〘 chapter ii: I'M DONE 〙
Harry had three classes with Draco. He didn't even have that many with Ron or Hermione but then again, this was Draco. Wherever Harry went, he could feel Draco's looming presence. Except... His presence wasn't very looming anymore. Draco was like a ghost.
His hair in a constant state of fluidity. Sometimes it would be slicked back across his forehead, and other times it looked like Draco had rolled out of bed and right into the classroom. That wasn't the weirdest thing about Draco though. The weirdest thing was that Draco seemed to be purposefully ignoring Harry and it was kind of bugging him.
All throughout Charms class, he expected Draco to make some jab at him. Draco was sitting behind Harry after all but no such teasing or taunting ever came. In fact, Draco was so quiet Harry swore he wasn't even breathing at one point. Harry had briefly glanced over his shoulder to make sure the blond boy was still there which, he was, his head on his arms on his desk looking uninterested in what the professor was saying.
Potions class was much the same but this time Draco sat at a two person desk by himself and quietly brewed potions without so much as a peep from him. Harry was positive that Draco was even making a point not to look at him. Harry didn't understand what was happening. Was this really Draco? The same Draco who was always so outspoken and energetic? The Draco who was a snobbish know-it-all and constantly trying to one-up Harry? What had happened this past summer? Why was Draco so abhorrently different?
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Harry was staring at the back of Draco's head wondering if he should approach the blond boy. What would he even say? What would he ask? Harry tried not to think about it too hard as he marched over to where Draco was sat in the library. "What's wrong with you?" The words came out of his mouth before he could stop them and Harry watched Draco's shoulders tense slightly before he glanced over his shoulder at Harry, one bright gray eye analyzing him. Draco sighed and closed the book in front of him and turned sideways in his seat, sweeping back his cloak a little dramatically if you asked Harry.
"What are you talking about Potter?" Draco said in that same listless tone he's been using on everyone. It unnerved Harry a little. Where was that spark, that fire that burned deep inside Draco? What had happened?
"You're not acting... Like yourself." Suddenly Harry felt very stupid. What a stupid thing to say. You're not acting like yourself? Harry didn't even really know Draco. He only knew the brash, reckless side of him but there was obviously more to Draco than that.
"Then who am I acting like?" Draco said, eyebrows half arching down, the corners of his lips tugging down slightly. It wasn't a mean look though. It was nowhere close to that spiteful look Draco would always get when talking to Harry. It was more like slight annoyance or displeasure.
"I don't know you're just... Different." Draco was staring at him with a blank look on his face, making Harry nervous. "You don't antagonize me anymore. Wasn't that your favorite hobby? And you certainly aren't acting like you're the best thing to happen to the world since sliced bread." Harry was rambling, he knew that but he couldn't stop. "So what's wrong? Why are you being weird?"
"If anyone is being weird Potter, it's you." Harry could feel a slight blush creeping up his cheeks.
"It's not me." Harry argued with a huff.
"It is. Could you please scurry back to your friends and leave me alone. I need to study." Harry glanced behind him. Had he walked right past Ron and Hermione? He hadn't noticed. His best friends were staring at him confused.
"You? Studying?" Harry wasn't all that surprised honestly. Draco did have some of the best grades in their class. Harry was just being an ass to see if Draco would bite back with something but Draco just stared at him with dead eyes before slowly turning around. "That's it?" Harry said.
"What do you want from me Potter." Draco said with a sigh. "If you're looking for a fight. I'm not going to give it to you."
"Why not!" Harry said a bit too loudly, flabbergasted. Draco shook his head and turned back to face Harry.
"I'm done Potter. Okay? I'm tired of this." Draco said with a voice so full of weary and sadness it surprised Harry.
"I.." He paused. "Tired of what Malfoy." Harry said, confused.
"This." Draco said, gesturing between the two of them. "I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of being the bad guy. I'm just... Tired." Draco said and suddenly Harry could see it in his face. He could see the haunted eyes, the dark circles, the sallow cheeks and the tension in Draco's shoulders. Harry wondered how he hadn't seen it all before. "I just want to finish this eighth year without trying to kill you, myself, or anyone else. Okay?"
"O-okay." Harry said, confused and unsure of what was happening. Draco sighed.
"Which doesn't mean we're friends Harry. I keep away from you. You keep away from me. I think that would be best."
"I... Yeah I guess it would." Harry said as Draco turned back around in his seat and looked down at his parchment paper and books again. Slowly, Draco gathered his things and began to stand. Harry had forgotten that Draco was taller than him. Harry stepped back.
"See you in class." Draco mumbled before walking swiftly past him and out the doors of the library. Slowly, Harry turned and walked over to his friends who were anxious to ask what he and Draco had talked about. Harry sat down at the table with them slowly and shrugged.
"He just said he's... Done. He's tired."
"Okay..." Hermione said slowly.
"He said that whatever bad blood between us basically... Is just water under the bridge." Ron scoffed.
"Well it's a very big bridge." He muttered. "I bet he's hiding something. I bet him and the other two are plotting something against us right now. You know my mum's worried the Death Eaters might try something, even with Voldemort gone."
"How? Most of them are in Azkaban." Hermione reminded him.
"Yeah but not for long. Draco's father was supposed to be in there for years but he comes out after only a month? I'm sure the rest will be the same. None of them will get the punishment they deserve and they deserve to suffer." Harry sighed. At one point he might have agreed with Ron but now... He was like Draco.
Harry was done.
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"Malfoy." Harry whispered again, poking the boy in the arm. Charms class had ended three minutes ago and Draco Malfoy was passed out in his seat, head in his arms on his desk. Professor Laurel didn't seem to mind or care that one of his students had fallen asleep. In fact, he was busy looking over some parchment work as the rest of the students continued to file out of the room slowly and head for lunch. Harry poked Draco's arm again. Nothing happened.
As Harry was debating whether or not to charm some water to fall on top of him, Pansy marched into the Charms room, saw Draco and Harry and scowled. Harry pulled back from Draco as Pansy came forward. Pansy simply placed her hand on top of Draco's head and the blond boy sat up groggily. Harry didn't realize he was staring at Draco's sleepy face until the older boy started to frown slightly.
"What?" Draco asked.
"Nothing. I was trying to wake you up. I kept poking you." Draco yawned as Harry spoke and nearly made Harry yawn as well.
"Thanks I guess." He mumbled, looking up at Pansy who was tapping her foot and trying hard not to give Harry a death glare. Draco sighed, stood and gathered his things. Without another word to Harry, the Slytherins left the room. Harry left too, so confused by the three simple words that had fallen out of Draco's mouth,
Thanks I guess.
Harry wasn't sure he had ever heard Draco Malfoy say thank you to anyone, let alone to Harry Potter. Harry hadn't realized he had made it to the dining hall until he was sitting himself down next to Hermione, across from Ron. Hermione poked him in the ribs. "Ow." Harry mumbled.
"What's with you? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Well, there are ghosts around." Dean said. Hermione rolled her eyes as Dean and Seamus snickered.
"I... Malfoy fell asleep in class and I tried to wake him up." Ron gave Harry a half disgusted look.
"Why?" he asked, mouth full of food. Harry shrugged.
"Well, what did he say?" Ginny asked, pushing a lock of her red hair behind her ear.
"He said, Thanks I guess and... I don't know it was just... Surprising." The friends all ate their food slowly.
"A Malfoy saying thanks?" Neville said, scratching his head. "Now I've heard everything." The friends started to laugh and Harry slowly looked up. Across the long hall slumped forward at the table was Draco, looking like he was tired enough to go back to sleep again. His blonde hair was in his eyes and Pansy seemed to be scolding him, trying to get him to sit up. Although Harry could barely see Draco's eyes, he knew that the blond boy was staring directly at him.