分卷阅读46（1 / 2）

“Luna.”

Potter stilled. “What did she tell you?”

Draco could see the unease in his eyes. He suspected Potter didn’t realise how much Luna knew, how she and the rest of his friends had put the pieces together; but he seemed to be contemplating the possibility they might have caught on. It obviously terrified him.

“Can I sit down?” Draco asked, pointing at a spot beside Potter. He seemed reluctant but slowly moved aside to make some room. As Draco walked up to him, Potter’s expression hardened. He avoided his gaze, hugging his knees close to his chest.

“This isn’t an intervention,” Draco said, carefully sitting down. “I just want to talk. I never would have said those things to you if I had known…” He broke off, unsure of how to phrase it. What Luna had told him sounded plausible but he wanted to hear it from Potter. “I genuinely thought—I thought it was about the Dark Mark. Or about you…not really wanting me.” It took so much to say these words out loud. They were easily yelled in a fight. But now that he knew Potter was battling different demons, he was more inclined to show Potter his own insecurities.

“It’s got nothing to do with you,” Potter murmured, staring at his knees. “Well, it’s got everything to do with you, but that—” He sighed. “I just—I hate that I feel this way, but…I can’t do anything about it.”

“How do you feel?”

“I don’t want to—”

“I know you don’t want to talk about it. But how am I supposed to understand if you don’t tell me?” Potter’s features twisted into something tortured. When it was clear he wasn’t going to say anything, Draco added, “I need to know, Potter. Otherwise, we really are done.”

It sounded harsher than he had meant it. What he had wanted to say was that they wouldn’t stand a chance if they weren’t completely honest with each other. The thought horrified him, but he didn’t want Potter to go on like this and he knew as soon as Potter would open up, he’d expect the same from him. It wasn’t something Draco was particularly looking forward to, but he was willing to try.

“That’s not fair,” Potter murmured, his face set in a stubborn scowl.

“None of this is fair,” Draco retorted. “Look, you told me you were worried about disappointing people, but forget about that. You shouldn’t care about what other people think.”

“I know that,” Potter muttered. “But…I care about what you think.”

Draco paused. This kind of sentimentality wasn’t exactly something he was used to. And while he mentally admitted he felt the same way about Potter, he couldn’t shake the crushing sense of responsibility Potter had just burdened him with. So…what now? This was getting them nowhere. Draco wondered how far he could go without hurting Potter unnecessarily. He always acted so strong and confident, but he had shown Draco glimpses of his vulnerable side and if that wasn’t an indication he trusted Draco, what was?

“So…” Draco brushed the duvet with his fingertips, searching for the right words. “Luna showed me…the magazines.”

He instantly knew he didn’t need to explain any further. The look on Potter’s face said everything.

“She knows,” he whispered, resignation ringing loudly in his voice.

“Yeah. She’s worried about you.” Tentatively, he put his hand on Potter’s knees. “I’m worried about you.”

Apparently, that had been the wrong thing to say. Potter looked up, his eyes full of defensiveness.

“I know it’s not normal,” he said. “I know I’m a freak.”