Additional Phase – Mending what is broken
Back in his own dorm room, Draco broke down. He collapsed right after closing the door, falling onto his knees, curling around his legs, and breaking out in violent sobs. He didn’t notice or care when a very concerned Greg scooped him up into his arms and carried him to his bed. Blaise hugged Draco from behind, while Greg held him to his chest.
Wordlessly, Theo left the room and entered shortly after with Pansy, Daphne, and Millie in tow. They positioned themselves on Draco’s bed, curling around the three boys. Nobody said anything, they just held onto each other, listened to Draco’s sobs, caressing the parts of him they could reach.
That’s how Hermione found them a few minutes later; huddled together and creating silent comfort. She hovered in front of the bed, unsure of what to do, while tears still streamed down her face. Pansy reached out a hand and pulled Hermione right into the heap of Slytherins, petting her head.
Nobody knew how long they stayed like that. It could have been hours or merely minutes. When finally Draco’s sobs receded to soft sniffles, everybody rearranged themselves. Still touching and close but facing Draco.
The blonde looked up and froze when he saw Hermione. Tears pooled in his eyes as he croaked out, “Did you know?”
Hermione shook her head. Some of her curls stuck to her tear-stained face. “I just found out. I think I just broke up with Ron.” She sobbed; Draco reached out to hold her hand. “I’m so sorry! If I knew, I would’ve never encouraged you to give Harry a chance.”
“What did Potter do?” Pansy asked, trying for a soft, encouraging tone, but it came out rather hostile.
Surprised how calm he suddenly felt, Draco said “Har–Potter and a bunch of Gryffindors thought up a plan to make me fall in love with him and then break my heart.” He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and squeezing Hermione’s hand. “Today I confessed my love to Potter, and I slept with him. I woke up to Weasley and Finnigan cajoling and congratulating Potter for his success.”
The faces of his friends ranged from disbelieving shock to sheer anger. “I’ll kill him”, Pansy raged. “I don’t know why I was afraid of that asshole at the beginning of the year. He’s just a dirty little scumbag.” Her exclamation was met with agreement.
“I honestly thought he liked you”, Greg said quietly.
“Yes, well. Deep down I always knew it was too good to be true. I mean, really, how could perfect Potter ever love me? He’s the saviour, I’m a Death Eater. He said he loved me, and I was foolish enough to believe him. It’s my fault, really, for thinking I deserved his love.” Draco sighed sadly, wiping away a stray tear.
“No, darling” Pansy cried, launching into Draco’s arms. “You deserve all the love in the world.”
“Yeah. If Potter can’t see what a great guy you are under that prickly surface, he’s not worth it.” Blaise chimed in, drawing out a wet giggle from the blonde.
Draco let out another broken sob. “It just hurts so much. How am I going to survive loving him while I mean nothing to him?”
Hermione wiped her tears away. “We’ll get through it. It will take time, but it will get better. And I’m with you all the way.”
The next day, Draco was still feeling shitty. His red rimmed eyes were puffy and hurt, but what hurt the most was his heart. He felt an ache in his chest that made breathing very hard.
Hermione squeezed his hand and he felt some of the ache lifting. He took a deep breath. Escorted by his friends all around him, he entered the Great Hall. Avoiding looking at the Gryffindor table, he sat down with the Slytherins, Hermione joining them.
Draco stared unseeingly at his plate. He blinked when apple slices appeared on it. He looked up to Greg beside him, who nudged his shoulder lightly and said gruffly, “You need to eat somethin’, Draco.”
The blonde wasn’t hungry, though. Greg stared at him expectantly and grunted satisfied when Draco mechanically ate the apple. Greg ruffled his head, murmuring “There you go”, appreciating that he only ate for Greg’s sake.
As he munched, he chanced a look at the Gryffindor table. His view was blocked by Blaise and Theo, though, who watched him knowingly. He sacked into himself, wrapping his arms around him.
Draco spent his day pretty much the same as at breakfast. His friends rotated accompanying him, never leaving him alone and stirring him this and that way to avoid any contact with Gryffindors.
Harry stared forlornly at the Slytherin table. He didn’t catch a good look at Draco because his friends were expertly shielding him. Pansy was glaring at him murderously, as if she wished for an opportunity to hand him over to Voldemort again. But the few glimpses he got of the blonde left his heart stuttering and aching. Draco made himself small, looking shattered and vulnerable. Harry’s chest constricted and with a gasp he realized that what he once thought was hatred, was fondness and love all along.
“Well, aren’t you all looking chipper”, Dean announced brightly as he sat down in front of Harry, Ron, and Seamus who all had dark circles under their eyes.
Last night, Harry had explained to the other two boys how he really felt about Draco. He lay awake all night, thinking about where exactly he went wrong and concluded it was wrong right from the start. Though Harry wouldn’t even have realized his feelings without their plot, for he never would have approached Draco otherwise.
Seamus felt guilty for not realizing Harry’s feeling. He suspected Harry wasn’t completely honest in his declared hatred but didn’t question it further in favor of pranking Malfoy. Seeing the Slytherin that heartbroken wasn’t as satisfying as he imagined, especially since Harry got hurt, too.
Ron had used the night to wrap his head around the fact that Hermione had broken up with him. He was angry at first, because it was alright for Malfoy to be a pillock who insulted her for years, but if Ron wanted to extract a little revenge it was not? That wasn’t fair! Then he considered Hermione’s words more carefully. It really wasn’t his business to patronize Hermione like that. He could hate Malfoy, but if Hermione decided to be the bigger person and move on from her grudge who was he to deny her that? And Malfoy couldn’t be too bad anymore when Harry managed to fall for the git. His heart twinged in guilt as he remembered Harry’s miserable expression.
They all looked up when Neville joined them smirking. “You look like shit. I guess your glorious revenge went awry?”
Ron and Seamus looked away, guiltily. Harry held Neville’s gaze and Neville’s eyes softened. “I warned you, you would get hurt”, he said gently.
Harry nodded, a spark of determination entering his lifeless eyes for a short moment. “How can I fix this?”
“I think, it’s easier than you think. You just have to convince him that your feelings are real and that you don't care about his past.” Neville said matter of factly.
Harry groaned and buried his head in his arms. Voice muffled, he muttered “How on earth is this easy?”
“You’ll figure it out, I’m sure.” Neville laughed. “You’re a Gryffindor, where’s your courage and determination?”
“I think I lost it when Draco ran out on me.” Harry sank further into his arms.
Ron watched his friend being miserable and decided to do anything he could to make him happy again. He patted his friends’ shoulder. “It’s going to be alright.”
He heaved himself and Harry up. “Come on, mate. First, we need to make you look presentable.” He dragged the other out of the Great Hall.
Neville changed a look with Dean. Apparently, their friends finally got their act together.
“Well, do I need to chew you out, too, or did you learn your lesson?” Dean asked Seamus not unkindly.
Seamus face turned a bit green. “No, thanks. I’m alright.”
Draco was on his way to the library, alone. His friends hadn’t left his side since yesterday’s debacle, and it was exhausting. Draco wanted to wallow in self-pity, and despite his fable for dramatics he needed solitude for that. His friends were hypersensitive about him and didn’t leave him the opportunity to mope. Draco had retired to the dorm after dinner, expressing his need for sleep. When everybody had huddled together again, lightly snoring, Draco had sneaked out.
Now, there was a very unpleasant human obstacle between him and his wallowing time in the library.
“What do you want, weasel? Did you come to gloat?” Draco snarled.
Ron blanched and spluttered. “No! No, Malfoy, that’s not it. I–Can you spare me a minute?”
“Not unless I want to waste it,” Draco spat and made to turn back.
“Please, Malfoy!” Ron pleaded, stopping Draco in his tracks. He sounded so defeated it made Draco almost pity him. Almost.
“You’re just trying to mend things with Hermione. I’m not interested in helping you to win her back. She could do such much better than you.”
The red head sighed dejectedly and hung his head. “No, I know. I’m lucky if she even considers letting me apologize. But I’m not here because of that.”
“Then why are you here?” Draco raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
“Merlin, you’re not making it easy for me.” Ron rubbed his face. “Not that I expected you to go easy on me!” He hastily added.
Draco had to admit he quite liked it when Weasley acted all humble and self-deprecating. “Alright. You’ve got one minute. Go!”
“Wait, what?” the Gryffindor stared at Draco in confusion.
“You’re minute’s ticking down, Weasley. 45 seconds, now.” Draco drawled.
Ron flushed red, quickly suppressing his anger as the blonde counted down the seconds loudly. He had a mission, after all. He took a deep breath and then quickly said, “I’msorryweplottedrevengeonyouMalfoy,itwasn’tright.PleasegiveHarryanotherchancehereallylovesyou.”
The Slytherin pinched the bridge of his nose. “Salazar, Weasley, I didn’t understand a word you babbled.”
“Hey, you only gave me one minute!” Ron defended himself.
Draco sighed. “Alright, alright. I’ll hear you out for real, now.”
“Thank you” Ron sniffed haughtily. “As I was saying, I am very sorry for the whole revenge thing. It was childish and dumb.”
“Yes, it was. Typical Gryffindor.” Draco sneered.
Ron raised his eyes to heaven as if praying for patience. “Merlin, what will it take for you to listen to me seriously. Should I beg you on my knees?”
“Not a bad idea, Weasley. Do it,” the Slytherin demanded. His eyes widened in shock, though, when the other really went down to kneel before him in a perfect picture of humility.
“Look, Malfoy. What we did was incredibly stupid, and I’m not going to deny I didn’t get any satisfaction out of it. I won’t ever like you, but the way I handled my hatred was way out of line. Harry really loves you. He didn’t mean to hurt you, in the end. And he certainly didn’t sleep with you to spite you. He’d already given up on taking revenge and just missed the chance to tell me and Seamus.”
“So you expect me to just go back to him and everything is well and forgotten because Potter decided halfway through your plot he’d quit?” Draco asked incredulously, anger tinted his cheeks pink.
“Of course not! I’m just telling you that Harry genuinely likes you! He’s been devastated since you left yesterday, and I can’t bear to see my friend like that, so lifeless. It’s like he died. I already lost him once, and I don’t want to lose him again. So, I’m begging you, Malfoy, to give him a chance when he seeks to speak to you. Please. I’ll do anything if you just hear him out!” Ron looked at the blonde imploringly, desperately pleading his case.
Draco considered the boy in front of him. He wanted to believe what Weasley had said, that Harry loved him for real. Draco would take Harry back in a heartbeat if he just asked.
The Gryffindor squirmed under the blonde’s scrutiny. “You’re a good friend, Weasley.” Draco said at last. “If Potter comes to see me, I’ll give him a chance to explain.” Ron’s face lit up.
“Under one condition”, Draco added and Weasley’s face fell. “You have to make up with Hermione. You make her happy and she likes you for some unfathomable reason. But I swear to everything that’s holy, if you make her cry again, I’ll castrate you.”
Ron gaped at Draco for a while. Draco turned on his heels and went to the library. Over his shoulder he shouted. “Chop, chop, Weasel, you’ve got some groveling to do. Oh, and her favourite flowers are tulips. Do NOT – under any circumstances – get her yellow ones!”
Harry ran as if his life depended on it. Well, in some way it was. He slithered to a halt in front of the library, catching his breath. He had spent the day sleeping because Ron had drugged him with a sleeping potion after he had forced him to take a shower. When he woke up, his head was clearer, and he knew what to do.
Ron had encouraged him to go talk with Draco, too, ensuring him that the blonde would listen. Harry had a chance. It was a small chance but he would take what he could get.
He entered the library and found the blonde head he yearned to press kisses against. Draco looked up from his book when Harry hesitantly took a seat beside him.
Stony faced, Draco just stared at him. “What do you want, Potter?” he asked coldly, voice full of disdain. “I promised Weasley to hear you out, so get on with it.” Inside, Draco was quite panicked. Did Harry see how vulnerable he was? Was his hair in the right position? Did he smell good?
Harry grabbed Draco’s hand, breathing out in relief when the other didn’t pull away and the stony façade melted off Draco’s face.
“I know the last thing you want is to see me again. But I’m thankful you’re giving me the opportunity to tell you how I feel.” Harry’s breath stuttered as he looked Draco in his mercury eyes, finding the hope he felt reflected. “I really, really, really love you.”
“It may have started out as a joke, as a stupid plan for revenge. But my feelings for you are genuine. I was blinded by our past, too stuck up in my prejudice that I didn’t see you’ve changed. In retrospect I don’t even think you’ve changed that much. You always were a smart, witty, sweet, and beautiful person. I just didn’t want to see it because it would mean admitting my opinion of you was wrong.” Harry began to tear up. “Then, I got to know you for real and I learned all those things about you. That you care about your mother and friends deeply; that you’re trying so hard to overcome your faults and prejudices; that you have very cute little quirks. Like, did you know that you scrunch up your nose like a bunny when you’re irritated?”
Draco frowned in irritation, and Harry laughed wetly. “There, just like that. I learned all those things and before I knew it, I was already deeply in love with you. I love you so much it hurts. I can’t believe how much I fucked this up.”
“Yeah”, Draco croaked out because a lump had formed in his throat. Harry said exactly what he had longed to hear. He restrained himself from launching right into the Gryffindor’s arms. He had to make absolutely sure, Harry meant it. Draco wouldn’t risk his heart again. “You fucked up pretty badly.”
Imploringly, Harry looked at the blonde. “If you’d let me, I’ll make it up to you for the rest of my life. Please, let me love you.”
Draco did not find any lies in Harry’s eyes, so he gave in and threw himself at Harry. “You better deliver what you promise, Harry, or I'll sic Pansy on you. It took a lot of effort for her not to lynch you,” he mumbled against the Gryffindor’s neck.
Harry breathed in Draco’s scent and sighed, “Godric, Draco, I missed you so much.”
“Come off it, Potter, it’s only been a few hours,” Draco muttered delighted.
“A few hours are way too many hours!” Harry exclaimed with conviction. “I’m not letting you go ever again.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “And they call me the dramatic one.”
He wound his arms around Harry’s neck, pulling him impossibly closer. He stared at Harry, sure that there were hearts in his eyes. Harry looked equally besotted at Draco.
“You’re an idiot,” Draco said heatedly. “A fucking moron.”
Harry winced, then he smiled sheepishly and whispered huskily, “Keep insulting me, it’s actually a turn-on.”
Draco huffed a laugh. “If you want to pick me up, you have to do better, scarhead.”
Harry grinned playfully, nipping at Draco's lips before saying earnestly, “I always thought happiness started with an ‘h,’ but it turns out mine starts with ‘u.’”