his expression, weariness evident in the slouch of his shoulders. He had known, on some level, that this was likely to go poorly; the unanswered letters had made that clear.

Yet he needed to see Draco. He needed to know if there was even a glimmer of hope between them, or if he truly had destroyed everything.

"Draco," Harry began, his voice trembling as he tried to articulate what had been absent from his written apologies-the regret, the longing, the heartache. "I... I had to see you. I know the letters probably only made things worse, but I couldn't leave it like that. Please, I need to talk to you."

Draco placed his glass down deliberately, the sound punctuating the heavy silence of the room. His face was impassive, an expression of carefully crafted detachment. "You need to talk," Draco echoed, his voice devoid of warmth, chillingly calm. "You think talking is going to fix this? As though mere words could change anything?"

Harry exhaled, the frustration mingling with the ache in his chest. "I just want you to understand. I never meant what I said. I know I hurt you, and I hate myself for it. I was scared, Draco, and I lashed out, and I-"

Draco held up a hand, his expression darkening. "Stop. Just stop." He rose, turning his back to Harry, pacing toward the window, creating an insurmountable distance between them-one far greater than the few steps he had taken. The room seemed to grow colder as his voice cut through the tension. "You think an apology can undo it all? That the damage will simply vanish because you decided you want forgiveness?"

For a fleeting moment, Draco's eyes softened-something raw and vulnerable breaking through. But just as quickly, it was concealed, replaced by an icy detachment. Harry could almost see the walls forming, the defenses Draco had honed for years, now fortified further by the painful reality of their shattered relationship.

Draco turned to face him, his gaze clinical, devoid of any warmth. "You want me to understand? Understand what-that you were scared? That you were afraid of losing control?" His tone was biting, his voice deliberately measured. "Fear doesn't excuse cruelty. It doesn't justify treating me like the boy you used to hate-the arrogant, misguided Slytherin who was easy to despise. I thought we had moved past that, but clearly, you haven't."

Harry winced, Draco's words cutting deep, a reflection of everything he feared was true. He stepped closer, his heart pounding. "Draco, please. You have to know... I see you for who you are now. I love you. It's just that when we argued... everything slipped back into those habits, and I hated it. I hate that I let it happen."

Draco's gaze flickered, his jaw clenched, his breath caught in his chest for a brief moment. His fingers twitched as though he might reach out, but then he curled them into a fist, steadying himself.

"Love." The word slipped from Draco's lips as a whisper, filled with derision. "You say you love me, as if that somehow fixes everything. But love isn't enough, H-Potter, not when you still see me as I was. Not when every argument drags us back to those same places, as if the past defines us forever."