I Understand

Stars

Draco's heart gave a little flutter. It wasn't big, but it was noticeable.

The eye contact had caused it. He had not been expecting Harry to look him in the eyes.

Harry's eyes. Gemstone green. They stood out against his darker skin. His eyes were a lighter, jade colour, with darker, murkier rims that bordered his pupil and the edge of his irises.

They way they caught even the tiniest bit of light, and shone in the darkest of places, took Draco back. Sure Harry's eyes always stood out, and Draco often found himself admiring them. But he had never seen them in the dark. 

They were breath taking.

Draco found himself not wanting to move. Not wanting to leave. Not wanting to stop looking into his eyes.

But Harry had said something and they were moving.

They were leaving, and they were turning a corner. But Draco was hardly paying attention. He was still shocked at the eye contact.

The reason why was hiding, running, he couldn't catch it. But it seemed important. 

"Draco?" He heard Harry said, he snapped back to reality. He hadn't been paying attention, he had zoned out, thinking of things that alluded him.

Harry saying his name gave him a similar feeling. "Hm?" Draco raised his eyebrows, trying to remember if Harry had said anything before.

"You zoned out. I was just wondering if somethings wrong." Harry said.

They had turned into a corridor with big windows and had 'Nox'ed their wands and returned them to their robes. "Sorry. I tend to do that. Pansy used to make fun of me for it." In fact, he'd been doing this for years. He always tried avoid doing it, but sometimes he couldn't help it.

"Many people get lost in their head. I sometimes do it too. Did Pansy not like her boyfriend not paying attention to her every second?" Harry said. The way he mentioned Draco's relationship with Pansy almost seemed sour. Or was Draco just imaging it?

"Despite popular belief, me and Pansy never really dated. We just pretended. Our parents wanted us to date, so we kept up the lie that we were. She's not really my type." Not many people knew that he had never dated Pansy. Telling Harry this felt good though, clearing up Draco's past. Because that's what friends do.

"Really? Didn't you go to the Yule Ball with her?" Harry said, but did Draco hear some relief in his voice? But why would Harry be relieved that he had never dated Pansy?

"We went as friends. and you went to the Ball with one of the Patil twins, does that mean you two dated?" Draco said, pointing out that who you go with to a Ball does not determine you you date.

"Point taken." Harry said shrugging. "The only reason I went with her was because Cho had already said yes to Cedric, and it was Ron who asked them anyway. I didn't really dance, it was a boring night." Harry said, though he did remember the odd conversation he over heard Hagrid having.

"Really? The Savior of the Wizarding world didn't have fan girls just waiting to dance with you?" Draco said sarcastically. 

"By fourth year everyone had gotten over me. I was glad not to have as many whispers following me in the halls. Though the younger students still starred." Harry said. He looked over at Draco and gave a small smile.

"Did you know you had an official fan club? That year they took most of my 'Potter Stinks' badges and tried to change them. But I had made sure that they all were thoroughly protected." Draco said. He remembered the fan club. It was always fun to bust in on their meetings. No one knew how he had always found them, but he would laugh at them. But before he told them how stalkerish they were, he'd listen, they spied for him, unknowingly.

"I had a fan club?" Harry asked shocked. Did he really not know?

"They were so obvious. It was annoying, honestly. They followed you around like lost puppies. They gave me death glares and threatened me to leave you alone. It was hilarious." He had, on many occasions, been told to leave Harry alone, 'or else'. He laughed them off and ignored them.

"And they helped so much." Harry sad sarcastically. "Because I can't take care of myself."

"Of course not, you need to be babysat at all times. Who knows what you would get into on your own. Crazy things like killing teachers and basilisks." Draco offered in a factual tone. Harry rolled his eyes but smiled.

Harry checked the Map again. "The school would be a wreck without me and you know it. Voldemort would have returned 1st year, and it would have been all down hill from there." Draco flinched at that name, he had barley ever said it after 4th year, he knew how much weight it held.

"Then I'm glad you were there." Draco responded softly. It was true, he was really glad that The Dark Lord had not returned in 1st year. He would have preferred he had never returned at all. With him came despair.

"Me too." Harry said in the same soft voice. He lowered the map and looked out of the window to the moon. He came to a stop and peered out to the Forbidden Forest. 

Draco came and stood besides him. He too looked out of the window, but he gazed to the stars. The constellation Lacerta, the Lizard could be seen, shining in the east. 

Draco had always loved stars. Everything about them. They always seemed to far away. But bright, and welcoming. Their beautiful light always seemed so pure, untouched by evil things.

But now, the things that once brought Draco so much wonder, felt dark and distant. Somewhere between that day, and a year ago, when he had last star gazed, he had lost the childlike fascination of them.

Draco suddenly felt very trapped. He felt like he could not escape a doom that he wasn't even aware of. Like something lurked in the dark, waiting for a chance to drag Draco away, to forever be lost.

 Forgotten. Unloved. Useless. Unwanted.

 No one would miss him.

"Draco?" Harry touched his arm gently.

No, someone would miss him. He was wanted. He would not be forgotten.

Because Harry was right there. Harry wanted him. Harry would not forget him. Harry would never leave him.

He turned to Harry, tears burned his eyes. Harry cared.

Before he really knew what he was doing, he pulled Harry into a hug. He wrapped his arms around Harry's neck and rested his forehead on Harry's shoulder.

At first Harry was stiff and didn't move, but soon he hugged Draco back and relaxed a little.

Tears began to fall, and he lest out one, tiny, almost silent sob.

He was going to survive this year. He was. Because Harry cared for him.

Man, stars are great. They always make sparks fly.

Stay safe Darlings.