Empty Spaces

Chapter 13

"Tell me, liebling, what have you been doing all afternoon? I was worried for you," Andor wrapped his arm around Draco's shoulders.

"School," Draco said. "Just... catching up on some homework."

"And this 'school'... it took place down the hall?" Andor asked, suspicion hanging from every word. So much for no questions, no judgment.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, it did," Draco said irritably.

"Tell me, liebling," Andor turned, taking Draco's left hand and facing him. "Would he be able to love you like I do?" He kissed Draco's hand before turning it over and kissing his wrist. "When I look at you, I see nothing but beauty." He pulled Draco in close and kissed his neck, whispering in his ear. "Would he see the same?"

Would Potter? Would anyone?

"I thought so, liebling," Andor said softly, stroking Draco's cheek with his finger. "Come inside, let me show what love really is..."

So Draco followed him into his room– their room these days, really. Is this what love is? Andor could make the world disappear. No Potter, no Lucius, no school, no nothing. Just the two of them. Is this what love is? Draco didn't know, but whatever it was, it was certainly enjoyable. Ich liebe dich, Andor had whispered in his ear, lost in the moment, words rolling off his tongue in more languages than Draco could keep track of.

"Ich liebe dich auch," Draco murmured back without thinking. Do I really though? Is this what love feels like?

"Ah, so you see, liebling," Andor said afterwards, taking Draco's left hand and examining the tattoo just above his wrist, "Who else would look at this and say it matters not to them? Who else would look only at the man who lies below the scars?" He ran his finger across Draco's bare chest, sending shivers down his spine. "I think, liebling, your 'study sessions' are over now, no?"

From one cage to another.

But who else would look at him without scorn or scrutiny or hatred behind their eyes? So he stayed.

By Thursday, his homework situation was dire. True, he'd gotten a good amount done during his study session with Potter, but with his new assignments from Wednesday, he was still just at the tip of the iceberg. As soon as Charms let out, Draco headed straight for their spot by the lake. He could eat later, but there was no way he was going to be sent back to the Manor, especially for something as stupid as this. Cursing his own lack of self-control, he pulled out his Charms assignment and started writing.

"Flitwick didn't give us anything today," Potter announced his presence with another obvious Potter-statement.

"Thank you for the reminder," Draco retorted, sounding colder than he'd intended. Potter, thankfully, just shrugged it off and took out his own Potions assignment and started working. The hour passed in silence, but Draco had a distinct feeling that Potter was starting to refrain from questions. Shame. It was a nice escape to not have to deal with questions. Or talking. Or anything.

"Look, there's really no good way to say this–" Potter started.

"So maybe you shouldn't–" Draco retorted warningly.

"But we haven't had a Charms essay due in weeks–" Potter plowed forward.

"What's it to you?" Draco deferred.

"You're not okay," Potter observed with his incredible gift for stating the stupidly obvious.

"Neither are you," Draco shot back.

"I'm passing my classes," Potter retorted. "You, on the other hand, would die before missing an assignment."

"Yea, well, maybe I died and forgot to tell you. Didn't know I was supposed to report these things to you."

"You don't. But you've saved my life, multiple times, and I've never really found out why. The least I can do is look out for you when clearly no one else is."

"What makes you think that?"

"You're hanging out with me for starters," Potter pointed out bluntly.

Oh shit he's right.

"Yea, thought so," Potter continued. "You don't have to tell me what's going on if you don't want to. But if you need to tell someone... I'm here, alright? And you can copy my Charms essay if you need it."

Draco was about to give a biting comeback about Potter's work being likely to result in an even lower grade, but couldn't. Instead, he settled for a simple thanks-but-no-thanks and returned to his essay.

"You're not doing all that great yourself," he finally pointed out, "You're not flying anymore. You're not taking Defense. You've broken up with Weasley–"

"Okay, okay, sorry I asked," Potter flustered, annoyed now that the Quaffle was on his own side of the pitch.

"Yea, well... if you need to tell anyone about it... I'm here." Draco said. There was a different dynamic between them now that it was just them. No expectations, no war, no family, no friends, no nothing, just Potter and Malfoy. Maybe we really could have been friends, if it hadn't been for everything else going on around us...

"Thanks, mate," Potter said quietly, looking away. "Appreciate it."

They worked in silence until the lawn began to fill once more with students coming out of their final classes. Potter started packing up his things.

"You coming?"

I'd like to. But I can't. Why can't I? I don't know... I can't... I just can't. One cage to another.

"Or we can stay," Potter offered, seeing Draco's hesitation. "Here–" he cast a couple charms resulting in a fourth year walking straight by them without so much as a second glance. "There you go."

"Why are you helping me?" Draco asked, prickling with irritation that Potter's knack for asking stupid questions was starting to rub off on him.

"I don't know. It's called being a nice person, I guess," Potter shrugged. "It's how things generally work, Malfoy."

Potter soon ran out of homework, but stayed anyway, sitting in the grass, staring out across the lake, keeping his protective bubble up around them, shielding them from the rest of the world. From reality. The late afternoon sun began to cast red and purple across the sky as it began its descent and Draco knew he couldn't stay much longer.

"As lovely as this has all been, Potter," he drawled, starting to pack his bag and trying not to sound too desperate, "I'm afraid I have plans for the evening. See you tomorrow."

"Hey–" Potter said suddenly before hesitating.

"Yea?"

"He treating you alright?"

"Who?"

"Your boyfriend, idiot."

"Fuck off, Potter."

"That's a no then."

"I said, fuck off," Malfoy warned before picking up his bag and taking off for the gates.