I Don't Hate You [Drarry Oneshot]

[A/N] - Screw it. I wasn't totally sure if I wanted to upload this as I feel like no one would really care for it, or would probably just find it extremely cringey. But I decided to upload it anyway as I wanted to upload something different.

It's been a while since I've seen any of the original Harry Potter movies, so I apologise if there are any characters in this who you feel like in this story act how they would not act. I've always viewed Draco as someone who is actually quite soft and afraid, but he has to use shitty bullying tactics so that he feels like he has the higher ground compared to everyone else but deep down inside he really wishes he could just fit in with everyone else. That's how my interpretation of Draco goes anyway. I hope you enjoy this random Drarry Oneshot! 😄

None of the characters nor the HP universe belong to me and were originally created by the amazing author J.K Rowling. The Drarry ship is a work of fiction and is not canon to the actual story.

****

A pawn... That's all he'd ever be. That's all people would ever tell him, he was nothing but a filthy pawn. And he knew that, better than anyone. But even when you know you mean nothing to someone, that you're just there, what reason do you have to stick around for? Fear, was the only word that described his reasoning behind his decisions.

The blonde haired boy wasn't anyone truly tough, or amazing. He wasn't an idiot, he understood that. However, what can you really do when you have no choice? When you're given something to do by someone that could end your life in a single spell, a single few words, you don't question it. No, you just get on with it, even if it means getting your hands dirty. Even if it makes you look like nothing but a disgusting Slytherin scumbag.

Not knowing why, but Draco ended up finding himself in the library. It's not he was much of a learner. He wasn't some annoying know-it-all, like that mudblood, Hermione Granger. Seriously, that girl was an absolute nightmare, clinging to her annoying boyfriend Ron and Harry Potter.

Draco didn't even understand why Harry would have preferred to be friends with them over him. Being the person he was, he kindly offered Harry his friendship, only for it to be thrown in his face. Sure, he wasn't nice to Ron, but who could really expect him to be friends with HIM?

Now things had just escalated so much since the first school year. Things weren't as normal as they once were, whatever normal meant. As the vulnerable boy that he was, he had been pulled into all this Voldemort business with no one to pull him back. His so called "friends" weren't going to do that. Not at all. They were too busy enjoying themselves, having fun with waving their wands around, threatening the lives of other Wizards and Witches. But Draco didn't want any of this anymore.

Even killing Harry was too much for him. How could you kill another living person so easily? All he loved was challenging Potter, taunting him and his stupid friends. It's not like he ever wanted to kill him. In a weird way, he kind of admired him. He just wasn't allowed to show that...

He wished he wasn't so alone...

****

"Are you sure you're saying the spell right?" Hermione frowned, watching Ron trying to practice different spells with his wand. The ginger boy sighed in exasperation as Harry lightly chuckled, watching them as he sat on a table with books upon books stacked beside him.

"Don't start, Hermione. This is like the first year all over again." He whined. "It's LeviOsa, not LevioSAA!" He continued, imitating her voice. Again, Harry laughed as Hermione just rolled her eyes, stomping her foot.

"Yeah, very funny! Excuse me for just trying to teach you a few more things!" Hermione barked, startling Ron as Harry continued to watch, smiling with amusement.

"And you--" Hermione started, glancing over to Harry. "I don't know what you're laughing about. Why don't you go to the library, go find us some more books with spells in them!"

"What? Me?" Harry asked, rising his eyebrows as the smile slipped right his face.

"Yes! You! And for God sake, please don't spend forever looking for a book!"

"Why can't you do it?"

"Harry!" Hermione rose her voice, her tone harsh. It was then that Harry got up off the table, slowly nodding.

"Alright, alright. Fine..."

Looks like it was time to head to the library...

****

A spell book, that's all Harry needed to find and he could simply be on his way back. How the heck was he supposed to know where to find the right book, it would have helped if Hermione had told him where to look.

To his surprise, as he was going to wander into another aisle of rows and rows of books, he saw none other than Draco Malfoy. Probably one of the people he never really EVER got along with. Since the very beginning, since they had met, it had always been a mess between both of them. Not to mention the fact that he was in Slytherin and he was such a suspicious student, always up to no good.

Noticing his existence, Draco slowly turned in his seat, spotting him pretending to look at some books, almost as if he hadn't been staring and judging for the past fifteen seconds.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" Draco spat, the sound of his voice cold and unwelcoming.

"I could ask you the same question... I'm just looking for books."

"Why I'm here is none of your business."

"Well... Okay then..." Harry mumbled, turning to grab the closest book he could find so he could just leave. "Well, I got my book, so, I'm gonna go..."

"Good. Just get lost, Potter..."

That's what he was going to do. Without even arguing, Harry happily turned to leave, to return back to his two friends who were probably still arguing over different spells. But, to Harry's surprise, something that the blonde haired boy said caught his ears, causing him to stop in his tracks. He turned around, facing back towards Draco, a look of confusion set upon his face.

"Uh, I don't know if I heard you right but, did you just say 'sorry'?" Harry questioned. Draco furrowed his brows, looking like he was going to disregard what Harry had just asked. Then, his face softened and he actually looked... Sad for once. Rather than the angry, smug boy that Harry had come to know him as.

"Yes... Yes, I did..." Draco admitted, turning away in his chair, his back now turned to Harry who was still just extremely puzzled.

"Um... Okay, why?"

"Do I need a reason?!"

"Well... I don't know... I just don't get why you're apologising to ME. You hate me, obviously." Harry said.

"I don't..."

"What?"

"I don't hate you!" Draco snapped in annoyance. "I just... It doesn't matter how I explain it to you, you won't get it."

Frowning, Harry didn't exactly know what to say. Normally they were just arguing with each other, insulting each other. But this time, Draco was just a mess and... What? Expected him to feel sorry for him?

"Maybe if you even try to explain...?" Harry suggested, causing Draco to flare up in frustration once again.

"Why would I talk to you?"

"Because you just said you didn't hate me. And besides, maybe for once you should accept me being nice to you, rather than being a pathetic git."

"Just shut up!" Draco shouted, pulling out his wand as he stood up out of his chair, aiming it at Harry. "You're annoying, you know that?! Why does everyone freak out about you, just because you're "special". Just because of something that happened to you when you were a baby. Who cares? I bet I could kill you right here and no one would ever care again when they hear the name 'Harry Potter'."

"If I didn't know better, I'd just say you were jealous because people actually admire me, while people look down on you for who you are." Harry glared at him. "But could you really do it? Use a spell that will kill me? Or are you just gonna use one of those petty spells to try and scare me? I know what you're like, Draco. You're all talk."

"Shut! Up! You don't know one single damn thing, about why I'm like this!" Draco cried, his eyes actually beginning to water. "And it's not a situation where you'd think I'd have a single say in the damn matter!"

"....You're involved with Voldemort, aren't you? Or at least, I can only assume you're following in your dad's footsteps, as he was a death eater." Harry said, pausing. "...I saw him when Voldemort killed Cedric... So I know."

Draco stood, aiming his wand at him with uncertainty. His hand shook, and he could hear the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears. Yeah, of course he couldn't kill Harry...

"God damn it..." Draco muttered, lowering his wand before trailing his eyes to the floor. "You're right, I don't hate you, and I don't want to kill you... I just... I wish things could have turned out differently. But I've been given a role to play and I'm not allowed to back out... If I do, I'm as good as dead."

"Draco, look, you don't have to do this, you know? You don't have to be this way, you don't have to be Voldemort's puppet. We... We can help you."

"Yeah, like Ron or Hermione would want to help me..."

"Well... Then I could help you. I'm willing to give you a chance, Draco. Take it."

He stood, staring at the boy with glasses in disbelief. Why was he so forgiving towards someone like him? Did he even deserve it? Especially from Harry... Because the truth is... Saying Draco just admired Harry was an understatement. There were so many reasons to be jealous of him... But then there was also so many ways to love him too. That's right. Believe it or not, it was one of the many reasons Draco just didn't want to bring himself to kill this brown haired boy.

He had actually come to care about him.

"Just put away the wand, Draco..." Harry murmured, taking a cautious step forward. Then another. Before Draco knew it, Harry was right in front of him, carefully taking his wand from his grip. But he didn't argue. Instead, he let Harry take it, breaking down into a sob as he finally let out everything he had been feeling for so long.

Surprising Harry, Draco actually put his arms around him in a hug, crying into his shoulder. Harry had never really seen him cry before, at least, not like this. Draco wasn't the type of guy to tell people how he was feeling. So it was about time that he had let it out.

Exhaling, Harry finally actually decided to hug him back, trying his best not to feel awkward, as he was hugging the one person that he had spent years arguing with. But he never truly hated Draco either. He was just a boy, led along by a dark family down a dark path with no choice. And if Draco needed someone to be there for him, he was happy to be that person.

****

"Where in the world is he? I just told him to collect a few simple books, and what does he do?! He disappears!" Hermione complained as she was wondering through the halls of Hogwarts with Ron, making their way to the library.

"Who knows?" Ron questioned. "Maybe he had to go somewhere."

"Without telling us?" Hermione fumed with a sigh.

Eventually, they reached the library. There were only a few other students around, looking at books. But so far, Harry was no where to be seen. Hermione scanned around, wondering where he was, until the light sound of people's laughter in the next aisle could be heard. She narrowed her eyes, knowing that was definitely Harry's laugh and... One other's. Really? Had she sent him here, only for him to goof off and do his own thing.

With Ron following behind, Hermione went to the next aisle, shocked to see none other than Harry and Draco, sitting at a small table together, actually laughing and smiling together. Was Harry out of his mind?! What was he doing, hanging around with someone as foul as Draco Malfoy!? The same boy who always had nothing to say but disgusting insults about his two best friends. Surely the blonde haired boy had brainwashed him or something.

Frustrated, Hermione loudly cleared her throat, catching both their attention, interrupting them from what was apparently so funny. Harry gulped, knowing he was in trouble as he had not done as Hermione had asked. He could see the anger in her eyes which was almost like staring into a pool of open fire. Yep, she was mad without a doubt.

"So, I send you just to get some books... But instead you'd rather spend your time messing around with Draco Malfoy?!" Hermione exploded, stomping her foot once more with agitation. Draco glared at her, wanting to open his mouth and shoot an acid comeback right at her.

What was her problem? Harry wasn't her slave, she could have done it herself, rather than getting the brown haired boy to make his way here just to collect some scruffy books. But before Draco had the chance to say anything, Harry apologetically answered to his friends.

"Sorry, sorry. I was looking but then... I got distracted and lost track of time."

"You got distracted by Draco? Harry, you must be mad. Like, seriously mad. Did you just lose your memory or... What?" Ron asked, shrugging his shoulders with a concerned look on his face. The ginger haired boy was just so confused as to why Harry would be spending time with their enemy. Draco had bullied and picked on all three of them for as long as he could remember. He wasn't a kind person. He was nothing but a jerk, a bully and just a cold hearted asshole to put it bluntly. That's how Ron saw it.

"I'm not mad, Ron. It's... It's hard to explain."

"Why is it such a big deal?" Draco said, catching all their attention. "Things were fine until you two had to come along and ruin it." He complained with the roll of his eyes. Hermione gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, looking like she was ready to hit Draco in the face with full force. It wouldn't be the first time.

"What did you do to Harry, Draco?" Hermione demanded.

"You pathetic mudblood! I haven't done anything!"

"You better shut your mouth you evil disgusting little cockroach!" Hermione shouted, whipping out her wand and aiming it at Draco who actually slightly coward back into his chair.

"Hermione!" Ron cried.

"Hermione, stop!" Harry repeated, standing in the way of her wand. "Just calm down, alright? Draco hasn't done anything, I swear. I'm okay. Really."

Seeming skeptical, Hermione scanned her best friend's face closely, wondering if he was really telling the truth. What felt like eternity seemed to pass by, up until the moment where Hermione sighed, rolled her eyes and she slowly lowered her wand, putting it away.

"I wouldn't harm Harry anyway." Draco spoke from behind him, interrupting the silence. They all turned towards him again, staring at him as he hesitantly rose out of his chair.

"Right. Because that's believable. You probably wouldn't even hesitate for a second to kill Harry if you had the chance." Ron spat.

"Uh, actually Ron--" Harry started, before being interrupted by Draco.

"I wouldn't! And I mean that!" Draco snapped, before his face softened. "I... Everything I've done up until now I've had no choice... With my family being Voldemort supporters... I've just been scared, and I just wanted to make my parents happy... But I just can't do it anymore which is why I don't want to be on their side anymore..."

"...How do we know you're not just trying to get close to us to harm Harry or one of us?" Hermione spoke.

"I... I won't hurt Harry." Draco repeated. "Because I..." His gaze went elsewhere, as he didn't want to see the looks on their faces when he said what he said. "...I actually care about him." He muttered in almost a whisper.

It was then that Ron burst out with laughter, taking what Draco had said as a joke. Hermione glared at the ginger haired boy as he chuckled with tears in his eyes.

"You love Harry? I didn't think you'd go that far to-- Ow!" He yelped, feeling Hermione's elbow jab him harshly in the ribs. "What was that for?!"

"Just shut up for a minute will you?" Hermione hissed at Ron, before looking back over to Draco.

"You what?" Harry finally got out, the sound of obvious shock in his voice. Had Draco actually just... Admitted having feelings for him?

"Yeah, you what?" Hermione said.

Draco's eyes widened, realising what he said. Panicked, he ran his hands through his bleach blonde hair. Him and his fucking mouth. Shaking, he opened his mouth, just wanting to deny everything, but then he shut it, saying nothing.

"Draco?" Harry frowned, stepping closer to him. Draco stared down at the floor, not knowing what to say.

"I... Alright, fine. I couldn't ever bring myself to hurt you, because... Well, I have feelings for you and I... Just didn't want to show that. I thought they'd go away! But they... Didn't."

"I had no idea..." Harry replied, not sure of what to say. What could you say to that?! Harry was so sure Draco had hated him just barely an hour ago before they went to two laughing idiots, only to find that this guy actually had feelings of love for him.

"Yeah, well... Like I said, I didn't show it because I couldn't..." Draco frowned. "But I'm sorry. For everything... All the insults, the threats, just everything... I don't expect you to return the same feelings but... Thanks for listening I guess..." Draco muttered, before pushing past Harry and the two others to make his way out of the library.

"Wait, Draco!" Harry shouted, going after him in a jog. But before he got the chance to catch up, Draco was already sprinting down the hall away from the scene. Trailing out after Harry, Hermione and Ron stared after the Slytherin boy in wonder.

"I had no idea..." Harry repeated, slightly shaking his head. Hermione managed a small smile.

"...Go after him." She said.

"What?" Harry and Ron questioned in sync. She shrugged.

"Well, who knows? Maybe he really isn't such a bad person, he was just raised to be that way... Just make sure he's okay. Even if you don't feel the same, it's better than leaving it untouched."

Harry slowly nodded, agreeing with what she said. He glanced over to Ron who just simply shrugged his shoulders, not really giving an opinion. But, like Hermione had said, it was better to address it, rather than leaving it alone. So, with that thought on mind, he raced down the hall, hoping to somehow find wherever Draco had ran off to.

****

Washing his face in the bathroom sink, Draco stared into the mirror before him, wishing he could disappear. Once again, he ran his hand through his hair, recollecting his thoughts about everything that had just happened. Why did he have to go and admit how he really felt about Harry with his two friends watching? God dammit!

"Draco!" A voice spoke out, echoing against the bathroom walls. His eyes widened, seeing Harry standing behind him in the mirror. He quickly spun around, putting his back to the sink as Harry stood on the other side of the room, staring back at him.

"What are you doing here, Potter?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" Harry said, managing a small smile. Talk about deja vu.

"Listen, Harry... Please, just forget about what I said, what I told you. After all, we're not even supposed to be friends! My father would kill me if he found out!"

"Who cares what your father thinks?" Harry said, pacing across the room, so he was now standing in front of Draco. "Look, I told you this before. You don't have to listen to him anymore. You shouldn't. He doesn't actually care about you, Malfoy. He's just using you."

"I know that! I've always known that! But... I'm just scared, Harry... Scared for my own life. I know it's probably cowardly, to hide behind a fake personality but... I don't have anyone to protect me!" Draco cried, tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes, before starting to dribble down his cheeks.

"That's not true." Harry spoke. "You do. You do have someone to protect you."

"Who?!"

"Me." Harry smiled, then leaning forward to place a gentle kiss on the boy's pale lips. Draco's eyes widened, a light blush beginning to make its way across his cheeks.

Before Harry could pull away, Draco returned the kiss, fluttering his eyes closed as he wrapped his arms around Harry's waist, pulling his body close to his own. He had never actually kissed another boy before, neither had Harry. But to both their surprise, it didn't feel strange at all. Like this is what was meant to happen all along, their lips slowly and lovingly moving in sync with one another in a sweet kiss before the two boys pulled away from each other, Draco then going to nestle Harry into a hug, burying his chin into his shoulder. Harry grinned, hugging him in return.

"Thank you... So much..." Draco whispered, hugging him tightly as if his life had depended on it. The Griffindor boy let out a small giggle as he let out a calm sigh.

"It's alright, Draco... We may have fought a lot but... From here on out, we'll fight together... Okay?"

"Heh, yeah... Hey, Harry?"

"What?"

"...I love you." Draco said, meaning it for the first time that he had ever said it to another person. Again, Harry grinned.

"Love you too, man."