The Proposal

The days that followed were a blur for Harry. He couldn't escape the gnawing feeling in his stomach, the one that twisted uncomfortably every time he saw Draco. There was something changing between them, something neither of them could quite put into words. It was clear that neither of them was pretending as much anymore, though neither was ready to fully confront it either.

Draco, however, had become more withdrawn than ever. Even though the walls between them had cracked slightly during their heated conversation in the study, he hadn't allowed Harry to get any closer. Draco was still keeping his distance, physically and emotionally. Harry found himself yearning to break through that cool exterior, to see what was really beneath it. But every time he tried, Draco retreated even further.

It was a cold Wednesday evening when the first real confrontation came. They had spent most of the day in separate rooms, both of them pretending to work, but neither of them was really concentrating. The tension between them was palpable. Every glance, every brief interaction felt like it was loaded with meaning. And yet, neither of them had the courage to speak the words that had been weighing on them both.

By dinnertime, it had become unbearable. Harry had been pacing around the dining room for over ten minutes, his thoughts scattered, trying to figure out how to handle the mess they were in. The front door opened, and Draco entered the room, his posture stiff, his eyes narrowed with what Harry could only describe as a mix of frustration and exhaustion.

"You're late," Harry said, the words slipping out before he could stop them. He immediately regretted them, but Draco didn't seem to care.

"I'm late because I was working, Potter," Draco replied, his voice tinged with sarcasm. "Not all of us can afford to waste time thinking about... things that don't matter."

Harry's pulse quickened at the biting tone, but he forced himself to remain calm. He wasn't going to let Draco's sharp edges push him away. Not now, not after everything they'd been through.

"What are you even doing anymore?" Harry asked, his voice quieter now. "What's the point of this? Of us? Of pretending we don't know exactly what's happening between us?"

Draco froze, his expression faltering for the briefest moment before it returned to its usual aloof mask. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said coolly, walking past Harry toward the table. He clearly wasn't going to give Harry an inch.

Harry could feel the frustration building in his chest. He stepped forward, grabbing Draco's arm and spinning him around. "Don't give me that," Harry said, his voice rising. "You know exactly what I mean."

Draco flinched, his eyes flashing with anger. For a second, Harry thought he might pull away, but Draco just stood there, locked in place, his gaze intense.

"We're stuck in a lie, Potter," Draco said harshly. "A lie that I never wanted in the first place. I never asked for this... whatever this is. And I don't know how to fix it."

Harry's grip on Draco's arm tightened, his breath coming in quick bursts. "I don't know how to fix it either, Draco. But that doesn't mean we just give up. That doesn't mean we stop trying to figure this out."

Draco scoffed, shaking his head. "You're always so determined, aren't you? You think you can just fix everything with your stupid determination, your bloody Gryffindor courage. But you can't fix this. You can't fix me."

Harry's chest constricted at the words. He could hear the bitterness in Draco's voice, the self-loathing that seemed to linger beneath it all. "I'm not trying to fix you, Draco. I'm trying to understand you. And you—" Harry stopped himself, swallowing hard. "You're not giving me a chance to."

Draco's eyes darted to the side, his jaw clenched tightly. "Maybe I don't want you to understand me," he said quietly. "Maybe I don't want anyone to."

The silence that followed was suffocating, the weight of Draco's words pressing down on Harry's chest. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, to break the tension, but Draco spoke first.

"I can't keep doing this," Draco said, his voice barely audible. "I can't keep pretending that everything's fine when it's not."

Harry's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, he couldn't find his voice. This was it. The moment he had been dreading. The point of no return.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Then let's stop pretending," Harry said quietly, his voice softer now. "Let's stop pretending that this engagement is just a farce. Let's stop pretending that we don't care about each other. Because I know you do. I know I do."

Draco's expression wavered, and for the first time in days, Harry saw something resembling vulnerability in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced by the usual coldness. He pulled his arm from Harry's grasp, stepping back.

"No," Draco said firmly, his voice cold again. "We can't do that. Not now. Not after everything we've been through."

Harry felt a pang in his chest, but he wasn't ready to back down yet. "Why not?" he asked, his voice strained. "Because it's too complicated? Because it's too hard? Draco, I'm not asking you to make this easy. But I'm not going to stand here pretending I don't feel something for you. And I'm not going to let you push me away anymore."

Draco didn't respond immediately. He just stood there, his arms crossed over his chest, staring at Harry like he was trying to figure out what to say. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Draco sighed.

"You don't understand," Draco said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You don't know what it's like to be me. To be constantly expected to be perfect. To live up to everyone's expectations. To have everyone look at you like you're a fucking failure if you don't."

Harry's throat tightened at the rawness in Draco's voice. He stepped closer, closing the distance between them, and this time, Draco didn't pull away.

"I understand more than you think," Harry said, his voice thick with emotion. "I've been where you are, Draco. I've been expected to be the hero, to always do the right thing. But I don't have to do it alone. Neither do you."

Draco met his eyes, searching Harry's face as if looking for some kind of reassurance. It wasn't much, but it was enough. For the first time, Draco looked like he might actually believe it.

But just as Harry thought they might finally have a breakthrough, Draco turned away. "I don't know how to do this, Harry. I don't know how to be real with you."

Harry took a step forward, his voice steady. "Then let's figure it out together."

The next morning, everything felt different. The crack in their relationship had widened, and though they hadn't resolved anything, something had shifted. But Harry couldn't shake the feeling that they were reaching the breaking point. And the closer they got to the truth, the more terrified he became of what might happen when the lies finally came crashing down.