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Harry’s eyes were hard, his defences up. He was ready to either cast or dive out the way. Or just punch the blonde’s stupid face, though that was childish considering they had magic.
Across from him, Draco stood in a similar position. However, the boy’s wand arm was trembling ever so slightly. He looked conflicted.
Harry didn’t care.
This was Harry’s chance to get Malfoy. To show everyone he was a Death Eater. To make him pay for every taunt and insult and hex aimed at his friends and himself.
Harry watched Draco’s eyes dart around the room before settling back on Harry. Harry saw Moaning Myrtle peeking out from one of the stalls but didn’t process that until later.
Logically, Harry knew Draco could beat him. Draco was one of the best in the year group after all. He cast spells like it was easy. His reflexes were sharp. He had frightening precision. Harry… Harry was powerful but not great with delicate, quick stuff. He’d rather a magic brawl to a small duel. But he wasn’t picky at the moment.
“Cru-” Draco began to say, Harry immediately cast his own spell, the memories of his friends being taunted by the boy in front of him flashing before his eyes,
“Sectumsempra!” He cried.
In a split second, Harry’s plan went to shambles.
The unforgivable died on Draco’s lips and his wand dropped slightly, as if surrendering him to the curse speeding at him.
No.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
Time seemed to slow down right before the spell hit. Draco almost looked… empty. Resigned. Tired, perhaps.
The spell sent the blonde flying back, landing on the floor with a painful thud. Then the blood erupted from deep lacerations all over his torso and face, drawing a pained scream from newly bloodied lips. The porcelain skin was rapidly turning paler as the white tiles stained with deep red colour.
Harry froze. He tried to take a step forwards but the sound of rapid footsteps stopped him. Someone had heard them.
And it had to be Professor Snape. The man pushed past Harry to Draco, examining his wounds. Harry stumbled back from the shove, in shock of what he just did.
“Vulnera Sanentur.” The professor murmured, waving his wand over Draco’s now unconscious being. He levitated Draco’s limp and almost lifeless body and shot Harry a sharp glare before rushing past.
“Detention. In my office at seven o’clock sharp.” The teacher said before speeding off with Draco who was still dripping blood on the stone floor.
———
Harry sat numbly at dinner, staring at his food. He heard a shriek from the Slytherin table.
Glancing over, he couldn’t miss Pansy’s eyes on him, burning holes in his head. Snape stood behind the girl, clearly not expecting that reaction. All of Slytherin looked surprised.
“You’d better run and hide, mate.” Someone muttered next to Harry. “Pansy’s got a reputation for curses.”
Harry blinked and walked out the Great Hall silently.
He didn’t want to hurt Draco that badly. He probably had the whole of the Malfoy fan club (Slytherin) after him now.
He felt like a villain.
Draco wasn’t going to curse him. Why did he have to use the stupid unknown spell.
He could’ve resolved it peacefully instead of… that.
———
A few days later, Harry saw a familiar platinum blonde hair returned to the Slytherin table.
When he looked over, his stomach dropped. Most of it seemed to be healed but the edge of a bandage was peeking out the top of Draco’s shirt. That wasn’t the worst thing.
A large scar cut down Draco’s face. It was a perfect diagonal slash from the left side of his forehead - just above the temple - through tone grey eye, across the nose and coming to a stop at the edge of Draco’s right cheek.
Harry tore his eyes away, feeling more guilty.
He should’ve known the world was wide enough for both Draco and him.