Labels || Drarry One-Shots

Secret Keeper

Draco was looking sullen, and even more so than usual. His hair was ragged, his skin alarmingly pale, heavy purple circles below his eyes. He stumbled when he walked and it seemed as if he hadn't slept in days. Even Harry, who normally detested the boy, felt awful for him.

Harry was thinking about all the work he'd have to do over the weekend to keep up with classes and forgot to watch where he was going. Incidentally, he knocked himself into Draco, who didn't seem to even register the impact.

"What's up with you?" Harry left his books on the ground; he'd pick them up later. Draco leaned himself against the wall, head pounding and eyes losing focus.

"Potter..." He began in a feeble attempt to reply with something snarky, but almost stumbled onto the ground.

Now Harry was really worried, as Draco never passed up the chance to shoot sarcasm Harry's way. "Malfoy, what the bloody hell is wrong? You look, well, like absolute crap. All offense was meant."

"Nothing you would understand." Draco muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"Oh, don't pull that crap on me." Harry was exasperated and didn't feel like putting up with any of Malfoy's 'feel sorry for me' crap. "I'll ask again: what's wrong?"

"I said it was nothing!" Draco snapped, raising his eyes to pierce Harry's.

"I know you're up to something, Draco. I know where you go when no one can find you. You may have Dumbledore convinced, you may have my friends convinced, but not me. I know something's going on. I know you, Draco."

Draco did a double take. "You think you know me?" He laughed angrily, causing passing first years to speed up their pace and round the nearest corner. "You never took any time to know me! You rejected my friendship six years ago, Harry, so how on earth could you dare to say you know me?" Draco felt a few involuntary tears slip onto his cheeks.

"Let's see, chosen unwillingly by Voldemort to become someone of utmost importance? Yep, we have that in common." Harry ticked off on one of his fingers.

Draco clenched his fists at his sides, holding back every one of his instincts to lash out and hurt Harry.

"Feeling rather disconnected from our friends lately? Check that off the list as well."

Draco couldn't stand it and his face contorted with rage. He ran at Harry who, with his quick reflexes, dodged Draco and pinned him against the wall with his hands at his sides.

"In a constant state of worry for ourselves as well as those close to us?" Harry took a step closer so Draco couldn't look away. "Check. So, tell me, Draco, what is it that I don't understand?"

Draco's anger turned to uncontrollable grief and, to Harry's slight disgust, he began to sob and tremble fiercely. Draco hung his head, tears dripping onto his shiny black shoes, and Harry released Draco from his grip.

The Slytherin slid down the wall and landed with a thud on the floor, head in his hands and legs tucked tight.

Harry felt an enormous wave of pity wash over him and he reluctantly lowered himself to sit beside Malfoy. Hesitantly, he placed a hand on Malfoy's knee, but he shook it off. He raised his head from his hands and violently jerked himself away from Harry.

"Malfoy..." Harry began and stood to face Draco again. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his noise. "Whatever Voldemort is planning you to do... Know you can say no. People are willing to help you of you just let them in. I know I won't get it out of you, it'd probably be a waste of breath for me to even try to persuade you, but the Order would be willing to hide you."