Empty Spaces

Chapter 35

Draco thought he had come so far, and yet here he was again, back at the very beginning with the world crashing in around him and the darkness taking hold, choking him, cursing him... But he owed it to Harry– even if afterwards Harry no longer wanted anything to do with him, Draco could, at the very least, attempt to be honest.

Starting turned out to be the hardest part. But once Draco finally managed to string the first few words together, the rest began to flow as easily as raindrops running down a window: His arrangement with Aberforth on the rent for his room; the need to replace his school things; and the eventual necessity of replacing everything in his life that came from his father. And finally, how Lucius had warned him this would happen. How Draco thought himself so capable, that living on his own would be so easy, and how in the end, it turned out to be everything but that.

"Fuck..." was all Harry said while Draco waited for the inevitable. The problem with being a Malfoy is that after a certain point, nobody wants anything to do with you. They're either too afraid, or maybe they're over being treated like crap, or maybe they simply got what they wanted from you and are done...

"I'm sorry," Draco said finally, softly, full of pain and regret, "But... once I leave school, you won't have to see me again anyway–"

"Wait, why the hell would I not want to see you again??"

"I kept things from you and treated you like shit–"

"Yeah, I'm aware," Harry said dryly, "That was crappy of you, not gonna lie, but I also understand why you did it and trust that you're not going to do it again because it was shitty for both of us. That's how these things work... I take care of you, and you take care of me, remember? It's not always going to be easy, but come on, when has anything ever been easy for either you or me?? Did you really think I was going to leave you over one stupid fight...?"

Yes...?

"You really thought I would do that?" Harry asked, sounding a little hurt. "After everything we've been through together...?"

He sat down on the floor next to Draco, wrapping a tentative arm around his boyfriend. When Draco didn't resist, Harry pulled him closer, feeling the tension slowly beginning to melt away.

"Look, if you really want to drop out of school, I'm not going to stop you. But I've known you for years... I can't imagine this being something you actually want to do."

"Does it matter what I want?" Draco asked, "My hands are tied. I need a place to stay, I need to do things like eat and wear goddamn clothes. And for all that, I need money. More than I could hope to make while going to school."

"Okay, but why the hell didn't you just say something??"

"What was I supposed to say??"

"Oh, I don't know, how about 'Harry, I could use some help right now!!??'"

"What the actual fuck!?"

"Do you really want to drop out of school?"

"No, but I–"

"Right. Why don't you just move in with me and Hermione then?"

"WHAT?"

"I mean... I all but live at your flat anyway," Harry pointed out, "We're only staying at yours because your kitchen is better stocked than mine."

"Are you serious–!?"

"I'd offer to pay–"

"HELL NO–"

"Which is why I won't, but sharing my room is going to be a hell of a lot cheaper than paying for your own flat–"

"I can't ask that of you–"