"This is just a dream, this is just a
dream" the boy was shaking now. Suddenly, a clear voice called out,

"You can keep saying that, or you can do
something about it! WAKE UP!"

The boy looked once again at the beast looming overhead, as if in slow motion.
He shut his eyes as it stared at him, and everything sped up again. The demon
swept towards its prey as the blond was muttering incoherently, "It’s
just a dream; it’s just a dream…"

As if he was hit by this amazing thought, he
looked up... and smiled. "Is that all you're going to do? Swoop at me,
turn back, and do it again? Get it over with already!!"

"That fake confidence won't save you…"
once again, he was a shivering child. The beast cackled and he screamed; a
shrill, piercing sound. The boy shut his eyes, and screamed until he had no
more breath... and the scenery faded.

Where does that come from,
all my muscles hurt like I’d been beaten senseless…

Red eyes.

Spirit like shadowy form.

Oh… That… The duel…

The blond boy got up from his bed, only to fall
back down on the mattress as the throbbing of his body only intensified at the
movement.

Great going Malfoy… Next
time when you decide to use Dark Magic, don’t use it on the fucking
Boy-Who-Lived…

The Slytherin gazed around the dim room of the
hospital wing, when his eyes finally stopped at the blond boy staring back at
him in the Shadows… his reflection in the mirror.

No longer slicked back with the infamous gel,
the silky blond locks of hair fell down to his chin, covering icy blue eyes.
Truth be told, he always preferred wearing his hair this way, but his father
thought that it wasn’t proper to do so… And he didn’t want to disobey his
father now did he?

Staring at the features he knew so well, his
attention was drawn towards something most unusual; a pink streak, a healing
wound, on the pale skin of his left cheek, right under his eye… It would be one scar that would never
disappear, he thought, as he brushed his index on it, as the gash stung under
his delicate touch. Once the raven haired boy had inflicted the damage on him,
he had been shocked; the fiery look in the boy’s eyes at that moment had been
so out of character… Draco had never thought Harry was one capable to inflict
physical pain on someone willingly, but again, it had been Draco Malfoy he had
been battling with.

Still, Draco couldn't forget the flicker of
empathy that had seemed to pass in Harry's eyes before it changed into malice
again…

No way… It couldn’t have
been… Draco shook his head, dismissing the thought as
he remembered the events of the duel; the way Harry had battled with such
agility… the way he had been so ruthless. Draco hated himself for letting the
Boy-Who-Lived almost win over him; the single thought of it made rage surge
through his body once again… the same way it had when he had used the Curse on
Harry… and hit Draco at the same time.

Why didn’t it work? Father
said the curse could only be used on a person you would enjoy making suffer… if
you truly hate that person …

The boy’s eyes widened in disbelief.

No… It can’t be...

He frowned deeply. Why did he always find himself
lost in confusion?

“Why don’t I hate him…” he wondered aloud,
whispering.

Draco quickly shot a glance behind him over his
shoulder as he heard a ruffle of sheets.

“Wha…?” someone finally mumbled under those
covers, a mess of dark hair emerging from under them as a boy sat up on the
hospital bed. He brought a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes lazily as he
yawned, glancing towards Draco. The green orbs that were his eyes widened
momentarily as he recognized his arch-rival, sitting in the shadows, on the bed
next to his.

Did he hear what I said? The Slytherin boy couldn’t help
but wonder nervously.

“Oh, great… You’re here too…” Draco simply
mumbled as he repositioned himself on his bed to face the other boy, hiding his
uneasiness expertly. Harry seemed to ignore the comment. Why is he being
so nice with me lately… It’s annoying, really!!

“Guess they didn’t get chocolate prepared for us
after all…” Harry said, smiling. Draco coughed, successfully, or so he thought,
hiding his chuckle, which only made the other boy grin.

They fell silent for several moments. One
doesn’t exactly know how to start a civil conversation with someone who’s
supposedly your worst enemy…

Harry coughed awkwardly staring at Draco.

When did Malfoy’s hair get
so long? I guess it’s because it’s always slicked back… Can’t believe I’m
thinking about this, but… he should wear it like that more often….

He coughed again. “That was a great duel back
there…”

The blond boy’s hand automatically shot to the
healing gash on his left cheek.

“Er… Sorry about that, I guess I kind of lost
myself in the action…” Harry apologized nervously, shrugging. A sneer instantly
appeared at the other boy’s lips but he couldn’t help raising an eyebrow
questioningly. Guess he really isn’t capable to hurt someone willingly
after all…

Silence fell yet again.

“What happened... that spell you used…?” Draco
looked up at Harry.

“It back fired on me…”

The Gryffindor blinked. “Well obviously… But,
what was it?”

The Malfoy boy stared into the emerald orbs that
seemed to almost glow in the dark. He finally looked at his knees. He couldn’t
tell him that, could he? What would everyone think…? No… No one would
need to think anything… He hated Potter…

He must have put a
protection spell on himself, but no, Potter wouldn't do that... I hurt him, and
I liked it… Right?

Draco repositioned himself, sitting, his back
towards Harry.

“It was Dark Magic...” he decided to answer. He
could almost hear Harry roll his eyes at this.

“I think everyone in DA has figured that part
out, Malfoy… just tell me what the curse was already; what’s so hard about
that?”

The young blond man hesitated. What was
so difficult about it? Why was he afraid
to tell him?

Fear is a weakness… You’re
not weak Malfoy, just bloody tell him…

“It’s a very special curse you see, destined
only to be used on someone you would enjoy seeing suffer… when you truly hate
that person…” the Slytherin boy explained wearily.

The Gryffindor gaped for a few moments. “Well,
my body still hurts like hell…” said Harry, shrugging, still not getting the
point of where Malfoy was going with this.

Why don’t you just Shut Up? Draco mentally snapped at Harry.
Why he did not say it out loud, he didn’t know.

“You’re not the only one, Potter, or did you not
hear when I said the curse backfired on me?!”

“… Why are you saying it didn’t work, then, if
my body ended up convulsing in pain and I passed out?”

The Slytherin sighed. “Do I have to explain everything,
Potter? I thought even you would have understood why it didn’t work.”
The Boy-Who-Lived only shrugged dumbly.

“It didn’t work, it backfired and made me feel
your pain as well, because I wouldn’t have enjoyed your suffering… because… I
don’t truly hate you…” the proud boy stared at the floor holding his breath.
Harry’s eyes widened in shock, not believing his ears.

He doesn't hate me...?
Okay… Wait… HE doesn't hate me??
The question kept hovering in his mind for an age until his irrational anger
surfaced.

"Then why the fuck, have you put me through
HELL all these years? I mean, sure, if you hated me, then I wouldn't
care about what you've put me through, because I did the same to you… but if
you didn't hate me, than why the hell did you do that to me?!”

Draco listened to his tirade, wincing. He was
kicking himself for saying those simple words...

Why is he so angry?

Draco felt bad, he knew the stuff he had made
Harry go through, and he just managed to register Harry's subtle apology in the
middle, but then realised what it meant; that Harry hated him, and didn't care
whether he got hurt, or whether he died for that matter. Draco felt a sudden
awful clenching in his stomach… felt a lump of anger form in his throat… he was
just beginning to have a civil relationship with the boy who had refused
his friendship 5 years ago… and he just decided to throw it back in his face
when he admitted that he did not truly hate him…?

Draco’s body stiffened uneasily as he felt a
strange prickling feeling form in his eyes.

Don’t you dare cry… Malfoy’s don't cry! Don't
show your weaknesses! Draco blinked rapidly, as
if trying to force the sensation away.

"Well, Malfoy?" Harry asked
coldly, snapping the blond young man out of his nervous pondering.

"I… was ... what do you even
care…" for one of the rare times in his life, Draco's usual eloquence
evaded him. It took all his strength to keep his voice steady. "I… you’ve
always had what I had, but purer, I had money, but it was from illegal trade
and immoral bargains. I had fame, but it was for my… father... “Draco’s
voice faltered a bit at mentioning his dad.

"Well at least you had one,
Malfoy," said Harry in sub-zero tones, yet a bit hesitant.

"Let me finish- and you, you had real
friends, not just people who hung around you for power…" Draco turned back
to look at Harry. The raven haired boy immediately saw his red rimmed eyes, and
realised that in all the things he had done to Draco, he had never seen him
sad, or even show emotion except hate and disgust.

Harry’s softened slightly, but would not be put
off. "But… Why? Is that why you apologised the other day, then?"

Draco’s eyes widened a bit, and then narrowed
into slits. "Fuck You, Potter. You think you’re the only one who’s
ever seen someone drop dead in front of you?!"

Staring in the compassionate emerald eyes for
several minutes as he tried controlling his anger, and in the end turned over
furiously, pretending to go to sleep.

Harry watched his form in the dark for a long
while. Finally hearing Draco's breathing slow and deepen, he tiptoed out of his
bed. Certain the blond haired boy was asleep, he lowered himself close the
resting Slytherin’s ear, "I’m sorry…" he walked back to his bed
discretely.

Draco's breath hitched… had Potter just
apologized to him?

Maybe he has stopped hating
me after all…

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

TBC…

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-