"So, Potter," Pansy said brightly as they walked around the lake. "Anything particular you want to talk about?"

Harry smiled awkwardly as he wracked his brains. "Uhm, no, not really. I mean, I do want to talk! But I don't know how..."

"You don't know how to talk?" she finished, confused. Raising an eyebrow at him, her lips pulled into a frown. "Maybe you're just not comfortable enough..."

"NO!" Harry said, desperation filling his system. Realising how deranged he must look, he coughed and spluttered before speaking again. "I mean, no! I am comfortable! I've had a week to dwell on everything, and I definitely am comfortable!"

You are SUCH a bad liar, Harry Potter!

"Oh," Pansy said, looking a little shocked. "You were just so upset last week. The way you looked at my face, as if it made you sick or something..."

"Why would it make me sick?" Harry questioned. "Look, I was never mad at you. You just reminded me of him a lot, is all."

"And don't I still remind you of him now?" Pansy asked, pushing her short black hair with one hand as the breeze blew it across her face.

"Well, you do," Harry said, deciding to mix in some truth. "But I figured talking to you was probably better than living in fear of you, you know?"

"Yeah, I was telling Draco about how wonderful it was that you were going to actually give me a chance to make it up to you! For not telling you everything," Pansy said happily. "He wasn't too happy about it, but I reckon that's because of how much he hates you."

Harry was saved from replying when Pansy suddenly declared: "Let's sit here."

"The grass is wet, though," the brunet boy pointed out. The older girl laughed.

"What does it matter?" she said, plopping down onto the floor. Harry could see her instantly relax when she hit the floor.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked out of concern, sitting down next to her, uncaring whether his clothes would get wet.

"Well," Pansy began, fidgeting with her clothing a little. "To tell you the truth, I'm a little tired. I cried all last night because Draco argued with me and called me a naive idiot. I'm not naive, though! I just, I don't want to refuse someone's hand of friendship. I know how that feels a little too well."

Wincing, Harry reached out a hand and patted her back in an awkward attempt to comfort her. "I'm sorry for being so unfair to you before. You didn't do anything wrong, and if anyone's making you feel like that, just know that they're wrong! The only ones to blame for this situation are Draco and I."

Pansy was quiet for a bit. "You know, when you and Draco had your... whatever it was, Draco was the happiest he had been in years."

"That was all an act, Par- Pansy," Harry said, feeling anger erupt. The black-haired girl shook her head vigorously.

"No, I know that! What he did to you was unforgivable, I know that! But I feel like unconsciously, maybe he really enjoyed your company. He was really trying to be a better person for you," Pansy said carefully. "Maybe that was all part of an act, too, but maybe-"

"Maybe what, Pansy?" Harry snapped suddenly. "What will we get out of thinking about things like this? He ruined what we had. Why are you even saying something like that?"

Pansy's eyes filled with tears and took a deep breath. "There is no reason. It was just a thought I had."

Harry looked stricken when he saw the tears falling down her face. "I'm sorry! Please don't cry! Maybe you're right... maybe it's too soon to talk about this."

"Oh."

But Harry was too stubborn to give up. "But! Uh, we can still talk about other things until I'm ready!"

Pansy looked intrigued. "Oh, really? What sort of things?"

"Oh, you know," Harry said offhandedly. "Little things. Friends, childhoods, secrets..."

"Childhoods?" Pansy laughed dryly. "No thanks."

Harry laughed. "That's okay. I didn't have the best childhood either.

"Oh, I know," Pansy said. When Harry looked confused, she explained. "Draco came to me once to ask how to calm you down when you had panic attacks. I just assumed it was something to do with childhood... I could have been wrong though."

"No, you weren't," Harry said honestly. "But it's not always because of childhood."

"Oh, okay," Pansy said, nodding to show she understood. Harry smiled.

"So, let's talk again soon?"

"I thought I told you to stay away!"

Harry turned around to see Malfoy growling at him in the corridor and rolled his eyes.

"I'm not doing anything wrong to her," Harry said. "Unlike you, I'm not triggering her bad memories or pushing her into doing things she doesn't want?"

Malfoy gaped. "Don't you dare act like I forced this all upon you, Potter! Don't even! I gave you a choice, too! It didn't make me any less in the wrong! You know this, yet you insist on doing the exact same thing! What will you gain from this?"

Harry had the decency to finally feel a little shame. "I need information..."

"You're going to use my best friend for something as measly as information?" Draco raged. "At least I was using you for an actual person, Potter! You're even worse than me! Do you feel no remorse?"

"Did you?" Harry asked, tears breaking through. "When you took my innocence that day, did you feel any shame? I gave all of myself to you and you took me! You didn't have to, Draco, but you did anyways! At least-"

"No! Stop it, Harry!" Draco shrieked. "Just because I have done something wrong doesn't suddenly make it okay for you to do it! Don't turn it around on me! I was wrong, I know, but that does NOT excuse the fact you're toying with my friend to get your hands on petty information."

Draco sighed. "Look, if it were anyone else, I wouldn't give a fuck. But I don't want my best friend to be hurt. She can't look past what I did and thinks I'm just out to get you or something. I never really hated you, Harry, you know. I was just selfish."

"You're still a dick," Harry snarled. "And I will stop at nothing until I get revenge for my parents!"

"I don't think your parents would want you to do this," Draco said, narrowing his eyes. This amused Harry to no extent.

Laughing, Harry mocked him. "Yeah, well I bet your stuck-up Mommy didn't want you to get revenge for her either! She probably didn't even think you could do it! Probably sitting in her cell right now and thinking of what a bloody disappointment you are-"

"Potter!" Malfoy seethed. "Never insult my mother!"

"Why not?" Harry taunted. "I bet she's as stuck-up as you. Walking around, doing whatever she likes. That's probably why they put her away."

"She sacrificed herself for me," Draco said, eyes watering. Harry had finally hit a nerve. "Just like yours."

Harry rolled his eyes, but in the back of his mind there was a disappointed voice telling him he had gone too far. And maybe he had, but...

He wasn't the one who started it.

"I don't care if you forgive me or not. I don't deserve to be forgiven after what you did but-" Draco let out a sob. "Please, please don't hurt her. Please don't hurt her. I'll do anything, God! I'll give you the information you want! Is this about the gang? I know everything, I'll tell you!"

Harry blanched. He hadn't expected Draco Malfoy to be this desperate. He really did do anything for the ones he loved...

Why didn't he love Harry?

For a moment, he wanted to spite Draco Malfoy so much the urge burned within him. Harry wanted to play Pansy and then toss her aside like a ragdoll just as Draco Malfoy had done to him. But the idea of tears running down that pale face in disappointment and sadness because of how he, Harry, had hurt another person, physically hurt him.

"I won't. I won't hurt her," Harry said.

Draco's face broke into a smile but faltered a little when he saw Harry's face. "But you want something back, don't you?"

"Yes!" Harry said, feigning happiness.

"I want you to tell me...

Everything you know about the Death Eater organisation."

~~~

Draco Malfoy is such a confusing character. While writing him, I'm so fucking tempted to start him early on being a good person but my heart yearns for ANGST so I have him be a DICKHEAD instead! BUT!! This time I decided to let you all have a little glimpse of who he really is ;)

What did you think? Vote and comment!! xox