Seeking Harry Potter

The Confrontation

Malfoy showed up on Harry's doorstep two days later.

People didn't often come knocking on his door in the muggle way. Everyone he knew showed up by flu or at least sent owls. Harry was understandably shocked by the knock on his door.

Harry's heart dropped and raced simultaneously at the sight of Malfoy standing on his front porch.

The door was barely open when their eyes met and Harry hurriedly shut it. 

"Wait!"

The door slammed on Malfoy's hand and Harry winced at the sight of the long fingers currently in his house.

Those fingers gripped Harry's door and carefully pulled it open enough to expose Malfoy in his nicest robes, taking up all of the space of his doorway as he met Harry's gaze.

"Please," he said lowly. "Can I come in?"

Harry looked at the other wizard, old schoolmate, former rival and now ex-lover. His face was pinched with worry, eyes boring straight into Harry, searching for something there.

Harry couldn't find words so instead he just shook his head.

Malfoy's face fell.

Harry tried to pull the door closed but Malfoy didn't budge.

Finally finding his voice, Harry forced himself to speak.

"I'm busy," Harry lied. He had to look away to say it. "I don't have have time for this."

He yanked on the door again and managed to pull it closed another inch and then sighed heavily.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry demanded.

"To come in," Malfoy said.

Harry looked down, shaking his head again.

"No," he said firmly.

"I just want to talk," Malfoy said, voice verging on begging. Again, it was so different from the way that Harry knew Malfoy to be. It reminded him of Molfoy's apartment, of laying flat on his back with Malfoy on top of him and every word that had been said on the way there.

Malfoy watched him, grimacing. 

"Fine," he breathed after a moment. Despite himself, Harry' s heart sank with disappointment at how readily Malfoy was willing to give up. "I'll just talk right here."

Harry's breath caught and he looked at Malfoy sharply.

"I don't want to hear it, Malfoy, ok?" he snarled. "Just forget everything. Forget I showed up. Forget me, altogether."

Ready to give up on closing the door, Harry almost turned to storm away. He could hide in his bedroom until Malfoy took the hint and left. But before he could do just that, Malfoy took a deep breath.

"You're mad," he said simply.

Harry rolled his eyes. 

"Very observant of you," he said.

"I was caught off guard," Malfoy said. "Before. I felt outed and exposed and like all of my secrets were on display."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"You were okay telling it to a random wizard," he said. "Why not me?"

Malfoy frowned. Finally, he looked away, grey eyes moved from searching Harry's face to searching somewhere far away instead. 

"I didn't ever want you to know," he admitted quietly. "I was upset that you found out."

"Why?" Harry demanded and he could admit that he sounded hurt, even to his own ears. Malfoy looked at him and Harry couldn't meet his gaze. "Because I took it so badly?"