Harry sat silently in the hogwarts express, pretty much the only passenger on trip back to King’s Cross, most of the students had been taken home by their parents or were still celebrating Voldemort’s defeat at Hogwarts. Harry had snuck down to the train after putting the Elder wand back in Dumbledore’s grave. It had been almost 15 hours since the most evil wizard in the history had fallen, and since then Harry hadn’t had a moments of peace; there had always been another hand to shake or another blessing to receive. But he had finally made his way to the train, sitting alone in the coupé he felt relieved for the first time in months. It was over. Tom Riddle was dead, and with him the prophecy had been fulfilled, Harry thought in silence as the landscape passed outside the window. He felt lost, like there was no more reason for being. What does one do when the purpose of one’s existence disappears before adulthood, what does one do with life? He was tired, yet unable to sleep as the train cut through the landscape.
He heard the door slide open behind him, but didn’t bother to see who it was, it didn’t matter right now, nothing mattered right now.
“Can I sit here?” it was Draco Malfoy’s voice, but it was without its usual arrogant tone. Harry didn’t answer, didn’t know what to say, he just kept his eyes out the window and heard the door close behind him and Malfoy sitting down in the opposite corner of the coupe. They sat there for a while, each lost in his own thoughts, and not a word was said between them for a quarter of an hour.
“You tried to capture me,” Harry stated, not taking his eyes off the landscape.
“Yes,” Draco said, his voice filled with shame.
Harry slowly nodded to himself as he looked out the window, not seeing anything at all. “After all we had, you tried to sell me out to him.”
“Yes,” Draco said with a faint voice.
“After all we shared, you could only think of saving your own skin.”
“Yes.” Draco’s voice little more than a whisper. Silence once again filled the coupé, as Harry refused to look away from the window, he was tired, more tired than he had ever been before, he couldn’t deal with this right now, not on top of everything else.
“Harry..?” Draco’s question filled the air for a few seconds and then slowly sunk away, silence once again filled the coupé between them. “Harry?” Malfoy tried again.
“Not now-“ Harry sighed. “I just, I can’t deal with this right now.” Harry gaze drifted out the window again, not aware that Draco had moved till he felt the seat move and Draco sat down right beside him. Harry felt Draco’s hand slowly rubbing his arm reassuringly, but Harry quickly threw him off. “Knock it off,” Harry said, too tired to get angry. But Draco’s hand soon returned slowly rubbing Harry’s arm. “Why?” Harry asked after a few minutes “Why did you do it?”
“I was scared.” Draco said still rubbing Harry’s arm. “I… I am not as brave as you.” Malfoys hand slowly stubbed rubbing Harry and fell down beside him. “I thought he was going to kill me.”
“So you put your own life before mine.” It wasn’t a question, it was a fact.
“Yes,” Draco whispered, a tear rolling from his eye.
“I was ready to die for you…” Harry said indifferent, “and you sold me out.”
“I am sorry,” Draco whispered looking down as a fist slammed into his chest.
“You’re sorry?” Harry yelled as tears obscured his vision and his fists pounded into Draco’s chest who just took it all silently. “You sold me out Draco! You sold me out! You, you sold me out.” Harry punches slowly lost power and he collapsed crying unto Draco’s chest. “How could you Draco? How could you do that to me?” Harry cried openly into Draco’s chest. “How could you?”
Draco put his arms around Harry and slowly rocked him back and forth. “I am sorry,” He kept repeating. “I am so sorry.” For a while they sat there like that, Draco rocking a crying Harry in his arms, as thears slowly dried out and the sobs slowly grew fainter, Draco gently pulled Harry’s face up to his own.
“I am so sorry,” he said, looking into Harry’s bloodshot eyes, a tear fell from his own. Draco kissed him gently and lovingly, but Harry pulled away before too long and sat back up, staring blindly into the air.
“I don’t know if I can do this anymore Draco, not after this.”
“I know,” Draco said softly, his arms reaching around Harry. “I know I don’t deserve you after what I did, what I have done, who I am, but let me have this one trip with you.” Malfoy slowly pulled Harry down, placing Harry’s head in his lap, and looking into his eyes. “Let me be with you this last time, and I will never bother you again.” Another tear fell from Draco’s eye as he saw Harry close his eyes, he ran his hand through Harry’s hair, well aware that it would perhaps be the last time he would do so. He watched Harry as he slowly drifted into sleep in his lap, Draco shed another tear as he looked upon Harry’s face, he was so beautiful when he slept. Draco made a promise as he sat there, slowly driving through great Britain, never again would he seek Harry out. Never again would he attempt to contact Harry in any way, he would be gone when he woke up and he would not see him again unless Harry wanted it. He had no right to ruin Harry’s life after school as he had done during their years at Hogwart’s. He would back off, leave the chosen one alone from the moment they arrived at Kings Cross till the moment his life ended, or Harry came to him. But this last train ride was his, he though, as he gently brushed over Harry’s cheek with the back of his finger, this last train ride he would enjoy being with Harry to the fullest. Draco bent down and planted the gentlest of kisses on Harry’s sleeping lips, and Harry would never know how happy he felt during these last few hours with the sleeping Harry in his lap, or how devastated Draco was as he left him sleeping peacefully, disappearing from Harry’s life.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
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