Harry considers the question why bother?  for three days before he storms into the kitchens at one in the morning.

"You don't usually come this late, I figure tonight was a no-show night," Malfoy whispers dully.

Harry slams his books on the table, making the blonde jump.

"Why bother?" he asks, breathless. "I'll tell you why. Because Lavender Brown and Padma Patil are in love. Because Neville wants to be an Herbology teacher. Because Seamus and Dean should have had a future together. Because those who are gone did not die in vain. Because I want the first years to feel safer here, not more in danger. Because there are two hundred and twelve students left alive at this school, and they can't kill us all. Because I saw you hug Pansy Parkinson and I know you mean the world to each other and you don't want her to die. Why bother fighting, Malfoy? Because there is so much to fight for."

Malfoy stares at him, wide-eyed and shocked.

"What is this?" he whispers in awe, running a pale finger along the spines of the books Harry had set down.

"I've been reading for days. They're all about wandless magic. Did you know, when two exceptionally powerful wizards or witches combine powers, they can have wandless magic more powerful than anyone else could ever have by themselves? It's a once in a century thing. It's so rare, there's very little documentation of it."

Malfoy doesn't seem to be fully understanding him, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Malfoy, you and me are exceptionally powerful in our own right. We are those one in a century people. Together, we can defeat Voldemort and the Death Eaters."

"How? We barely threw Weasley to the floor, and that was a lot of anger."

"Which is why we keep reading." Harry sits down harshly in the chair across from Malfoy. "We read and we practice and we try."

Malfoy nods slowly, reaching out to grab a book. 

"Yeah. Okay."