One's True Nature

13

He had spent the last four days is perpetual drunkness. Unwilling or unable to meet with the thoughts in his head that brought him here. He staggered to the quidittch stadium where he had been watching the special holiday tournament knowing that his friends would not suspect him of going some place so public to flee their judgement. They had judged him, he figured by now they would all go to Ginny's side and why shouldn't they, she was right, he didn't love her. He wasn't happy, but that didn't mean anything, it was better that way. It was better when he wasn't afraid of loss. He thought of Draco so much since the man had come back into his life. The man's face was like a key to all the things he'd forgotten of the boy from school long buried in false self assurances that he didn't need Draco's affection, that he was just a fixation of lust. Can lust make you do all the things he had done in the last week and a half? Harry didn't know.

He stumbled into a gentlemen about part way back from the bathrooms and staggered backward. He nearly toppled over when some strong hands caught his shoulders and stood him firm to the ground. He looked at the man's face, he had a kindly face, Harry had no idea if the expression he was giving was appropriate for this. The man just seemed to glow annoyingly bright.

"Celebrating the victory are ya?" The man said with a shake and Harry nearly threw up. "You all right there, drink a bit too much lad?" He looked up and let his cloak show his face and he gave a soft grimmance in an attempt to smile.

"Fine sir, just too much good times, need rest." Harry was glad he could still seem to cast pretty good glamours in his state. He was glad when the man moved on and left him be. He wasn't getting any closer to feeling resolved and his body told him he'd far surpassed his limit for drinking for his entire lifetime. The final match was tomorrow, he didn't know what to do after that, maybe he would disappear.

'Coward' Spoke Malfoy's voice. 'Potter, you are such a coward and you know it.' He had had this companion for the last day and a half. He was smiling now as it seemed to speak exactly like Draco might if he could see him like this. Harry found a small inn and paid for the night under the name Johnathan Xander. He'd taken the name on his last mission and seeing as how the man was supposed to be an awful drunk, Harry appriciated the irony. He went to his room without saying a single word aside from pleasantries. He laid down, knowing full well that his dreams would be no simple retreat from the confusion and hell he was living in.

'Coward' Harry heard against his head as it throbbed.

"Shut up Malfoy, this is all your fault." Harry said to the voice and then he spent the next hour trying to blame everyone and everything but himself for why everything had gone and fucked itself up. He finally fell asleep and felt the nightmares wash over him.

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Draco, Ron. Hermione and Ginny all had tried to think of places Harry might go to think. Ron had spent the last four day's trying his best to look for Harry and not hit him. Ginny was holding up a little better, but Harry's words had cut far too deep, even if Harry hadn't meant to do it, Ron still wanted to hit him. Draco had been the most logical, but the least knowledgeable when they first began this search. Draco had checked himself out of the hospital early, feeling like he needed to help once he heard what had happened.

They had the same circular thoughts now, having run out of fresh ideas. It would be Christmas in roughly a weeks time and the family was pressing. Draco took in how much they seemed to bend over backward to help Harry, but none of them could give a decent answer as to what that help might be. He'd guessed Harry had just cracked under some kind of pressure. He didn't know why, but he figured that Ginny's announcement of the divorce had been a catalyst for Harry's breakdown. He didn't understand Harry well enough personally. He'd of course, began to hate himself for tormenting Harry all those years ago and judging him but his cover. Harry was a man of his word, he'd given Draco his son back.

Then something happened. Ginny was carrying The Daily Prophet in her hand and one word jumped out to Draco. QUIDITTCH was in big bold letters. Draco's eyes seemed to pull on this piece, it held the answer.

"Ginny, pardon me, but could I see that paper." She handed it to him and he nodded his thanks. She stood and watched him read. He was seeing it before him like suddenly flash when a spell breaks a dissilusionment charm. "This is where he's gone, I'm sure of it." Draco snapped in excitement. He tossed the paper to Ron who quickily read it. He looked up with a big smile on his face. Draco wanted to laugh at the moment, but he knew that it wasn't time for that. The Children we're keeping eachother occupied with the new batch of snow on the ground outside.

"Ron and I will go." Draco spoke seriously. "I know what you're going to say Ron, but if you go alone he will likely see you coming."

"And he won't see you coming?" Ron raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Oh, he'll see me coming Ron, in fact, I'm counting on it." Ron still looked confused. Draco sighed. "Look, if Harry is indeed conflicted about his feelings, be them for me or anyone else, I know there is one emotion I can always use against his defenses." Draco smirked. "His anger." He seemed rather smug about it, Ginny suddenly remembered why she had disliked him so much in school.

"What about your injuries? You've only just been out of the hospital." Hermione asked worried.

"I'll manage Hermione, I have before, it shouldn't be a problem." Draco nodded his appriciation for her concearn. "Ron, I'll need to fly with you on your broom, my left side is still too numb and weak to attempt that flight on my own broom." They already knew that Draco was too weak to Appirate properly. This would be a long flight and Ron didn't like the idea of Malfoy hugging against his backside as they flew. He sighed.

"Alright Malfoy, when do we leave?" Ron asked looking ragged.

"Now, if that's alright?" Draco looked over everyone at the table. None objected to him. "Good, let's go Ron. The last day of the tournament is tomorrow evening. Harry's got a thick head, so we might be there awhile." Draco smirked and Ginny chuckled and then tears rolled down her cheeks. Draco stood up and limped over to her and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry for all of this Mrs. Potter." Everyone, including Ron was shocked by the moment. Ginny leaned into the hug after a moment of shock. It was this that made Ron gawk as then relize that Draco was a man of political talents. He knew what to say and when. Ron was jealous.

"You're not so bad." Ginny pulled away from him. She cuped his cheek, the way she'd done when he was in her home the first time, not knowing if his son was alive or dead. She smiled as her eyes glistened. "He's yours now, go find him. And take care of him." And he started to walk past her and she put her hand on his wrist. "If you don't, I will hurt you Malfoy." Ginny's smile was half-kidding. Draco smiled at her.

"Naturally." Draco said with the warmest smile that anyone had ever seen on him.

~~~~~~~~

Harry struggled to walk straight. He had no pride, but he was a little angry at always having to apologize for staggering into people. The large canopy that encircled the staduim reminded Harry of the crowded platform of King's Cross. Harry felt a stab of guilt and self hatred. He knew his kids would be going back to Hogwars soon enough and he wondered what it would be like, just for a second if they could see him like this. The canopy was held up by support beams every hundred feet or so and Harry saw a free one. It's support felt inviting, As he leaned up against it. As he did, he felt a powerful grip on his forearm. He didn't dare fumble with his wand in this state. He treid to swim free of his vision and pull away.

"Potter, I assure you, my entire left side may be useless to me, but I would throw myself against you and hold you here until my backup arrives. Believe me Potter, you'd rather have me here, than him." Draco's voice caused Harry momentary confusion, having heard it so many times over the last few days, prodding him.

Draco couldn't belive the state Harry was in. He looked very dirty, warn and he stank very badly of booze. He recognized him right away, despite his now poor glamour charm, because he seemed so utterly out of place in the crowd of people. He came around to stand in front of Harry and was glad for once that he stood almost five inches taller than him. He sneered in disgust and he wasn't trying to make Potter mad.

"You look disgusting. I never took you for the kind to run away from your problems and lose all self respect in the process, POtter." Draco looked stern. "It's pathetic to see you like this, it's downright hilarious perhaps. Pathetic, utterly." Draco smirked.

"Is there some reason you're here gloating over me Malfoy?" Harry tried to force the words out propperly despite his being drunk.

"Yes Potter, I've come to take you home." And Draco smiled at his lack of specifics as to who's home. The flash of confusion, or perhaps longing, sent a childlike sense of giddiness through him. Harry looked him over and then, his expression changed. 'bingo' Draco thought.

"You don't understand anything Malfoy." Harry said softly, an edge of deep self loathing in his voice.

"That's an understatment." He snorted.

"I want you to leave me alone."

"Can't do that."

"Why?"

"Because you're hurting."

"So what?"

"No one should hurt like this."

"You don't care."

"I wouldn't be here if that were true."

"Why are you here?"

"Because I love you."

And Harry froze. He took a deep breath, still pressed up against the support beam, mere inches from Malfoy, people were staring at them. "You don't mean that." Harry looked down at his feet. Draco drew up the man's jaw with his long pale fingers.

"I do mean it, Harry. Draco said warmly and Harry closed his eyes just to retreat from the blonde's gaze.

"It's so easy for you to say those things, isn't it? Your wife is dead right?" And Harry was so shocked he'd actually said it that he didn't even flinch when Draco struck him. He looked up after the stars passed and caught Draco's eye. Draco slapped him again and then leaned into his ear.

"I may not of loved her the way I do you, but you will not speak of her as something to be thrown away like trash." with each word he pushed harder on Harry's forearm. Draco felt something in his soul crack. "I'm leaving now, you aren't worth it like this." He turned to leave Harry standing there, he was beyond furious. Harry had succeeded in hurting him, again. He was going to send Ron the signal for the all clear. Who was he to stop a one man pity party that was Harry Potter? He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't go, I'm sorry Draco, I didn't-" Harry breathed, he was close to breaking. He didn't know why he was being like this. No wait, he did know, he was scared. "I never thought I would feel this way about you again. I thought I had buried those feelings years ago in school. I have been a wreck since that day in the interrogation room where I touched your mind. I'm scared Malfoy, I'm scared because everyone I have ever felt this connection for has died. I don't want you to die." Harry let go of Draco's shoulder and slid down the beam onto his hind end and pulled his knees in close.

Draco couldn't turn around. He was crying, he understood now. "It must be so lonely sometimes, not to let yourself feel love." And he finally turned around. He let his tears flow freely. He did his best to sit beside Harry without falling too hard against the ground. Letting his cane clatter to the ground. He put his good arm across Harry's shoulders. "I'm not going anywhere Harry." Draco sighed softly, kissing his temple. "I love you."

Harry looked up to say something and got lost in Draco's eyes. The deep affection in them from before when he'd thought he'd saved him. Harry was amazed at how boundless the silver orbs seemed. He was so lost that he never sensed the lips that pressed against his until his lips were warm and wet. He thought he might protest, but his body had other ideads and leaned him into the kiss and into Draco's waiting warmth.

He gave in to his scarred heart one last time. He kissed back.

They never saw the camera flashes, they were too lost.


End Chapter 13
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A/N: So now our two favorite enemies have kissed. In public and without a propper date. Christmas time is a time for giving and recieving. ROFL that's the most awesome teaser ever. Please Review and many super thanks to my beta, she gives me inspiration.