My name is Harry Potter and I am an idiot. I mean I know I'm not the genius everyone makes me out to be, but no-one made me realize how socially stunted I was until I met him. Draco bloody Malfoy.

When I first met him I was a terrified kid confused by the wonderful world I had found myself in. I was intimidated by his superior attitude and frankly he reminded me of Dudley with his spoiled scorn. To say it simply, it was not a positive first impression. When I fought him the first time I had no idea what a cornerstone he would become in my life. As the battles went on, however, I started to learn. Slowly, so so slowly. I already admitted to being an idiot ok?

I didn't really notice him beyond him being a royal pain in my arse until just before 6th year. He was walking into Knockturn alley looking shaken, but as resolute as a solider marching to their death. That made me see, really see, beyond his posh polished exterior. It also made me terribly curious. What could put that look on the face of such a pampered brat? He had his parents. Their love. Their gifts of love. I doubted he had ever known want in his life. I followed him and continued to do so. My friends teased me for stalking him and it is only as I am writing this that I realize how right they were. I would actually fall asleep watching his footsteps on the Marauders Map only to have him walk off the page and into my dreams. Talk about a socially stunted idiot.

The war changed things. While we had always been rivals I felt almost… betrayed? When I saw he had the Dark Mark on his arm. I saw it after I had (again stupidly) cursed him terribly. I hadn't meant to, was horrified by the damage I caused, and my dreams of him turned to nightmares of him bleeding out in front of me. After that and the events on the Astronomy Tower, when he saved my life by refusing to identify me I was beyond shocked gratitude. Why would he save me, putting himself in danger, after I did that to him? I stood next to Luna listening to her tale of Draco helping her out so often during her imprisonment in Malfoy Manor when the paradox himself stumbled into the dungeon.

"If you're going to plot an escape, do it more quietly or they'll hear you." He grumbled irritably before rushing to Luna's side. He proved the stories she told correct in the way he handled her and the concern he showed.

"You alright, Luna?" He looked truly worried

"I'm fine, Draco. Did they lock you in again?"

His smile was bitter as a widow's tears. "Not this time. I'm here to make good on my promise. Come on, up you get darling."

I was not jealous of Luna in that moment. Not even when he wrapped an arm around her. Really I wasn't. I was… terribly jealous. Then I saw him shaking and the jealousy was pushed aside. I remembered shaking like that before, but only after Voldemort cursed me.

"You're shaking. Did they curse you again?"

"Bellatrix." Draco sais simply, like it didn't matter. He even shrugged. That in a way bothered me as much as him getting cursed in the first place.

"Malfoy?" I asked

He just raised an eyebrow at me, as if that told me anything.

"Why-?" did you save me? Why are you looking at me like that?

"Ah, now that is the question." He drawled and it made me want to punch him in the face like we used to, just to get a real answer out of him. "But not the most crucial one at the moment. They disarmed you and that swelling charm isn't going to last much longer."

It is SO the most crucial thing, my petty inner voice shouted childishly.

"Bu-" Ron stuttered obviously as affected by the mental whiplash as I was.

Draco ignored both of us and looked at Hermione. "Granger. Did you see what they did with your wands and supplies?"

When Hermione shook her head he started rubbing his forehead "I have a pack for you then, though it won't last long. My wand is locked up in the second drawing room in the large display case. They warded the room against me." he smirked "But not against you."

"We would still need a way out." Hermione stated calmly while I was anything but calm. He was going to help us more?

"I've done some testing, call for a house elf once free of the dungeon, their magic works differently." Draco said, "There'll be a distraction. I trust you to keep the idiots alive long enough to escape."

I did not like the sound of that somehow. It seemed Luna didn't either. She exclaimed "Draco, don't you dare!"

"What are you planning Malfoy?" I asked with worry for him

He stared at me with the strangest expression and did not answer for what seemed like an eternity. He looked like a beggar staring at a full table.

I licked my dry lips and did my best not to stutter as I asked "Malfoy?"

He smirked again "I'm going to go tick off the second most powerful wizard in the UK of course."

"Why?" I asked feeling panic. It was not a good idea to anger Voldemort as I had discovered the hard way. I didn't want him doing the same just for us to escape. I needed to know why.

Draco raised an eyebrow "Maybe I just want the first most powerful wizard in the UK to survive this war long enough for me to rile up again." He said before pausing to add "I didn't exactly take the Mark by choice. You may hate me, but I want you to win, I want you to survive."

Well if that's not a kick in the head. "I don't hate you." I said finally. After all my suspicion, after all my denials, what I felt was certainly not hate.

"Then survive, you hear me?" Draco said and gripped my forearm. And he smiled. Dear Merlin, I had never seen him smile so brilliantly before. I had also not seen such a wonderful smile before.

"You too." Was all I could choke out before the impulse overwhelmed me. It was the same impulse that made me dive headlong into danger. I grabbed him and I kissed him. I swear as soon as it registered what I had done I pulled back sure he was going to punch me. Aw hell, I even dragged Luna along. My face felt like it was on fire and I hurried to open my hand which had become fisted in his shirt.

He stared at me for half a heart-beat before letting Luna go and dragging me into his arms.

"Now that…" Draco said huskily "Is a hell of a goodbye. May I return the favor?"

It was my turn to stare and I nodded. I must have nodded because he leaned down to kiss me back. It was as much like kissing Cho or Ginny as a hippogriff was like a chicken. His kiss blew me away and I shook in his arms. Merlin, it felt good to be in his arms. I finally let go and kissed him back with everything I had been holding back for the past year. I swear I felt something connect with him on a deeper level than where our mouths fused. When we finally stopped for breath he leaned his forehead against mine and I stared while his eyes closed in peaceful bliss. At length he released me and kissed my forehead with surprising tenderness. "Go." He told me.

I went, and I did not see him again until the Final Battle. When given the choice at the borderlands of life and death, I heard his words echo: Then survive, you hear me? I survived.

After Voldemort was finally truly dead, I found him amongst the rubble with a devastated look on his face. He reached out to me as if frightened I would vanish and brushed his fingers against my cheek. Then he pulled me into his arms. Home, my heart told me, I'm home. Everything else fell away and he kissed me.

"I love you." He said unsteadily

"I love you too." I said sure my voice was just as wrecked but I smiled because finally I had a home, a love, a life, in the form of this paradox of a man.

My name is Harry Potter, and I'm an idiot for not recognizing love sooner.