Confessions In The Dark (Drarry) ✔

Chapter 8

While at breakfast, the Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall, stood up to make an announcement. All chatting ceased as they all turned to listen to what the woman had to say:

"Because of the circumstances of the war, many of you have simply drifted from your talents, hopes and dreams. Rightfully so, but you are all young and I do not wish for you to lose grasp of something you were naturally very good at when you leave this school. This is why a Talent Show will be organised in the school in the following week. I sincerely hope all of you enter and share a talent of yours with the rest of us. Goodluck to everyone."

McGonagall spoke in a clear voice, it booming across the Great Hall, bouncing off the grand walls. As soon as she was seated again, students broke into conversation about this upcoming Talent Show.

"Are you gonna enter?" Harry asked Draco while they ate. The blonde thought about it. He didn't really see himself having any talents worth showcasing and he wasn't very well liked at all so he doubted his entry would be welcomed. He decided against entering and shook his head at Harry.

Harry's green eyes grew wide and he gaped. He was in no small ammount of suprise as he had stumbled across a notebook Draco accidentally left out. It was filled with beautiful sketches of a pair of green eyes and paintings of Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest, victims of war etc...Draco had a real talent for drawing and painting and Harry hoped Draco would make use of it.

"B-but, your sketchbook!" The raven spluttered, still not over the initial suprise. Draco went rigid for a second.

"You saw it?" He asked looking at Harry suspiciously.

"Yea, you forgot to put it away the other day and it was open on a page with a pair of really pretty green eyes. I got curious and flipped through the rest of it and everything in there is gorgeous. You have GOT to enter and show them all how it's done. You never talked about it so I never thought you'd be so good at art."

Harry rambled off his explanation, but Draco was thinking about the fact Harry found a pair of green eyes. Draco liked drawing eyes, and he always doodled them mindlessly in the notebook, subconsciously even. Coloring them green was something he never even realised he was doing. It was an odd thing, for sure. Harry's eyes were a pretty shade of green too, maybe that was where he got it from.

"I didn't talk about it because it seemed girly and I didn't want anyone finding out." He ended up saying and shrugging.

"Oh don't act as if you possess any amount of manliness. At all."

Harry joked, a smirk playing at his lips and Draco fake-gasped.

"How dare you insult my manliness Potter?" He played along, a smile breaking out on his face.

"I can't insult something that doesn't exist Dray." Harry joked, receiving a small shove and a sarcastic laugh from the blonde. It was all cut off though when someone from the Gryffindor table yelled at Harry across the Great Hall:

"Hey Harry! You can enter with your talent of being incapable of choosing friends!"

Harry didn't know who it was, nor did he care. He stood up before Draco could attempt to stop him.

"Harry Potter. Don't." Harry heard a calm, quiet voice from the Ravenclaw table. Luna Lovegood. He stared at her for a long moment, anger still sizzling in his stomach.

"It is not worth it." She spoke again with a smile and a reassuring nod, finally managing to knock some sense into Harry, who just took a deep breath before sitting back down in his seat.

"Harry, please stop fighting with your friends because of me. They've been with you through thick and thin, I was a right asshole, please don't fight with them over me."

Draco told Harry quietly, in such a sincere voice Harry could have started crying then and there. But he didn't. He shook his head.

"Listen Draco, you're my friend just as much as any of them are now and I will fight to defend you just as much as I will fight to defend them. You're just as worth it as anyone else."

Draco listened, dropping his gaze down to his knees.

"But I'm not." He whispered, biting at his lip. Harry took a breath and started speaking:

"Who saved me from the Death Eaters at the Manor? Snape? No, it was you. You showed that day how you really felt about the whole war and Death Eater related things. You were never allowed a choice, but even so, you stood up for what you believed in. You knew it could get you killed. That's pretty damn bloody brave. So shut up, you're worth it as much as the next guy."

Harry spoke sternly, a string of warmth woving itself into his words, his eyes fixed on the blonde's bowed head.

"Malfoys don't slouch. They don't bow to anyone. You should know that." Harry spoke again, warmly in an attempt to get Draco to straighten up. The words Harry said still echoed inside Draco's head. He slowly straightened his back and raised his head to look Harry in the eyes.

"That's more like it." Harry gave a crooked smile, causing one to spread over Draco's face too.

"Next time I see you slouched and bowed down in front of stares of those who had shown much less bravery and sacrificed much less than you in the war I am hexing you. You are a Malfoy, you should stand tall and proud after everything you've come on top of. Plus, the reputation of the family name can't fall apart, can it?"

Harry spoke his final words before leaving for class hurriedly, wishing he wouldn't be late, cursing himself for getting so distracted with talking to the blonde. Draco still sat rooted in his spot though, every word Harry said slowly being processed and taken in, he never noticed the Great Hall emptying of everyone but himself. He just sat, thinking about everything Harry told him.

Every word hit him in a different, yet similar sense. They circled around his head and heart like a warm blanket, warming every fiber in his being in the same sense a mother's hug would. The way Harry saw him and his actions was so pure despite the circumstances the view was created in. All of the care that Harry slipped into his words and tone of voice came crashing on Draco like a tidal wave, causing a choked sob to escape his throat. He felt warm tears fill his eyes and another sob shook him. He truly didn't deserve all of that. The tears flowed freely out of him, releasing a big weight that always laid thickly upon him. They were happy tears though, tears that only burst forth when one's heart and soul has been deeply touched and warmed by an act or a word woven with true, deep care and fondness. The tears that only burst forth when someone shows deep care and acceptance for you, someone that you truly care about and hold dear to your heart.

And those were the tears Draco was crying now. He would never be able to understand how Harry grew on him so much. He was just such a good friend and person in general and Draco really did care about him, like a true friend. He hoped they would stay friends because it was one of the few things Draco was certain he couldn't lose now.

Harry's friendship.

The tears still spilled and sobs erupted through the big empty hall, the blonde managing to whisper a quiet sentence through his tear stained smile:

"Thank you Harry...."