How Are You, Really? (Drarry)

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Couple's Therapy

I would like to shout out  @paradisedraco for h elping me come up with ideas. Go check out her stuff; it's wonderful!

Harry and Draco sat down next to each other, both looking at their feet. Draco peeked out at Althea, who was giving them what could only be called a very smug smile.

"Do you two have something to tell me?" she pressed.

Draco sighed. "I don't think this is group therapy any more – it's turned into couple's therapy." He looked away from Althea's delighted expression.

She clapped her hands in excitement. "I love couples therapy because you get to work on communication much more in-depth. So today, we're going to show each other something that their partner does that upsets them. Or has upset them in the past. Who would like to go first?"

Draco just stared at her. "Do we have to?"

"Yes."

Glancing at Harry, who looked as horrified as he felt, Draco nodded. He didn't even have to think about what he wanted to show Harry. "I'll go first." He pulled the memories from his head and placed them into the pensive.

It wasn't one memory – it was a montage of every time Harry had ever stepped in front of another for any reason. Against Draco himself, against Snape, against other students, against Voldemort. His efforts to save all those around him were thrust into the spotlight until Draco was curling his lip in disgust.

"What was that?" Harry asked once they'd returned to the room.

"Care to explain, Draco?" Althea asked.

"I hate how you have to play the hero no matter where you go," Draco said slowly.

Harry looked lost. "I don't understand."

"Watching you sacrifice yourself for others is impossible! How can you do that to the people who love you?"

Harry just stared at him. "I don't have a choice."

"Of course, you have a choice! You always have a choice!" Draco cried. "You don't have to do everything!"

"I don't even think about it, really."

"I know that's the issue!" yelled Draco, getting more worked up. "And then there was the whole issue with Voldemort!"

"Really? Voldemort? There was no one else who could kill him, Draco," Harry said, trying to reason with his boyfriend.

"There was! There were adults! We were children! Can you imagine was it was like for the rest of us to see you dead? We thought you were dead!" Draco was breathing hard by the time he finished.

Harry stared at Draco, dawning comprehension on his face. "Draco, I was a Horcrux. I had to die. I had to be killed by him."

Draco's breathing stopped. He must have heard Harry wrong. "What?"

"I had to die to kill Voldemort," he repeated.

Draco reached across the space separating them and grabbed Harry's hand. "But... but that means you actually died."

Harry nodded his head. "Yea, I died."

Draco's heart stopped beating. "But..."

"Old magic. I'll try to explain to you later."

"This doesn't solve the issue that Draco raised. He fears for you when you take unnecessary, in his opinion, actions. Do you have anything to say about that?"

Harry seemed to consider the question before carefully opening his mouth and saying, "I don't do it on purpose, but if I see something going on, I want to help, so I do."
"Stupid Gryffindor bravery," muttered Draco under his breath.

"What can you do that will alleviate some of Draco's fear?" Healer Althea asked Harry, who frowned and worried his bottom lip.

"I could think more before I jump into the fray."

Healer Althea turned to Draco, who knew he still looked mutinous. "Is that an acceptable resolution, Draco?"

He grunted.

Althea smiled. "Now, Harry, why don't you show us your memory."

Draco had Harry sitting in his lap, and Draco watched himself tighten his hold on Harry's waist as Harry declared he wanted to tell everyone they were dating. Draco knew it was his quiet denial that had hurt Harry.

"So what upset you harry?"

"I think it's pretty obvious; I don't understand why he wants to keep us a secret," Harry whispered.

Draco's heart broke a little. "It's not that I want to; it's that I want to keep you safe. I want to try and figure out a plan before we announce it to the world."

"How is this keeping me safe?"

Draco, exasperated at the Gold Boy's thickness explained slowly, "I've watched you be tormented for years because you were the Chosen One. Dating me is going to subject you to all the rumors you experienced before, maybe worse. No one is going to accept us as things stand. They're all going to think I cursed you and I don't want anyone to subject you to anything because of me. Can't you understand? Let me protect the man I love, please." Harry sat there stunned. Draco glanced down at his hands. "Please."

Althea didn't say anything, letting Harry process his thoughts. "But I don't care," Harry finally replied quietly. "I'm just happy to be with you."

"I want to protect you – I need to protect you, I need to be able to protect something I love. Please understand."

Harry gripped Draco's hand tighter. "Okay. Okay, we won't tell anyone."

Draco let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Time's up, boys. You may leave," Althea said.

Draco nodded and rose, Harry following close behind. After they left, Althea sighed happily to herself. They would be fine, those two, now that they had each other.