Borrowed Time- A Drarry Fanfiction

Chapter 16

Hey guys! I really like this song, btw, it is giving me a flashback to like... earlier years. Argh, sorry, the last chapter was pretty sad... This one is a bit better, I hope. For a moment, let me just rant... You can skip it if you like, but I just need to share this...

DEAR PEOPLE HIGH UP IN THE EDUCATION INDUSTRY WHO ARE NEVER GOING TO SEE THIS,

TESTS ARE STRESSFUL. THE INSTITUTION SYSTEM IS FLAWED. TESTS DO NOTHING BUT CAUSE STRESS AND ANXIETY. MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT DON'T REALLY CARE. BUT, YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO BE TESTED ON WHAT WE KNOW. BUT IS THERE NO BETTER WAY TO DO IT, EXCEPT CHANGING THE SEATING PLAN SO THAT NOBODY IS NEAR ANYBODY THAT THEY KNOW VERY WELL, AND GIVE CHALLENGING QUESTIONS THAT, IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO, ARE DOOMED?

AND AS FOR THE RESULTS, CAN YOU NOT READ IT OUT IN FRONT OF EVERY SINGLE DAMN PERSON IN THE CLASS? ONCE, A TEACHER SAID, "NOBODY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEIR RESULTS- WE ARE ALL A FAMILY". BUT DO YOU KNOW HOW NAÏVE THAT IS? PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SMART AND NERDS... BUT PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T GET HIGH TEST SCORES, AS WELL. ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE HIGH EXPECTATIONS.

AND, SPEAKING OF EXPECTATIONS, PARENTS. YOU KNOW, THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE MEANT TO SUPPORT YOU THROUGH AND THROUGH? WELL, YEAH, THEY DO THAT... SOMETIMES. BUT WHEN TESTS COME AROUND, NOBODY CARES ABOUT ANYTHING BUT THE GRADES. TEACHERS DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING BUT WHAT LETTER IT IS, PARENTS ONLY CARE WHETHER YOU GOT "97%, OR 98%, AND, IF SO, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO LOSE MARKS?!"

SO, IN CONCLUSION, TESTS ARE DUMB. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

Okay, okay, sorry for the brief interlude. And for the unnecessary caps. But on with the story! *gestures... somewhere* (Low-key, this rant thing was like 300 words... oops)

Harry's POV

The next few days were a stark contrast to the weeks before. Every time I saw Draco, it was all I could do not to see his scars, not to see underneath that glamour that he put on himself. I wanted to ask why he had thought it was acceptable- didn't he know, when he hurt himself, he hurt me as well.

But I would have to be supportive, not scolding.

Every day, when I saw him, I would try and smile, but he would look away with shame in his eyes. I wanted to tell him that he shouldn't feel ashamed of anything that he did, but I felt as if this had driven a wedge between us. As much as I wanted to say that everything was fine, that nothing had changed, I knew that would be a lie.

Every time I looked into his silver eyes, I knew that both of us would remember it, for better or worse.

That didn't stop me from trying to make him feel better, though. Every day, I would go into his Common Room and try to find him, but he wouldn't be there. It seemed that he was purposefully avoiding me.

But I still had to try.

When I saw him in the Great Hall, I sat next to him- People were used to him sitting next to me, not vice versa, so immediately, whispers began. I just rolled my eyes and caught his wrists.

"We need to talk," I whispered, my breath catching when I felt the scars there. It was a visual glamour, but I could still feel those insecurities, mapped on his skin.

I saw him flinch at my touch then look away, but not before he nodded. Sensing that he needed time, I stood up and walked back to my table. - Well, the Gryffindor table. By the hostile looks I was reviewing, it didn't feel like my anything anymore.

Sighing, I ate my breakfast, and Hermione looked at me sympathetically- but didn't move. OF course, she didn't. Was I really worth it? I wished, then, that I could make peace with Ron and Ginny. Even just to get my friends back. But with one look at them, I knew that never could happen. Not when wounds were too raw to be open, and not when Ginny still looked at me like she would do anything for me.