Demons

Summary: Draco has to break up with Harry. It's for his own good. Oneshot.

Draco,

The Dark Lord has honored our family by allowing you to take the Dark Mark when you come home this summer.

Lucius Malfoy

Draco felt his blood freeze when he read his father's letter. To think, a few words could bring his downfall. Draco chuckled hollowly, no mirth in his voice.

Honor indeed, the honor of being a slave more like. Draco thought bitterly.

Then, realization dawned on him.

Oh god, what am I going to tell Harry?

Draco and Harry had been secretly dating since the fourth year. The horrible, horrible Triwizard tournament had opened Draco's eyes to his feelings for the raven-haired boy. The fear that Harry wouldn't come back, that Harry would die, had spurred Draco on to at least admitting his feelings to the Gryffindor.

And to Draco's delightful surprise, Harry had felt the same way.

Their secret and wonderful correspondence still lasted and…well, it had to end now. Draco clenched his fist, that terrible, life-changing, tiny piece of parchment in hand. He almost couldn't bear the thought of not being able to hold Harry in his arms, tell him he loved him, and hear that he was loved back. He would have to fight Harry in the war. He almost blanched at that terrible revelation.

Draco knew Harry would protest, suggest options that were simply not open to him; tell him things would be okay. But things will never be okay. Draco could never turn his back on his family, they were the ones who brought him up and showered him with love. It would be impossible. His parents needed him or they would all be tortured and killed. Draco would never leave his family to fend for themselves, not even to save himself.

So, it was decided. Draco would have to make it seem that he had never loved Harry. He would have to break the heart that Harry had willingly handed to him. His own heart trembled at the very idea.

But he had to do this. For Harry. Draco knew that the Dark Lord was a skilled Legilimens and if the Dark Lord ever heard of their relationship… Draco shuddered at the possibilities. No, it was better for everybody if this break-up was painful.

He nodded his head, jaw set with determination and took out a quill and a piece of parchment. He scribbled a quick note to Harry:

Potter,

I've got something to tell you. Meet me at the Astronomy tower tonight at 8.

Draco Malfoy

Requesting that the letter be sent to Harry Potter, Draco continued eating his breakfast, acting as if nothing had happened, pointedly ignoring the worried looks from Harry that were thrown his way.

"What did you want? And…and why did you call me Potter?" Harry questioned Draco once he reached the Astronomy tower at the mentioned timing. His voice was quivering with worry and fear. Draco hated to see him like this, like a frightened, innocent child after all the sufferings he had seen.

But that was what Draco was trying to prevent, he was trying to prevent Harry from witnessing more sufferings, more pain, more grief. He was doing the right thing.

With that, fixed an ugly scowl onto his face. "Potter. Isn't it obvious? I'm breaking it off."

His voice was harsh; it didn't have a trace of doubt or regret, leaving no room for discussion.

"What?" Harry asked, eyes widening, fear heightening. "No. You can't mean it. Stop Draco, it's too early for an April fools."

"No Potter. You stop. Stop deluding yourself. I'm breaking up with you, dumping you, this arrangement is over. Have you gotten the message yet? Or do I have to repeat it again?" Draco's heart ached painfully as he said those words. No, he wanted to say, of course it was a joke. I never want to leave you, I love you so much. However, those words never left his lips. Instead, he waited patiently for Harry's reaction to the heart-breaking words he had just managed to get out.

"No, no, no," Harry said in a broken tone. It tore Draco's heart to shreds to hear. "You don't mean. You can't mean it. What's wrong Draco? Who's forcing you to do this? I'll help you fix it."

Harry extended his hand to Draco, wanting to touch his face, but was quickly swatted away.

"Can't you get this through your thickhead? No one is forcing me. I don't like you. I loathe you. And I'm breaking up with you. The only reason for this," he gestured between them, "was to please the Dark Lord. And you fell for it."

Draco wanted to look away from those bright green pleading eyes, wanted to get rid of the pain in them, but this had to be done.

"You don't mean it! You told me that you never wanted to join the ranks of Voldemort," Draco visibly winced at the name of the man who single-handedly ruined his life, "please, just tell me the truth."

I'm sorry Harry this has to be done. I need to save you.

"I am telling the truth Potter. You are just too stupid to see it. What, your parents never taught you how to handle a breakup? Oh, that's right, you don't have parents." Draco knew that he had to bring up past hate to convince Harry to leave, he didn't want to, but Harry didn't seem to get it.

Harry flinched after hearing that statement; his eyes now filled with unshed tears.

Draco wanted so so much to pull Harry into his arms and kiss away those tears but restrained himself. It's for his own good, it's for his own good, he repeated in his mind, a mantra to keep him going with this ploy.

The green-eyed boy took a step towards him, not expecting a rough shove to the ground.

This time, Draco couldn't bear to see the hurt in those beautiful eyes, so he turned and walked away, his own tears streaming down his face.

"Goodbye Potter. We're over." Was his last words said to the boy he loved.

"They say it's what you make, I say it's up to fate.

It's woven in my soul; I need to let you go.

Your eyes they shine so bright, I want to save that light.

I can't escape this now, unless you show me how."

~Imagine Dragons, Demons