reparo ( ✓ )

chapter twelve

Harry woke up with a familiar warmth at his side. Without even opening his eyes, he smacked the shoulder of who lied beside him.

"Ow." Malfoy let out a groan, and that was when Harry opened his eyes. He noticed that he wasn't in his dorm, the Common Room, the Hospital Wing, or even Draco's dorm. He was in The Room of Requirement, which he'd thought had been destroyed during the war.

"Why do we keep meeting like this?" Harry snapped, sitting up, and then lying right back down to find a splitting headache between his temples.

"Why are you such an idiot?" Draco queried in return, causing Harry to give him a death glare.

"You're the scum of the earth, Malfoy, and I don't know what sick game you think you're playing at by telling Ginny that absolute rubbish, but it's not gonna work." Harry glared at the blond, his body overflowing with resentment.

"I wasn't lying, Potter. You and I did kiss, and you bloody enjoyed it!" Draco snapped in response, sitting up so he appeared in control of the situation. The bed transformed into a couch, and the two boys sat on either end of it, glaring at the other.

"Is that what this entire month of terror from you has been about? That stupid bloody kiss? You've done nothing but be rubbish to my friends and I for someone who claims to want to be my best friend." Harry asked, astonished by the pieces of this ridiculous puzzle clicking together in his head.

"I could never be friends with a Weasley." Draco rolled his eyes, pulling his knees to his chest.

"And I could never be friends with such a stuck up, arrogant, egotistical little brat!" Harry was all-but screaming now, and he didn't even care. He was so tired of Malfoy's absolute rubbish behavior.

"Then why did you want me here last night?" And Harry was silent at Malfoy's words, for the first time in his life.

"I didn't." He claimed, biting his lip.

"You did. The way the Room of Requirement works: whatever you crave or desire most, it appears before you. I was getting ready for bed when your desire pulled me here. If you didn't want me here, Potter, there's no way I would be here." Malfoy's voice appeared calm and collected, and Harry loathed him for being so prideful.

"Well, I don't want you here anymore." He decided, crossing his arms over his chest, looking anywhere but at the smug blond.

"Then I'm gone." Draco's voice was just above a whisper as he stood up. The soft thud of his slippers was all Harry could hear as Malfoy made his way to the door. Just before he could exit through it, Harry felt his own voice being ripped from his throat.

"Wait!" He called, and Draco halted his actions, and turned to face Harry.

"What, Potter? Make up your goddamn mind." He rolled his eyes, and placed his hands on his hips. Harry stood without even realizing what he was doing, and he came to realize it was his desires taking control of his body.

Before he could process what he was doing, he had one hand on the small of Draco's back, and the other's fingers laced with Malfoy's. He was kissing him, soft at first, and then passionately. Draco's free hand went to Harry's messy hair, and he tilted his head slightly to relieve some of the pressure from his neck. He was backed against the door, but in this moment, he really didn't mind.

When Harry pulled away, his eyes observed Draco's in horror. Their lips were both pink and swollen, and Harry had drying tears on his cheeks. He couldn't even taste the salt.

"Why did I do that?" He spoke more to himself, but Malfoy still heard him.

"Because you wanted to, Harry." He said softly, caressing his hand down Harry's cheek, brushing away the stray tears with the pad of his thumb.

"I didn't even know that I did, and it was so wrong." Harry claimed, breathing shakily.

"It wasn't wrong, Harry. It was a kiss. There's nothing wrong with kissing."

"But it was a kiss with you," Harry claimed. "And I'm with Ginny, and it's wrong to kiss somebody else when you're with someone. How do I know it wasn't you who wanted that kiss?"

Draco felt himself freeze up. Potter really was back with the She Weasel? Why would he want to do that?

"It wasn't me. I swear it on my life." Malfoy announced, crossing his fingers over his heart.

"Oh, Merlin. I have to tell Ginny. Malfoy, we, we can't keep doing this." Harry voice grew even shakier.

"We'll stop when you want to stop, Potter; but you know that Weasley never has to know, right?" The words didn't taste right as they left Draco's mouth, but he tried desperately to show his support when, on the inside, all he wanted to do was kiss Harry Potter again and again until they couldn't breathe.

"But Draco, I- I don't think I can stop." Harry's voice was just above a whisper then, and Draco's arms had wrapped themselves around him in a tight hug.

"I don't think I can stop either."

"Then what do we do?" Harry asked once they'd separated once more.

"You could always break up with her." Malfoy claimed, and Harry felt bile rising in his throat.

"That's wrong to do, Malfoy."

"What's wrong about it? You don't love her. You don't want to be with her. You should never force yourself to love someone, Harry." Draco explained. The tone in his voice sounded like defeat, and left Harry wondering just what was going on in Draco's head.

"And who's to say that I love you?" Harry asked, and Draco actually felt physical pain then. He felt as though his heart had stopped beating, and his lungs had stopped breathing.

"Who's to say that you don't love me?" He whimpered, though tried desperately to play it off as a cough.

"Because I'm still trying to figure out what love is." And then it was Harry walking out the door, and as much as Draco wished for Harry to stay, he just couldn't make that happen. It was for the best if he left.