Harry has given up sleep. 

He's tired of it, tired of having his heart broken over and over again by dreams of the one person he can never have.

He's exhausted, but he's also dream-free, so it's worth it.

When he reaches Gryffindor table, Hermione gives him a concerned look.

"Harry, when did you last sleep?" she asks, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Like, two... three days ago?"

Her face falls. "Harry-"

"I know, Hermione, but I can't. It's too painful."

She sighs. "Harry, you need to sleep. Have you tried Dreamless Sleep potions?"

"They don't work. Nothing works. Imperius doesn't work on me, dreamless sleep doesn't work on me, Avada Kedavra doesn't work on me, nothing works," Harry mumbles.

Hermione blinks. "What does that even mean?"

"I dunno, I'm delirious," Harry mutters, grabbing a bagel. He takes a bite out of it. Hermione watches in horror as he eats a dry bagel with nothing on it.

"Jesus Christ, you need sleep," she mutters.

Harry snorts, and stands up, setting his bagel down. "C'mon. We have Transfiguration in ten minutes."

She nods in agreement and stands up to join him.

********

Harry is half asleep as McGonagall talks. His head is slipping off his hand, and he's so close to sleep...

"Mr. Potter!"

His reaction time is slow, but he still manages to knock his papers off his desk as he jerks awake.

"Yeah?" he asks, briefly forgetting where he is and who he's talking to.

McGonagall's face softens when she sees the exhaustion in his eyes as he scoops his papers off the floor.

"Mr. Potter, I think you should go to Madame Pomfrey," she says, concerned.

"But-"

"Now, Mr. Potter."

Harry nods, sighing, and stands up, only to fall to the floor seconds later, unconscious.

********************************

Draco is the closest one to Harry, and he's out of his desk in half a second, catching Harry before his head hits the ground.

"Potter?" he asks, worried.

McGonagall rushes over. "Mr. Malfoy, please take him to the Hospital Wing immediately. Ten points to Slytherin for saving another student."

Draco nods, throwing Harry's arm over his shoulder and lifting his legs, carrying him out the door.

"Damn, you're heavy Harry," he mutters. He sets Harry down gently and casts a Wingardium Leviosa to levitate him to the Hospital Wing.

Madame Pomfrey doesn't even glance away from Susan Bones' arm, which she is waving her wand at. "Please fill out a form-"

"Madame Pomfrey, he collapsed in the middle of class. I don't know what's wrong with him," Draco says desperately.

She turns around quickly. "Oh my. Set him here. Yes, thank you." She waves her wand over his head, casting diagnostic spells over him.

After a few minutes, she frowns.

"What is it?" Draco asks.

"He hasn't been sleeping. At all. His body hasn't rested in over seventy-two hours."

Draco's eyes widen in horror. "Why would he do that to himself?"

She shakes her head. "I have no idea."

"Will he be okay?"

"When he wakes up, yes. If Miss Granger herself doesn't kill him for doing this to himself."

Draco snorts. He would believe it.

"Can I stay with him?" he asks. Madame Pomfrey nods.

"Don't try to wake him. He needs the sleep."

Draco nods and relaxes in his chair, waiting for the other boy to wake.

"Please be okay, Harry," he whispers. "I love you."

************************

"I love you," Draco whispers. He's closer and closer, and Harry can feel the ghost of a kiss on his lips before he is torn from his dream.

"Draco," he mumbles, bursting into tears.

"What?"

Harry looks up in shock, seeing his favorite blonde sitting right next to him.

"Draco?"

Draco grins. "You already said that. Why did you say my name?"

Harry ignores his question. "Why am I in the Hospital Wing? Why are you here?"

"You fainted in Transfiguration. Apparently, because you haven't slept in three days. Care to explain?" Draco inquires, raising an eyebrow.

Harry blushes. No way can he tell him of all people. "No."

"Harry," Draco looks genuinely concerned. "Are you okay?"

Harry blinks fast. "No," he whispers, before dissolving into tears again.

He feels himself being pushed to the side a bit before someone else is on the hospital bed with him and arms are wrapped around him comfortingly.

"Hey, it's okay," Draco soothes. "You're gonna be okay."

"I'm tired of it," Harry whispers.

"Tired of what?"

Harry decides he can give him a bit of the truth. "Every night, I have a dream of what I want most in the world, and just before I can have it, I wake up. Every time."

"Oh," Draco sounds a little surprised.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just... experience something similar." Draco blushes a bit, before growing serious. "But you can't just stop sleeping."

"Watch me," Harry mutters.

"Well, maybe I can help. What do you dream about?"

Harry shakes his head.

"Harry."

"No."

"Tell me!"

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because it's a person!"

"So?"

"Because I'm in love with them!"

"So?"

"So I don't want to tell you!"

"Why not?"

"You'll make fun of me!"

"No I won't."

"Yes you will."

"No I won't. Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"No!"

"Tell me!"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because it's a boy!"

"I'm gay too. Congrats. Tell me."

"No!"

"Fuck, Potter, why not?"

"Because it's you!"

Both boys freeze at the admission.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

The chant runs through Harry's head at top speed before he shakes his head, jumping off the bed and running out of the room.

*******************

"Every night, I have a dream of what I want most in the world, and just before I can have it, I wake up."
"Because it's a person!"
"Because I'm in love with them!"
"Because it's you!"

Draco has been frozen for several minutes, unable to comprehend what the other boy had said.

Harry Potter is in love with me.

Harry Potter is in love with me.

Harry Potter is in love with me, and he thinks I don't like him back.

Oh fuck.

Draco stands quickly and rushes out the door after the boy.

Where could he be?

He starts with Gryffindor Tower. Hermione tells him Harry isn't there and to let her know if he finds him.

He then goes to the Great Hall. Ron tells him Harry hasn't come by and tells him to let him know if Harry is okay.

He checks each and every bathroom, every classroom, every corridor and closet and stairway with no avail.

He sighs, climbing the stairs yet again to find Harry on top of the Astronomy Tower, gazing out at the stars.

"Fuck, I thought you were dead!" he exclaims.

Harry's head snaps toward him in surprise.

"Why were you looking for me?" he asks.

"You never gave me a chance to respond."

Harry scowls, turning back to stare up at the sky again.

"I don't care," he mutters.

"I think you will."

Harry just frowns.

His frown disappears and is replaced with shock when Draco places his hand in Harry's.

"Harry, I've been having dreams of you for the past year. Each time, I wake up crying and shaking and wishing you were mine. I had no idea you were experiencing the same thing."

Harry looks stunned.

"Fuck, I love you, Harry Potter."

Harry bursts into a smile that could power Britain. "Really?"

"Really," Draco confirms, leaning forward and finally kissing Harry.

And then he wakes up.

I debated for ten minutes over whether i should put that last sentence and decided to do it bc i like to see you all suffer :)