all the wrong choices // drarry

parted

Nobody in the castle paid much attention in lessons for the next week; the Christmas holidays were almost upon them and, after an agonisingly long term, all anybody wanted to do was escape the castle and return to their families.

After dinner on the penultimate day of term, Harry dragged himself up to the library to complete his Potions essay that was, annoyingly, due next day. He pulled several volumes on the subject of healing ingredients down off the shelves and carried them to one of the desks.

"Potter," said a voice from behind him a half hour later. Harry had finally finished and was reading through the essay for errors. The chair beside him was pulled from under the desk and Draco sat down beside him. He peered at one of the books Harry had been referencing and smirked at him.

"Tell me, do you ever finish your homework with time to spare?"

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed, setting down his parchment on the desk. "I've finished this, and we don't have Potions for another-" he looked at his watch. "-nine hours!"

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. He sat quietly for a few minutes while Harry proofread his essay. Harry wasn't sure if he had got all the uses of moonstone correct, but neither did Draco, so Harry packed his things away, saying he'd check with Hermione later.

"So," said Draco conversationally. "Have you any plans for the break?"

Harry shook his head glumly. "No. Hermione's going to see her parents, and Ron and Ginny are going home."

"Don't you usually go with them?"

"Yeah, but ... this is their first Christmas without Fred."

"So?"

Harry looked at him. "Well, it's my fault he's dead, isn't it?"

"Don't say that," Draco snapped. "Don't you ever say that."

"But it's true!" Harry sighed. "If it wasn't for me, Voldemort wouldn't have-"

"Shut up. Don't you dare blame yourself."

Harry looked at Draco woefully. "I just - I can't help but feel guilty that he's gone."

"I know, but I'm sure that none of them blame you. You shouldn't have to stay here on your own for Christmas because you think it was your fault. I can't think of a single person who would blame you."

Harry raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. He leaned back in his chair. "Are you going home, then?"

Draco nodded. "More likely that I'll go than I won't. My mother wants to see me, and I'd like to see her too, but my father'll be there too and he's ... less invested in me. My parents love each other ... very much, but sometimes I fear that I'm what stands in the way of them being happy together. They nearly always fight about me; they want different things for me."

Draco hadn't expected to launch into his family life so carelessly, but he felt that he could tell Harry anything without judgement.

"You shouldn't think that way," said Harry quietly. "Even if they do have different opinions on what you should do in the future, I'm sure you aren't standing in the way of their happiness . They love you."

"Well, I don't doubt that my mother does but my father has a peculiar way of showing it." Draco sighed heavily. "I just don't want to go home and have to listen to them arguing."

"Why don't you try to sit down with them and have a civil conversation? Why don't you suggest that you want to have a say in your own future?"

"I really don't think it'll make much difference; they don't listen to what I say."