What If? -Drarry

Part Three: Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

"I want to tell you what happened," Harry said, quietly.

It was the evening of the second-last day of school, and they were in the Guest Room. Harry was lying across the sofa, his head resting on Draco's crossed legs and Manimi curled into a knot on his chest. Five days had passed since they had spoken in the hospital wing, but this was the first time Harry had mentioned the events of that night. Draco stroked Harry's hair softly, and he closed his eyes.

He told Draco about the prophecy, the fight, the terrible, terrible loss of Sirius. And when he had stopped crying, he told him that there had been a moment after Dumbledore had fought Voldemort when he had felt Voldemort's mind encasing his own like a snake crushing its prey until, through love, through pity, through pain, Harry had forced him out.

Softly, Manimi hissed something, and Harry nodded, hissing back.

"After we left the ministry," he continued, without explaining his exchange with the snake, "Dumbledore took me back to his office, and I went mad. All this anger, everything I pushed away for God knows how long, just bubbled up inside me and I just started breaking things."

"You broke Dumbledore's stuff?" Draco asked in shock, and Harry nodded, wincing as he remembered.

"Eventually I calmed down enough that he could properly talk to me, and so he explained some things to me. About my past and my connection to Voldemort. I can't really talk about that in detail, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. As long as you're safe."

Harry smiled at him. "So yeah. Then I went to the hospital wing and as you know I only got out of there yesterday. So. That's what happened."

For a long time after Harry stopped talking, neither said anything. Draco continued to stroke Harry's hair, thinking over what Harry had told him.

"You shouldn't have to fight this war. You're too young. We're all too young." He said at last.

"That doesn't change the fact that I have to do it."

"I know," Draco sighed. "You're so brave. So incredibly brave."

"It helps to have you. And Ron and Hermione. You're the reasons I haven't gone completely mad."

"Funnily enough, you're my reason too," Draco smiled.

They remained together, talking gently over the events of several days ago, until finally, Harry shifted.

"Do you have to go?" Draco asked huffily. Standing up, Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, and so do you,"

"But do I though?" Draco slouched down into the sofa and gestured with his hands. "In the grand scheme os things, does anything we do really matter?"

Manimi hissed something, and Harry laughed. "She says you're insufferable."

"Ugh."

"Come on," Harry held his hands out to Draco, who reluctantly allowed him to pull him to his feet. When Draco was standing, Harry kissed him on the nose. "See? How hard was that?"

"Hard enough that I deserve a proper kiss,"

"Always fine by me," Harry smiled, pressing their lips together.

As they pulled apart, Draco took Harry's hands. "I need to know that you're okay. Really okay."

"I'll be fine," Harry bit his lip. "As long as you're okay, I'll be fine."

"Good." Draco smiled, before dropping Harry's hands and scooping up his schoolbag. "C'mon Manimi. Harry's right, we need to go."

"Hey," Harry called as Draco started to open the door.

"What?"

"I love you,"

Draco grinned. "I love you too."

0o0oHarry0o0o

Emerging onto Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters, Harry found himself walking alongside Draco, with Ron and Hermione next to him on his other side. He cleared his throat, causing Draco to turn and realise who he was walking next to. He didn't return Harry's smile.

"What are you doing, grinning at me?" He spat with a sneer that didn't quite reach his eyes before walking briskly away from Harry and into the arms of a regal-looking woman with long silvery hair who could only be Narcissa Malfoy. Harry looked at the man to the left of Draco and Narcissa, and felt his stomach contract as his eyes met the dead stare of Lucius Malfoy.

"He's pissed off because you named him as a death-eater," Ron said, following Harry's gaze. "Blimey, if looks could kill, eh?"

"Should he really be out here after being named as a follower of You-Know-Who?" Hermione asked, leaning around Ron to look.

"Maybe he thinks if he ignores it, it'll just... go away?" Ron shrugged. "That's how dudes deal with most problems."

They lost sight of the Malfoys a moment later as they were swallowed by the crowd, and within moments they had emerged out into King's Cross Station. Saying their goodbyes, the trio went their separate ways - Hermione running to meet her parents; Ron and the other Weasleys being engulfed in hugs from Mrs Weasley; and Harry, stomach sinking, trudging back into the iron clutches of Mr and Mrs Dursley of number four, Privet Drive.

End of Part Three