The Ties That Bind

He stood alone. Empty, hollow inside, an overwhelming sense of loss consumed him. His grey eyes had lost their glimmer, had lost the drive and ambition that made him a Malfoy. Draco had lost the only person in his life who had ever been bold enough to show him compassion. He had lost the single person who dared to teach him that love was not a weakness, that love could be combined with magic to accomplish great things. But now she was gone; his mother was dead and there was nothing he could do to bring her back.

His whole world had just come to an unexpected and crashing halt.

Not many dared to show up and pay their respects to Draco. Most feared the wrath of Lucius Malfoy if they dared make an appearance. There was one person in that crowd, however, that did not fear the elder Malfoy, who understood the pain and loss of the younger, who was momentarily going to take one of the biggest risks of his life. Harry Potter came up behind Draco and gently put his hand on the Slytherin's shoulder. "Draco, I'm so sorry."

"Bloody hell Potter! What makes you think you can touch me?" spat an appalled Malfoy.

"I just .... I came to say .... I thought I'd ...." Harry stammered, stunned at Draco's outburst.

“Save your Gryffindor valour. I didn't need your sympathy while we were students at Hogwarts and I definitely don't need it now," sneered Malfoy.

“Look, I know how it feels to lose someone you care about. Everyone I've ever been close to in my life has ended up dead, and I end up being alone. I've lost both parents, I lost Sirius, and then I lost Dumbledore. And even though Hermione and Ron are still alive, they left me behind when they took their high level Ministry jobs."

"Oh save the dramatics Potter! See, even at my own mother's wake everything is about how much you've suffered." Malfoy bitterly retorted.

“Listen, Draco, that's not what this is about at all. We're colleagues, we’ll be teaching in the same building together. Your pain is fresh and you need time to heal. I just wanted you to know that I'm here. I've had to deal with loss and I'm a pretty good listener. We can put aside our juvenile squabbles of the past, show that we've matured, and actually be civil. If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me," Harry gently stated, looking at Malfoy with those sparkling eyes that were legendary. Then he turned and walked away.

Malfoy agitatedly scuffed his feet back and forth. He had to admit that Potter had a point. It had been several years since their days of being students together. They are now both professors at Hogwarts. If anyone would know the emptiness of loss, it would most definitely be Potter. And then a thought popped into his head: Did he just call me Draco?