Drarry: The Boy Who Loved

Five Seconds

"Let us go," Ron said loudly, clenching his fists.

Avery rolled his eyes. "Do you honestly think I'm interested in any of you? No. Leave."

Harry's moth dropped open. "Wha-"

"I'm not interested," Avery repeated. "You'll just try to stop us." His grip on the wand tightened. "I just need the Malfoy boy. Hand him over, and none of you get hurt."

"No," Malfoy said quietly, shuffling out of Harry's arms. "No," he said a little louder, standing tall. "I'm not coming with you."

"You really are a traitor," Avery muttered darkly. "I guess we're done with you." He muttered something under his breath. 

Harry didn't have to guess what it was.

A jet of green light shot out.

And Ron leapt in front of Malfoy, caught in midair as it slammed into his chest. And then he fell, crashing on top of the glass and the shards of wood with a crash.

Hermione screamed, the rest froze and Harry fell to his knees, shaking Ron violently with tears cascading down his face. "You bloody idiot!" He howled. "Why?!"

And then he realized that Ron, somehow, was still alive.

Why?

Because Malfoy had grabbed Avery's wrist with one bloodied hand and had thrown the curse off course, slashing the velvet-covered wall next to them. It had only brushed over the edge of Ron's skin. Which was enough to injure him, but not kill him. Harry clasped Ron's hand and sobbed in relief. "Fuck you Malfoy, fuck you, fuck-"

"Shut up, Potter," Malfoy snapped, wrestling Avery to the ground and performing a Body-Bind curse on him. A large chunk of the staircase fell next to them. The house was quickly falling apart. Malfoy stood up and jogged over to them. "You guys should look for another opening. I'll stay here with Weasley."

"Yes," Hermione said dazedly, sinking to her knees beside Harry. "I'll stay here, too."

Cho, Ginny, Luna and Neville turned and ran down the corridor, frantically searching the walls. Harry climbed to his feet and gave Malfoy a hard, searching look. He took a step forward. Malfoy watched him warily. Harry grabbed Malfoy's hand and laced their fingers together, as they'd done many times before. Then he pulled the other boy forward and crashed their lips together.

Five seconds. 

It was quick, hard and furious, their arms wrapped around each other's torsos. 

They pulled away.

Five seconds.

But they didn't linger. Harry turned and ran down the hall. And Malfoy turned and ran back to Avery. 

Harry hoped they'd have a chance to run back to each other.