Draco couldn't stop replaying their last conversation in his head. Why did they always have to find something to fight about? He was hurt, and he was projecting while Harry was only trying to help.

He couldn't sleep that night, and had resolved to apologizing to Harry again in the morning. Draco needed to stop running from his problems, because his problems had started chasing him back.

That morning never came. Harry was nowhere to be found. Draco checked the common room, the hospital wing, even the secret passage and the shrieking shack. No Harry.

The same thing on Friday. Whispers had started, and the chatter only grew when Harry hadn't reappeared by Saturday. All Draco was doing was replaying their last conversation in the shrieking shack.

"I'm wondering what would happen if I just left Hogwarts one day and didn't go back," Harry had said.

Had Draco pushed him to this point? Ron and Hermione also seemed worried, which didn't help Draco feel better. If Potter had disappeared without even telling his best friends... that couldn't be good.

Sunday came and went, and by Monday morning he had accepted that Harry wouldn't be back. That Sunday, Luna had told him that Harry was fine as she passed him in the hallway. It wasn't very comforting.

Draco was waiting on the couch in the common room Monday morning as Hermione collected her notes she had shared to prepare for their upcoming exam. You can imagine his shock when the portrait hole opened, and Harry appeared from underneath his cloak, looking... different.

"Harry! Where have you been?!," Hermione demanded, dropping the papers. "We were worried sick!"

"Around," he replied with a shrug.

"We're your best friends, how could you leave like that?!"

"Oh, are we best friends? That's news to me. Especially when you've replaced me with Malfoy," Harry drawled, seemingly ignoring his presence.

"Come on mate-"

"No, I don't think I will. I'm only your best friend when it's convenient for you, and I'm tired of it. I respect your relationship, but you don't respect our friendship. You didn't even see that I needed help, you didn't listen when I tried talking to you about it. So, I left. Didn't think you'd notice honestly. Enjoy your breakfast," Harry ended cheerily, going back upstairs to his room.

"Have we really been neglecting him?," Hermione asked Ron.

"You have been spending a lot of time with me," Draco replied carefully. "He probably felt pushed out."

"Why didn't he say anything?"

"When has he ever expressed his feelings until he was on the verge of exploding?," Draco deadpanned.

"Shit," Ron muttered.

"Let's go to breakfast," Hermione replied with a sigh.

"I'll meet you there."

"Malfoy," Ron cautioned, warning in his voice.

"It's fine. Go."

"Your funeral," Ron muttered, throwing an arm over Hermione's shoulders.

As expected, when Draco opened his door, Harry's door creaked open enough for him to peek out.

"Storing your art supplies in my room now?," Harry asked, opening the door all the way when he confirmed it was just Draco.

"You weren't using it," Draco replied with a shrug.

"What's your deal Malfoy?"

"I... am sorry."

"You seem to apologize a lot yet you still keep fucking up," Harry retorted.

Draco winced, but squared his shoulders and looked Harry in the eye.

"I know. It's kind of my thing, if you haven't noticed."

Harry's mouth betrayed him, the ends upturning in a small smile.

"What's my thing then?"

"Forgiving people who don't deserve forgiveness."

"Do you want to come in?," Harry asked with a sigh.

"Please."

"You're annoying, do you know that?," Harry remarked, dropping onto his bed.

"You've told me, once or twice or hundreds of times since we were 11. I've had an inkling."

"Are you here to tell me you were worried about me too now?"

"I searched for you actually. I even searched the shrieking shack, hoping that's where you were."

"Oh."

Draco took that as a sign to keep talking.

"May I sit?"

"Knock yourself out."

"We need a whole other conversation on proper guest etiquette. But I digress," Draco continued, taking a seat at the edge of Harry's bed. "My treatment of you has not been fair. When you were gone... I, erm. I missed you okay? Salazar Slytherin is rolling in his grave right now. I don't think I'm worthy of your friendship-"

"Of course you are!"

"Don't interrupt me Scarhead, I need to say this before I throw up. I enjoyed spending time with you, even if I'm constantly worried you're going to kill me with a potions mishap. You're funny and you're caring and the way that you understand me on a level no one else does terrifies me.

I actually enjoyed Hogsmeade with you at first. Then reality set in. I'm me, I'm the dark and everything you've fought against, and I'm brutally reminded of that every time I step out into public.

I don't want to bring you down with me. You have so much going on, you don't need my problems added to yours. I saw what that article did to you, how it made you feel. I caused that, because I was seen with you.

So I ran. It's what I do best. I pushed you away to keep you from being hurt, not realizing that I was hurting you myself. I don't know why I can't stop hurting you, why we keep hurting each other. I'm not trying to, though my actions may have you believing the opposite."

"Malfoy. Draco," Harry tried again. "The way the press feels about me changes like the weather. I've been their hero, and I've been their undesirable number 1. I don't care what they have to say. I don't read any of it. I know what's true, and that's what matters.

It really hurt when you stopped talking to me. I thought that I had someone who understood me, understood what I had gone through. You became another loss, and I had to leave. I couldn't face it anymore. So no, you're not the only one who runs from his problems."

"I didn't mean to make you leave."

"Not everything is about you Malfoy," Harry replied, throwing a pillow at him to show he was joking.

"I think it should be."

"I'll propose that to the Minister the next time he harasses me."

"Are we okay then?," Draco asked tentatively.

"I suppose so. Do you want this painting back?"

"What? No. That's a gift for you. You like flowers, and your absence was plaguing me like a disease. Unasked for and worsening each day. How am I supposed to concentrate on what I want to paint without you broadcasting from that booth? Honestly, you need to stop dropping your bag on the broadcast button."

"Sometimes I do it on purpose, just so you know if I'm mad at you or not."

"Much appreciated," Draco drawled sarcastically.

"You're welcome," Harry smiled cheekily up at Draco.

"Did you get a haircut? You look different."

"Hmm? Oh yeah, Andy gave me a haircut. Not intentionally, Teddy got into some kind of sticky slime thing? It was a sensory toy and it made its way into my hair," Harry replied, wrinkling his nose at the memory. "I still don't know how I feel about it."

"I like it. It looks less like something crawled in there and died."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that last part. Thanks Malfoy."

"Now you just need some better clothes."

"You need to go to breakfast."

"Did you eat?"

"I did, yeah."

"I'll see you in class then?," Draco asked, getting up and walking towards the door.

"You will."

"Oh, I left your missing work and copies of my notes on your desk. Bye Potter."

Harry thought maybe there was hope for their friendship yet.