This is Me

Chapter Ten

"Draco, wait up!" Harry called, trying to catch up to the blond boy as the ran through the castle.

Draco didn't respond as he rounded a corner and disappeared into one of the few restrooms located in the old castle.

When Harry finally caught up to him, he entered the bathroom and saw Draco crying in front of one of the mirrors.

"Draco?" Harry's voice echoed off the empty walls and hit Draco's ears.

"Go away, Harry." He sobbed, not bothering to turn around. "This doesn't concern you."

"As your boyfriend and fellow Gryffindor," Harry pointed out. "I think it does."

Draco was starting to shake with anger and what Harry said next didn't help matters.

"Look, just ignore him." He advised. "So what if he threatened you? It's not like he can do anything to you while he's in Azkaban." 

"You don't understand!" Draco shouted as he rounded on Harry. "Harry, growing up, I feared my father. He would beat me senseless with his cane if I ever stepped out of line! You know this! And it's not that I don't want to ignore my father, it's that I can't." He turned back to the mirror and looked at his reflection. "I never wanted to disappoint him. And now look at me. I abandoned Slytherin. I quit being a Death Eater. And I'm dating The Boy Who Lived. In my father's eyes I'm nothing but a traitor."

These words hit Harry harder than the entrance to Platform 9 3/4 when he was in his second year at Hogwarts.

Soon Draco heard sobs and turned around to see Harry with tears running down his face.

"So, you really regret all that?" Harry asked, timidly.

"Oh, Harry." Draco sighed and walked over to him. "Shh. It's ok." He pulled his lover into a fond embrace and rubbed his back to try and comfort him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"I know..." Harry sobbed. "I'm just hurt that you would think that I don't know how you feel." He looked up at the blond. "Draco, I was abused too. By my aunt and uncle. Ever since I was a baby. So, I know what you're going through. I always tried my hardest to obey them because I knew I would be punished if I didn't. But, after my uncle's sister insulted my parents the summer before third year, I knew I couldn't stand by and let them do this to me anymore. So I blew her up. Like a balloon. Heh, my aunt and uncle don't remember it happening though because the Ministry of Magic came and erased their memory of it. The point is, after that, I didn't take their abuse lying down. And you should be the same way with you're father. Stand up for yourself like you did when Crabe and Goyle were teasing you. Don't care what others think. Don't be your father. Be who you want to be. Because I don't want to spend the rest of my life with anyone but the one and only Draco Malfoy."

 "I'll try...." Draco said, uncertainly.

Harry put his arms around Draco's waist and pulled him close. "That's the Draco I know and love." He looked up at him and smiled. "Come on, we need to get to class."

"Right." Draco agreed.

Hand in hand the two Gryffindors headed off to class.