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I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
It was all Harry could focus on as he got wrapped around himself coming out on a dark street. He could see the blonde hair of Draco Malfoy marching away and thought better of the fact he had followed when he heard a muttered cry coming from the man in front of him.But, it was too late then, wasn't it? He was already there. He was doing that irrational thing he did where he just assumed everything revolved around him and went charging in. Charging right for Draco and grabbing his arm and saying his name like he could. Like he was allowed to."Potter!""Draco," Harry whispered again, dropping his hand and taking a slight step back, his socks on the wet pavement."How did you...?" He trailed off because he figured the question was obvious enough, his eyes scanning down the man.Harry ran a hand through his messy hair and let out a sigh, "you can't just tell someone you love them and disapparate Draco." Draco swallowed roughly, letting out a quick breath of air as if he had been hit by a wind that knocked the breath out of him. "That's not how 'I love you's' work.""They don't work anyway with us, Potter." Draco finally found his voice and stepped back, "you don't get to follow me, you don't get to turn up like you own the place all the bloody time!""It's called a conversation Draco!""Stop!" Draco roared and using his wand he put up an invisible shield that stopped Harry in his tracks when he made to step forward. "Stop calling me that!""It's your bloody name!""Well, stop." Draco's voice was dead and quiet, but Harry heard him. Harry felt it. "How I feel about you, Potter, isn't something we get to discover or discuss. How I feel about you isn't something that is suddenly going to change everything."Harry had his wand out now getting rid of the stupid shield and taking his step closer, "it is, Dra-... Malfoy.""No, no it isn't." Draco stepped back, shaking his head, "I'm Draco Malfoy, I'm the worst... I'm the scum of the earth and you..." Draco let out a humorless laugh, "why, you are Harry Potter.""Who gives a fuck who I am?""The whole bloody world, Potter." Draco hissed, "every single person in it. You are a saint, you are the best, you are the savior." Draco jerked his arm out of his touch when Harry grabbed for him, "the chosen one.""I don't care about that shit, you know this.""But they all do." The blonde swallowed his cry at the very thought and let out a shudder of a breath, "and I am so tired of competing with the world to be good enough, Potter." Harry grabbed him this time, catching him as Draco nearly collapsed at the words. It was like it was everything he had been hiding for years, everything he had been dying to say since he thought it and he had kept it all inside so he didn't have to face them. They were out now and it was either face the words or run away and Draco Malfoy was tired of running away."Draco," Harry whispered, wrapping his arms around the man tightly, "you are good enough."Draco didn't say anything, he just cried. He just gripped at Harry's body and buried his face against his shoulder and he cried.Harry didn't know how long they stood there, wrapped around each other. It was long enough his feet were chilled and started to ache before he could pull Draco into his arms and carry him the rest of the way to his house. It was long enough that Draco cried until he couldn't anymore until nothing came out except dry heave after dry heave. It was long enough that Harry wanted nothing more than to coddle the man from the rest of the world.He ran a warm bath for Draco the moment they got inside, doing his best to remember where everything was, and after he was sure the water was warm enough he dried and warmed his own socks and feet, carefully checking he hadn't tracked anything in with his socks. He was grabbing a change of clothes for Draco when he heard the bathroom door open, he turned around from his bedroom to find tall, blonde, and handsome standing there with a towel wrapped around his waist and not a lick of clothing otherwise.Harry swallowed at the sight before him, Draco Malfoy with his damp hair all over the place. Draco Malfoy with his small, dainty frame. Draco Malfoy with all his scars and that faded Dark Mark. Draco Malfoy with a flush and a cleared throat the longer Harry stared at him until he finally held out the clothing he had grabbed."Thank you," Draco said softly, grabbing them from his hand and he'd be stupid to say he was surprised when Harry grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him in. He'd be an idiot to say he wasn't expecting to be backed against his hallway wall and Harry pressed against his chest. And, Draco was no idiot. "It doesn't change anything," he said with his eyes locked right on Harry's."Good," Harry whispered, reaching out and stroking his finger down Draco's cheek."No, I mean," he felt used up and empty, the words came out dry and matter-of-factly, "about us.""I disagree," Harry breathed out, pinning Draco's wrist to the wall and his clothing fell from his hold. "I think this changes everything."Draco stared back passively, all his pent-up anger was gone it was useless now. All his nerves were gone. He was exposed, he was everything he didn't want to be with Harry Potter. Harry was seeing him for who he was, Draco was in love and all that was left was Harry leaving. "I'm tired, I'd just like for you to go.""I can't leave," Harry answered immediately, he was expecting that. Draco arched an eyebrow. "If I leave we'll never get this chance again. If I leave something tells me we'll never cross paths again, Draco."The blonde fought back a cringe at his name coming from his lips, it was too soft. Too perfect. It came spilling out as if it belonged there and Draco hated it. "It's for the best, I'm not who you want any more than you're who I want, Potter.""No, you don't know what I want.""I know what I'd do to a person like you, Potter," Draco tugged on his hand trying to dislodge Harry's hold.Harry shook his head, "I already told you I don't care about any of them, about any of that.""Well, that's what makes you... you, isn't it?" Draco chuckled, his humorless expression not quite matching the sound."Stop trying to run from it.""It's easier than getting hurt."Harry released his hand and cupped Draco's chin, coming to his full height so they were nose to nose, "I'm not going to hurt you, Draco."The blonde shut his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall, "you already are.""How? I haven't done anything.""I know," Draco jumped when he felt Harry's lips on his forehead, his eyes flashing open."You don't want me to desire you? I'll work on it. You don't want me to show you how I feel about you? I won't." Harry promised when their eyes met, "you just want us to be friends? I can do that." Harry dropped his hand and stepped back, "just don't walk away from me, Draco, please.""Why does it matter so damn much?""Because you're the only person that doesn't treat me like I'm me, and that means more to me than you realize." Harry said quietly, his own secret slipping from his lips and Draco gave a startled noise, "because I want a reason to feel like I do when I look at you."Draco pushed against the wall towards Harry, his hand gripping the man by the shoulder and backing him into the opposite wall slowly, "h-how is that?""I think you know."Draco swallowed the lump in his throat when Harry's back hit the wall behind him, Draco's left leg coming between Harry's and he gave his best brave face he could manage. "You don't even know me.""I know you far more than you think I do, Draco."Draco felt his cheeks flush, the idea that he was just another conquest for Harry-The-Chosen-One-Potter cleared from his mind and he felt his whole body respond at the intention of the words. "You mean it?""More than anything in my whole life, Draco.""Stop saying my name."Harry smirked, "I don't think I will.""I'm begging you to stop," he swallowed roughly, sagging against the Gryffindor's chest."I'm not going to stop calling you by your name, Draco," Harry said honestly, catching him with his arms around his waist, "you're tired, you need to rest.""Don't leave?" Draco asked as Harry picked him up bridal style and carried him down the hallway to his bedroom, "please.""I'm not going anywhere until you get it through your thick head I'll be coming back," Harry kissed his forehead again and Draco felt a warmness fill his cheeks, then his back was on his bed and Harry was covering him up. "You've had a rough night you need a lot of rest." Harry was saying as he pulled the blanket tight around him, then he crawled up on the other side, "we can talk tomorrow." He added, keeping his distance as Draco stretched out on the bed, his pale hand searching until he found Harry's. Only belatedly thinking he hadn't even gotten dressed.