I'm The Ruler Of The World, And You're The Ruler Of My Heart

22

Song- Habits Of My Heart

Draco decided he couldn't be stuck in his room anymore. He told the others he was going to head up to the tower to think. They gave him sympathetic looks and nodded.

His shoes softly tapped against the concrete stairs. He felt weighed down by everything that had happened.

He pushed open the door, briefly breathing in the crisp air before gasping sharply upon the sight of Blaise standing on the edge again.

Feeling a horrible stab of deja vu cut through him, Draco stepped forward quickly. "Blaise, don't."

"Why won't you fucking leave?" Blaise asked bitterly.

"Because I care about you, Blaise."

"Care about me? You can't care about me. Not when the people will demand my head on a stick. Not when everyone else gradually turns against me. Not when-"

"Dammit, Blaise. You're my best friend in the whole world. You and Pansy have been my whole world since I was young. No one can replace you. Not Pansy, not Ron, not Harry, nobody."

Blaise shook his head. "The world isn't made for freaks."

"No, it's not," Draco whispered. "It's made for miracles."

Blaise froze, before slowly turning around. His voice shook as he responded.

"That's why you get to live, and I have to die."

Draco took a step forward as Blaise closed his eyes, unsure of what he would do next.

"You're beautiful."

Blaise's eyes didn't open, but his body stiffened. Draco's eyes went wide.

"Girl, boy, in between for all I care, it doesn't matter what you identify as. Your gender doesn't change your identity. Your eyes are still a stunning shade of warm brown, your skin is still flawless, you're still sarcastic, you're still amazing, you're still you. And so help me god, every single one of us will defend you against the rest of the kingdom."

Draco turned to stare at Ron, impressed by his speech.

"Do you mean it?" Blaise's voice was tiny. Draco had never heard him so scared, so unsure, so vulnerable. His voice was his power. Even at his worst, Blaise would be strong, assured, confident. Right now, he sounded like a little kid who wanted a hug more than anything else in the world.

"I mean it," Ron confirmed, stepping closer. The others stood behind him. "We support you, Blaise."

Blaise was frozen where he stood, eyes wide, vulnerable. He was shaking, and Draco was terrified he would slip and fall backwards.

Ron stepped closer carefully, extending one hand. "Come down, Blaise."

He said it the same way a parent would reprimand a child for stealing a cookie, but it worked. Blaise took his hand slowly and lightly hopped down from the edge.

Relief washed over Draco, and a smile crossed his face. He reached out to hug Blaise, but the other boy flinched away.

"Don't," he said quietly. "Make no mistake, Draco. I still hate you."

"Thought you loved me?" Draco joked, attempting to brighten Blaise's mood.

It didn't work. Blaise's face darkened, and he turned away from Draco. Pansy reached out, lightly touching his shoulder, but he flinched away from her as well. Her face fell.

"I just need to figure all this out," Blaise murmured. "Please leave me alone, Draco."

"Blaise-" Draco started, shocked, but Blaise cut him off, turning to face him.

"Draco, what you did was really fucked up. I've been outed, and the boy I'm in love with is into another boy. Not to mention now I'm really pissed at the boy I'm in love with. And I have all-" he gestured at his body. "-this to figure out. I need space, and I don't want to be around you right now. Or Harry. I swear to God, Harry, if you come anywhere near me anytime soon, I will come up here without hesitation and throw myself off. Hermione too."

"Bu-" Hermione started, but the look Blaise shot her stopped her from continuing. Ron looked slightly surprised and pleased that he hadn't been included.

"Ginger, you're on probation because you insinuated that I was a girl, and the only reason you're not banned from talking to me is because you talked me off the edge and you didn't know I'm a boy. Watch yourself. Pansy, you're fine."

"I have a name," Ron complained, but Blaise simply flashed him a half-smirk and walked away.