Leaving You

Harry touched the handles of the vast doors of Hogwarts castle that framed his next step to leaving.

If he opened the doors and walked through them, he would leave the only place besides the Weasleys where he ever felt accepted for who he was and not treated like an abnormality like he was at Number Four Privet Drive.

If he opened the doors and walked through them, he would be leaving behind memories forged by much love and adventure and he felt the familiar tugging of his heart. He swallowed and his hands recoiled from the circular handles and hovered above them as he hesitated and just stared at it.

If he opened the doors and walked through them, he would be leaving his only true friend and the girl, no, woman that he loved. A dull ache swept through him and caused his breathing to hitch. He frowned as beads of perspiration rolled and glistened down his temples.

He had to leave.

"Where are you off to Potter?"

That voice. Harry knew that voice. It was, deep, rich velvet, gilded with pride and malice that always managed to provoke him somewhat. He whirled around and peered into the dark corridor but couldn´t make out any figure. He squinted and cocked his head to the side but still he couldn´t make out anything but then his eye caught something glimmer. Something move and slide like water and there in the only shaft of light that came in from the top window, revealed Draco Malfoy.

"You´re not the only one, who has an invisibility cloak," he smirked, "Now, are you going to tell me where you are going in the dead of the night, or are you planning to send a postcard?" Draco said his voice dripping with sarcasm. He folded his arms and looked at him in amusement.

Harry just stared at him in disbelief and turned back towards the doors and his hand reached out towards the handles once more, ignoring him.

Draco watched him hesitate and rolled his eyes, `Even when he wants to leave he has to martyr away in his head,´ Draco thought. He walked forward and leaned against the door, blocking Harry's way.

"Move."

"Not until you tell me why." Draco frowned looking straight ahead into the darkness. His voice monotonous not betraying the curiosity and annoyance of seeing the Golden boy of Hogwarts sneaking out in the middle of the night to do more heroics no less.

"Why the sudden fascination? You should be happy Malfoy! Happy that I´ll be out of your hair and you can proclaim me a coward. Now get lost!" Harry snarled as he grit his teeth, his hand finding his way to his robe pocket where he kept his wand.

"Again, not until you tell me why," Draco said as he turned his head to look Harry squarely in his face.

"And again, why do you care? You should be smirking at me and doing your happy jig at the thought of Harry bloody Potter getting out of your peroxide blonde hair!" he retaliated, exasperated and annoyed that the twitchy ferret was making difficult and was in his way. What was new anyway?

Draco looked at him blandly and rolled his eyes. "One, grow the bloody hell up. Two, I don´t know any happy jigs and three, it´s all bloody natural! What the hell is wrong with you people?"

He saw Harry narrow his eyes and so before he could say anything he continued on, "Now spit it out Potter, or do you want me to go to Dumbledore about this. I don´t think he would be happy that his prized student is walking out of Hogwarts, to what? Run away? Or fight Voldemort all by himself because he thinks he´s the ever immortal?" Draco's eyes flicked downwards and noticed Harry´s hands reaching toward his robe pocket.

"Don´t be a prick Harry, you´re the noble sort," he uncrossed his arms and placed them palms up in the air showing him that he wasn´t going to use his wand.

Harry growled and exhaled noisily as his glasses slid down his nose, which was slick with perspiration.

"Look, I just have to go alright. All the things that have been happening are because of me. First Moody, Cedric, the Hogsmeade attack, it´s all my fault. Better to leave here now then let anyone else here get hurt!" Harry´s tone of voice was resolved and sounded as if there was no more room for argument but he was talking to Draco Malfoy. There was always room for argument.

"You truly are a pathetic git, aren´t you? I´ve got news for you Potter, every fucking thing does not revolve around you. Just because Voldemort has some homicidal tendencies toward you, and the mudbloods because of some deep seated parental problem, which I might add, goes way back even before you even existed. When he decided that mudbloods were the scum on his dragon hide boots, you" he said pointing a finger into Harry's chest, "had nothing to do with it. You are just another one of the blood sucking parasites that he wants to get rid off. Stop feeling sorry for yourself!"

After that rather embarrassing admonishment, coming from his own enemy at that, Harry just stared at him, seething quietly. Not knowing exactly what to say.

Draco just smirked knowingly and stared back at him, not losing eye contact as he continued winding him up, making him realise what he was doing.

Why? He needed it.

Why was he the one giving it to Harry? Apparently because, he was the only one who noticed the signs that were displayed; Draco had wanted to run as well and who bloody well didn´t when all you wanted to do was to escape the expectations and just go somewhere, where you could be alone.

They were similar that way.

"So, you´re still going to leave, are you? Going to fight Voldemort all on your own, leaving boy wonder and your mudblood girlfriend all alone-"

Draco then felt himself thrown to the wall and held there by the front of his robes. A rogue glint in Harry´s emerald eyes set something off in him and all coherent thought seemed out the window. The tension was so palpable.

"Don´t you ever call my girlfriend a mudblood, you understand me? She is ten times the person you´ll ever be, and who are you to tell me what I am and what I am not supposed to be, you filthy bastard!" His voice was dangerously soft. Barely over a whisper, wrapped in anger. Harry's lips quivering and his breathing laboured.

Draco, transfixed, replied with a smirk and placed his mouth over Harry´s. There was an issuing gasp from Harry and Draco seized that opportunity to slip his tongue in. He was quite surprised at any unyielding violent protests and even more so when Harry´s hands left the front of his robes and tangled in his short hair, pulling on it slightly. His own hands snaked onto Harry´s hips drawing him nearer, rubbing his back and cupping his arse. The kiss ran deep as their tongues danced together and Draco nibbled on Harry´s lower lip before breaking it off.

They stared at each other with chests heaving. Draco then let his hands go and walked away from a stunned Harry Potter, looking more ruffled than ever with his messy hair and swollen lips and amazement glossed on his face.

He was half way down the corridor, when he turned with the shadows splayed across his face, marring his aquiline features that held a smirk. "See you tomorrow night, Potter."