〘 chapter xxii: I LOVE YOU〙
Draco climbed the stairs two at a time, a million and a half things on his mind like how was he supposed to look at Harry without feeling the urge to... I mean could he really just.... What would Harry even think about... God he felt so stupid. All of this was so stupid. It's not like they could ever be together in some shape or form. His parents would definitely not a approve and if Harry's parents were alive... They'd probably curse Draco into the next century and be done with it. But Draco didn't really care. I mean, he kind of did but at the same time...
"Malfoy." A voice said with a half laugh. Draco looked behind him, startled. There, three steps above him was Harry Potter, grinning like a fool. His green eyes were fucking sparkling. Draco swallowed hard. "You walked right past me."
"It's what someone usually does when they're trying to get somewhere." Draco said, trying to play this off. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed Harry. He always notice's Harry.
"Okay." Harry said, walking down the two steps, leaving just enough room between them. "But it's me." Draco just stared up at Harry and his stupid grin.
"You're no different than everyone else." Harry laughed.
"Yeah, sure." He said, rolling his eyes. "Hi." Harry said, his hands itching to touch Draco in some fashion. Draco's own hands were clenched into fists to prevent him from pushing Harry's hair out of his face. God he really wanted to run his fingers through it.
"Hello." Draco said. Harry smiled.
"What were you thinking about?" Harry asked.
"You." Draco said, wishing he had hesitated slightly. Harry chuckled.
"What about me?" He asked, sliding his hand down the railing to touch Draco's arm lightly. Draco put his hand on the railing, over Harry's and watched him smile. Draco shrugged.
"Just... Things." Draco said vaguely.
"Ah, yes, things." Harry said. Draco rolled his eyes.
"Shut up."
"I know, I know." Harry said. "But come on Draco. What about me?" Draco bit his bottom lip.
"You know how I told my parents about... Myself. Last week." Harry nodded. "Well I've just been thinking about that and you and how... They wouldn't approve and neither would your parents if we're being honest. They'd probably want to kill me." Harry laughed.
"Yeah, probably but... I mean I never really knew them but I think if I told them how you'd changed they might be open to the idea of us. My mum apparently didn't really like my father when they first met." Draco cocked his head.
"What?" Harry shrugged.
"It's just something that people have told me over the years." Harry said. "Apparently my father was a... Bit of a bully but, he really liked my mum so he decided to change and that's what made her fall for him." Harry said with a smile. "I think they'd actually really understand us, probably better than most people." Draco almost felt like crying.
"I wish you knew them." Draco said. Harry smiled sadly.
"I wish you could meet them." Harry said. Draco cleared his throat and looked away from Harry's emerald green eyes.
"I uhh... I should get going." Draco said lightly. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"I would rather be here with you but yes, I was heading somewhere." Harry leaned in quickly and kissed Draco much to his surprise. Draco was about to say goodbye but Harry spoke first. "Hey, I love you Draco." Draco froze instantly and Harry cringed as Draco took a step down away from him.
"No you don't." Draco said. Harry frowned. That wasn't the answer he was expecting.
"Don't tell me how I feel."
"Well how you feel is rubbish." Draco said. The look of utter shock on Harry's face made Draco want to back away farther, run to a dark hallway and hide. Why did he have to ruin this? Ruin the moment? What was he doing?
"You don't mean that."
"No, I do. You're the one who doesn't know what they're talking about. You can't love me." Draco said, voice cold and hard. Harry couldn't believe this. He thought... He at least thought Draco might say it back but... This was the worst case scenario. Harry had wished he had prepared himself for this.
"Don't tell me how I feel Draco." Harry said with a frown.
"Are you insane?" Draco demanded, wondering why he was getting so worked up over three little words. "Me? Do you know who you're talking to?"
"Yes, I do. I'm not going to take it back and you can't make me." Draco wanted to say he didn't want Harry to take it back he just... He wanted to make sure that Harry was positive. He didn't want to hear Harry say I love you, only for him not to mean it in a couple days... Weeks... Months... Surely they wouldn't last that long. Harry would figure out he didn't like snogging Draco. Maybe he'd figure out he didn't like snogging boys at all and then... Then this will be over and Draco would be all alone again.
But he didn't get a chance to say any of that because a soft voice called out, "Harry." Draco turned around and found Hermione at the bottom of the moving staircase, staring up at them quizzically. Her nose was scrunched up and her wild dark hair was falling in her eyes. "Are you... Okay?" She looked at Draco not with... Hate or fear or anything just... Confusion.
"I'm fine." Harry said, clearly not fine since he was speaking through his teeth. "Come on 'Mione." Hermione slowly walked up towards her friend on the stairs, trying not to stare at Draco as Harry began to head to the top landing. Draco blushed all the way to his ears. Had Hermione heard anything of what they said? If she had, she gave no indication and as the stairs slid into place, Draco watched the two friends step up onto the third floor an continue on down the hallway.
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Harry had refused all of Draco's invitations to come to his room or the tower the rest of the week and the two of them barely spoke in class, before class or after. Each time Draco tried to say something, Harry would mutter something under his breath and head out of the room before Draco could finish his sentence. Draco didn't know what to do. How could he make Harry listen to him? How could he apologize in a way that Harry would believe?
"Harry please stay after class a while, please." Draco whispered to the dark haired boy next to him.
"Why the fuck should I?" Harry demanded. He had never been more pissed off in his entire life. He had stewed in his anger all weekend, hoping it might blow over but it didn't. Usually, his fights with Draco wouldn't upset him this bad but... This was different after all.
"Because I need to talk to you, please. I'm sorry. Will you let me explain?" Draco asked. Harry looked up at him. Draco wasn't someone Harry would characterize as someone who would beg but right now that's exactly what he was doing, pleading for Harry to talk to him.
"Fine. You'll have three minutes." Harry muttered. Draco breathed out a sigh of relief and instead of paying attention to Professor Potswell, he began to craft his apology to Harry in his head.
At the end of class, Draco touched Harry's hand and nearly intertwined their fingers as Harry began to stand and put his things away. "What?" Harry hissed out. Draco pursed his lips, waiting for the rest of their classmates to disperse out the doors. "Your time is ticking." Mrs. Potswell was busying herself up front, not paying attention to them and as the last classmate headed out the door, Draco turned to Harry.
"I'm sorry Harry. I love you too." That's not what Harry expected Draco to say at all. He had expected an argument.
"You don't have to say it just because I did." Harry grumbled out.
"But I mean it." Draco said, squeezing Harry's hand, voice low. "I'm sorry I tried to tell you that you shouldn't feel like this."
"Then why did you?" Harry demanded, pulling his hand back.
"Look at me Harry. I'm Draco Malfoy. You've hated me for years. That's hard to... I mean I'm not used to this yet and hearing you say I love you just months after we started to become friends... I just... I want to make sure you mean it. I don't want you to say it and then realize you didn't mean it." Draco said. Harry was just staring at him.
"I am looking at you. I love you." Draco blushed hard.
"Shut up." He said, looking away.
"No. I love you Draco. How many times do you want me to say it before you believe me?" Harry asked. Draco looked around the room, swallowing hard. Everyone had left. Even Professor Potswell looked like she was heading towards her office in the back, leaving the two boys alone in the potions room.
"Once more." Draco said, looking back up at Harry. Harry set his mouth and leaned in slightly.
"I love you Draco Malfoy." Draco cupped Harry's face in his hands and kissed him heatedly, the knot in his stomach coming undone as the butterflies in Harry's stomach swarmed up to his chest.
"I love you too Harry." Draco said against his lips. "I've loved you for a long time." Harry pulled back a little, breathing hard.
"How long?"
"Long before we became friends." Harry swallowed hard.
"Neat." Draco laughed and kissed him again.
"You're such a loser."
"Yeah but that's what makes you love me." Harry said.
"That and you've got a nice ass." Draco said, watching Harry turn bright red. Draco laughed and stood, gathering his things. "Come on Chosen One, lets head to the Great Hall, I'm starving."
A/N:
My timeline may be a bit off but if Hogwarts starts in August, that's the month Harry and Draco spent talking. September is where Harry began to notice that Draco was a little into him and Harry began to reciprocate these feelings. Late September is when Harry kissed him. October- November they spent together, dating. And now it's late November early December lol. Hope ya'll don't think it's too soon for them to say I love you. Hope ya'll like this chapter!!
Also, I DIDN'T FORGET TO POST. it's 11:59 in California so I'm still posting on Monday for me lol