Beautiful Shards (A Drarry Fanfic)

Chapter 8: Draco- Comments Meant to Cut

They sat for a while in silence, but it wasn't a tense silence, like it would have been before the war, and it wasn't akward like it would have been just earlier today, before their conversation. No, instead it was a comfortable quiet, each lost in their own thoughts.
They listened as the number of footsteps gradually increased, and they knew it must be nearly time to leave. At the first warning whistle, Harry stood up.
" I'm going up front to get some food from the trolley," he announced abruptly.
Draco jumped at the sound, since neither one of them had spoken in over half an hour, then nodded. He hadn't realized how hungry he was. He knew Harry would understand that he didn't want to leave the compartment, so he decided to ask him to buy something for him, too.
"Will you get me something, too?" he asked, rummaging in his pockets for some money. He held it out to Harry, but he shook his head.
"Sure, but I'm paying for it." Draco started to protest, feeling that Harry had given him enough already, but he cut him off. " I've got plenty of money for both of us. You've already given me enough: someone who understands what I'm going through. The least I can do is buy your food."
Wow. Harry had said exactly what Draco had been thinking. Before he could say so, however, Harry turned and slipped through the door.
As soon as Harry opened the door, Draco could hear the entire train stop talking, stop moving, stop breathing.
He saw Harry tense, and then there was a general buzzing as everyone started talking at the same time. Everyone rushed towards Harry, and Draco caught a few fragments of what they were saying:
"He's amazing..."

"He saved everybody..."

"He killed Voldemort..."

"Harry! Can I get a picture?"

He knew no one else could, but from his vantage point, Draco could see that Harry had gone as white as a ghost, and he was shaking violently.
He watched as Harry fought his way through the crowd, towards the front of the train. Once he moved, though, the people could see into to compartment. They could see him.
The whispers and jeers started up almost immediately, just like they had on the platform.

"Murder..."

"Death Eater..."

"Worked for Voldemort..."

Those things and more were said as the crowd dispersed, and each word cut into Draco like a knife.
He curled his hand into a fist, digging his nails into the palm of his hand. He should have felt pain, but he didn't. All he felt was a warm, wet sensation as a trickle of blood ran down his wrist.
Once everyone was gone, Draco pulled his knees up to his chest, buried his face in his arms, and cried.
He couldn't help it. Everyone blamed him. Everyone thought he was awful. It was true, but it hurt to be reminded of what had happened because of him. Of all the pain he had caused. Of how alone he was. So he cried. He could feel a panic attack coming on. He was shaking and breathing in short, shallow gasps that were making him dizzy.
At that moment the door slid open, and someone came inside.
Draco's first thought was that someone had decided to tell him what they thought of him to his face. He curled in on himself instinctively, bracing for a verbal blow.
However, when one didn't come, he looked up. Tears swam in his eyes, making everything blurry, but he could tell it was Harry. He had thought that Harry wouldn't come back, now that there were other people he could sit with.
He blinked away the tears, and looked at the other boy before another wave of fresh ones could once again cloud his vision.
He looked deeply concerned, and before Draco could say anything, he had crossed the distance between them and was kneeling at his side.
" Are you okay?" he asked, searching Draco's tear-stained face for an answer.
"You came back," he murmured in reply.
Harry looked confused. "Of course I came back. Why wouldn't I? I just went to get food. "
"I figured you'd find someone else to sit with. Why do you want to sit with me?"
Harry seemed to think about this for a moment before he answered.
"Because you're the only one that I don't have to pretend around. What did they say, Draco?"
" The same things. Just because it happens over and over doesn't mean it doesn't hurt every time. They all hate me, Harry. This is all my fault. Everyone hates me. I can't blame them. I hate me too." He was crying and shaking again, but he couldn't stop.
" Draco, stop. Calm down. It's going to be okay. You're going to be okay. Never, ever let me hear you say something like that again. They don't know you. If they did, they wouldn't hate you. I don't hate you."
" Why not? You have every right to. After everything I've done to you? I would hate me."
" Because you don't deserve that, Draco."
Harry took his hand, and the sleeve of his robes slipped back.
And that's when Harry saw the blood.

Author's Notes: Sorry, I didn't realize I forgot to publish part three the boy by the window, but I just did that. I would also love to hear what anyone who bothered to read this thinks about it. Just so you know this is the first thing I've ever written, so please keep the criticism gentle.