Saving Myself || A Drarry Story

LXI: The Astronomy Tower

Harry woke up the next morning in his bed, the bed that he slept in and not with Draco. When he had gotten back, the blonde boy had his Head Boy badge on and was untying his shoes. Harry kept his eyes down, not keen to speak or even look at Draco. When he took off his robes, climbing into his bed in only his undershirt and his pants.

He pulled his blankets up to his chin, attempting to ignore the expanding pit in his stomach. He was pathetic, no doubt. Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic went that mantra in his head until he passed out from sheer exhaustion.

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The next morning, Harry Potter woke up to silence. He saw on the watch that he wore that it was nearly noon. When he sat up, his hand crunched a piece of parchment that Draco had left for him.

H---
I'm sorry. Sorry, sorry and a hundred other words to say so. I love you. Don't stay mad forever. You're wonderful.
---D

Harry crumpled the paper and tossed it onto Draco's bed, standing and dressing in, not robes, but jeans and a t-shirt. He waited until the second bell rang before leaving the dormitory with nothing but his wand and went to the Astronomy Tower, sitting and letting his short legs swing over the edge.

On his back, he placed his arm over his eyes, letting his hair fall into his eyes. He felt his chest expand and condense at the same time. In the passing of time, he must have fallen asleep because, when he opened his eyes again, it was nighttime.

He sat up, reading his watch. It was nearly eleven, and he knew Draco would worry. Should he return to the dorm?

No, he decided. Harry Potter, of all people, didn't need Draco Malfoy to make him feel better by holding him close and whisper how much he cared for him in his ear.

Instead, he stood, leaning over the edge slightly and gulping. It was very high off the ground, the landing he was on. If he took just one step forward, he would plummet to his death with either a student or a professor finding his body tomorrow morning.

A smile crept onto Harry's grim face. He imagined himself stepping forward, falling to the soil below, the life leaving his worthless body immediately.

Draco wandered the halls, his dress shoes clicking and tapping on the stone floors. He checked everywhere for Harry: the bathrooms, the nooks and crannies, and everywhere in between. On a whim, he scaled the side of the Astronomy Tower, hoping and wishing that Harry would be there.

He cursed himself under his breath for not apologising to him this morning and wait for him to wake up. "Harry?" he called. "Are you up here?"

There was no answer, but he continued, knowing that Harry would answer him in his current state. When he made it to the top, he called out when he saw the smaller figure of Harry Potter's lean back and torso, his hair a usual mess.

"Harry! Thank God you're here!"

Harry lifted his head a bit, not turning around. He, Draco saw, was looking over the ledge, down at the ground, wind whipping at his shirt.

He came closer but stopped when he heard Harry say, his voice quiet and quivering, "Stop there." Draco looked curiously at the boy, pulling out his wand and muttering, "Lumos."

Draco asked again, "What are you doing up here?"

Harry didn't answer, but his shoulders slumped a bit. Draco opened his mouth to ask again, but Harry turned his head to Draco. With a single, silent tear running down his cheek, Harry looked haunting. Eerie and terrifying with his eyes wide, the tear, his hands shaking. Feral.

"Just go away, " Harry whispered, his voice breaking and emotionless at the same time. "Leave now."

"Harry, why are---"

"Leave, " Harry sobbed. "Go, please."

"Harry, " Draco said, his throat suddenly tight and choked. "Harry, you aren't in the right place. Come over here and---"

"Go away!" Harry threw his hands into his hair, wrapping his fingers in the dark, dark fibres and trying not to tug out his hair. "I don't want to see---!"

"See what, Harry?!"

Harry went silent, his breathing suddenly laboured. Draco was about three feet away when Harry pitched himself over the edge of the Tower with no warning.

Draco flew forward, grabbing at Harry's hand, gripping tightly and trying to prevent both of them from falling down to the ground. "Get off!" he shouted, twisting and turning and clawing at Draco's hands, which were on only one of his. "Let go!"

Draco slid forward a few inches. Harry gasped loudly, trying to claw his way back up the side of the tower, screaming, "Don't let me fall!"

"I'm not going to!" Draco yelled back. He tugged Harry back over the ledge, both panting as they regained their mentalities.

Harry's body shook as he cried and screamed at the same time, clutching at his middle. Draco wrapped the smaller boy in his arms, burying his hand in Harry's midnight hair. It had been almost a half-hour before Harry calmed down enough to break away.

"Harry, " Draco said quietly as Harry bowed his head, his legs crossed and his nails scratching the back of his right hand. "Harry."

Harry shook his head, digging his nails into his hand and letting the skin break and bleed until Draco finally pried his hand off. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, " Draco whispered, placing his palms under the smaller boy's jaw. "Tell me whenever you want to, alright?"

Harry nodded as Draco brushed the sweat plastered hair away from his forehead, a sad and fragile smile on the blonde's face. Harry let Draco embrace him, the sweet, masculine cologne filling his senses. Draco ran his fingers through Harry's hair.

Maybe this was okay.

Harry pulled Draco closer, wanting the warmth and feeling of his chest on his cheek.

"I love you, "

Harry looked up, his emerald eyes slow to light up and his lips hesitant to move. "I love you, too. Just a tad, though."

"A tad?" Draco laughed. Gladly enough, Harry let a small grin cross his face, causing Draco to run the back of his hand across Harry's cheek. Blushing, Harry stood, brushing his jeans off and making his way back to the dormitory with Draco hot on his trail.

He grabbed Harry's hand, not letting go until they had to change. But Draco distracted Harry, smiling and laughing when the dark-haired lad allowed a kiss from him. Draco pulled away, looking down at Harry's lidded eyes and whispering, "I'm sorry for what I did."

"You didn't even do anything wrong, Malfoy."

"No, I---"

"Just shut up and come sleep with me."

Draco grinned and followed Harry to his bed, happily getting under the blankets with the verdant-coloured eyed boy who buried himself in Draco's sleeping sweatshirt, smiling when the blonde tucked the hood over Harry's inky black hair.

Draco kissed his forehead as Harry shut his eyes, murmuring, "Go to sleep, Malfoy."

"Alright, Potter."

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