"Potter!" Draco shouted, "Potter! Will you listen to me!" He came to a stop beside him and held his arm tightly, "Please- stop avoiding me." He begged.
Harry said no words, he didn't make eye contact. He just looked defeated. Draco felt guilt crash over him like waves on the shore.
"Look at me," He whispered, "Harry."
Harry snapped up his head, his throat clogging up, "What do you want now?" He said, voice trembling like a dangerous earthquake.
"I need you to talk to me." He breathed, relieved that Potter had finally responded to him.
"Fine." Harry pursed his lips.
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I don't love you." Draco squeezed his shoulder, "I didn't even realize that you felt that way." He looked down at his hands in embarrassment.
"That's it?" Harry scoffed, "You apologize for not feeling the same way? How does this make anything better?"
"It-it doesn't, okay?" Draco said, "I know it doesn't, fuck- I just don't want to lose you, Harry. You're my best friend. I can't lose you."
Harry felt a stab to his heart at the word. Friend. Is that what he always will be to him?
"Friend?" Harry asked dumbly, "Is that what I'll always be to you?"
Draco pursed his lips, "I don't know." He said slowly, "I have no idea about the future, but right now, I know that you are my friend, Harry, and I don't want to lose you."
Harry didn't reply.
"Look, I fuck up everything in my life. I ruined my life by getting the Dark Mark. I had a crush on my best friend and drove him away. Pansy left me because I'm gay. Blaise is already drifting away from me." He said helplessly, "My mother is dead. I have nobody. You're the only person I actually like talking to, I can't lose you."
Harry swallowed heavily, "I-" He shut his mouth again, "Let me think over?" He said, pushing away any hope of love from the blond.
"Yes, yes." Draco nodded, "Of course."
Harry bit his lip and left him alone.
◆
"Draco." Harry said softly, his fingers tugging at the edge of his sweater, "Potter." Draco smiled, "Hey,"
"I am ready to be your friend." Harry mustered up a small smile.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Draco let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, P-Harry." He smiled.
Harry nodded.
Both of them were hurting, maybe this was the path to heal themselves or hurt themselves in the worst way possible.
Draco was very confused and happy. It was a weird feeling.
He was very tentative about this friendship he had tried to rebuild again, it was a fragile relationship; something that could be broken with a single wrong move.
The next day Draco acted that nothing was wrong between the two. He acted friendly and remotely distant from Harry.
Harry acted rather weirdly, as weird as one could act after a heartbreak and a friendly reconciliation.
"Morning," Harry said stiffly and sat between Neville and Draco.
"Morning," Neville and Draco said in unison. Even before they could know it, the three fell into a friendly chatter and ate their breakfast.
Blaise joined in as well, passing Neville a small smile, who shyly waved at him.
It was an odd group of four boys.
Harry didn't talk much to Draco. Draco didn't mind, he knew the boy wasn't in his best state of mind.
Days passed. Harry resumed to be the old usual self, his feelings never went away but he kept them buried deep inside his soul.
Draco never asked him about his feelings. He didn't tell anybody about his awkward and weird relationship with Harry, not even Blaise knew.
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