I object ~slowburn

10| Shame

Harry wasn't quite sure what made him ask for another dance. He didn't regret it though.

The way Draco was almost cradling him was nice.
He hadn't felt this kind of warmth in months.

Knockturn Alley wasn't a warm place, after all.

He spent most of his days in some random bar, drinking himself away.
Oh if they could see the Golden Boy now, he would drunkenly laugh to himself.

He hated himself and when he got drunk it was almost like he wasn't real. Then the next morning would roll around and so did the hangover.

He didn't want to know what exactly his bar tab had amounted to.

When he got the invitation to Ron and Hermione's wedding he almost burned it. He couldn't show up being the drunk that he became. He couldn't show up as the selfish bastard who didn't deserve the chances he got.

Draco tried to ask him multiple times where he went but he wouldn't say. All he wanted to do was dance until he got dizzy. It was like being drunk.. just a little bit..

The band packed up and most of the guests were gone or passed out.

Draco led them to a table.

"That was... nice," Harry sighed.

"Don't act so surprised," Draco smirked.

"Well I've never danced with a guy,"

"Did you like dancing with me?" Draco looked hopeful.

"I already told you it was nice," he said.

Draco took it. He tested out his luck.

"So... are we going to talk about what happened?"

Harry opened one eye, he had shut them because of a piercing migraine spreading over his skull.

"What?"

"Last time.. I told you that I felt for you and you left me," he tried not to sound accusatory, the last thing he wanted was for Harry to feel confronted.

"Oh," was all he said.

Harry was ashamed. He was so ashamed of leaving everyone hanging.

"I mean, I would understand if you didn't feel the same Harry, I really would but you shouldn't have left me uncertain,"

The sorrow in Draco's eyes stung him. It was something that he would have to try to numb with booze later tonight.
Maybe he should start to be honest.
Be the Golden Boy that everyone thought he was. Just this once.

"I shouldn't have left you, you're right," he said slowly, "and if I'm being honest I have never given that kind of thing any thought so I don't know how I feel about you,"

As Harry said this he realized how true the words were.

Draco couldn't believe it.
This was the chance he was waiting for. It took ten years but there it was.

"Then maybe you should find out," Draco raised a brow.

"Mm," he grunted.
Draco decided that meant yes.

Ron and Hermione staggered over, both sore from all the dancing from the night.

"Harry it's been forever we missed you," Ron slurred, the alcohol laced his voice.

"I missed you guys too," Harry smiled.

"Where were you?" Hermione prompted.

"I had to get away from some stuff," Harry said. It wasn't exactly a lie.

Hermione gave him a worried look.
"Have you talked to anyone about it?"

"I don't need a shrink, it's your wedding stop worrying about me," Harry responded.

She said something else but he couldn't hear anything except for a shrill ringing in his ears.
Damn migraine. This one was the worst he'd experienced and he couldn't mask it, seeing that he involuntarily clutched his head.

Then he blacked out.