“Itwasaboggart,”Harrysays,abitreduntly,stowinghiswandinthebakpoketofhispantswithoutlookingDraointhefae.“That’sallitwas,Drao.Justaboggart.”
“Oh.”Draofeltlikerying.Infat,hewasrying,bothbeausealltheworstthingshehadbeenthinkingsinehefirstametosaywithHarryhadbeensaidoutloud,bytheonepersonthathedidnotexpettosaythem,andalsobeausehehadbeenaughtatit,onthefloorlikeahild.AndalsobeausehewantedHarrytotellhimthatitwasallokay,whihhewasnotyetdoing.“Right.”
“Doyoureallythinkthat?”Harry’sheadsnappedup,andhewasrying,too,hurtbythiswholething,andDraojustwantstomeltintothefloorandneveromebak.“ThatIwanttosayallthosethings?”
“I’mafraidofit,”Draoanswers,beausetheboggarthaslefthimnohoiebuttotellthetruth.“Ikeeptellingmyselfthatitwassilly,thatyouwouldn’thavesaidallthosethingsifyoudidn’tmeanthem,andyet,”heshrugs.“Fearsdon’talwaysmakesense.”
“BeauseIdo.”Harry’swordswerehalted,likehewastryingtoreignhimselfin.“Careaboutyou.”
“Iknow.”
“AndIhavefivenyou.Foreverything.Everythingyou’vedone,anythingyoumightdo.”Harrywaveshishandintheair.“It’slikeit’sent.”
“Iknowthat,too.”
“AndIknowthatthis—whatwe’redoing—I’mnotjustsrewingaround.It’s,”Heissearhingforaword,learly,somethingstrongenoughtoexpresshisfeelingswithoutsaringDraoaway.“Thisisitforme.ThisisallIeverwant,youandmeandthatottage.”
That—thosestsixwords—makeDraofeellikeheisabletobreatheagain.“Iknow.”
“Doyou?”
Draodoesnotwanttolietohim.Maybehehasn’tbeenlyingexatly,buthehasbeenholdingbak,buryingthingsthatheshouldhaveidoutintheopen.“I’mstartingto,”Heamends,whihisnotthewholetruthbutisloserthanhehadgottenbefore.
“Okay.”Harrynodshishead,fastensthelosetlosedonemoretime,andstiksahandouttohelpDraotohisfeet.“Soarewegoodhere?”
“Yeah,”Draosays,andthistime,itdoesnotfeellikealie.“We’reallgood.”
Harry
Harryhadbeensurprisedbefore,butthere’snothingquitelikehearingyourboyfriendtalkingtosomeoneupintheattiandlimbingthatriketystairaseonlytofindthatthepersonhe’stalkingtois…yourself.
Aselfthatishurlingabuse,apparently,asDraositsonthefloorandjusttakesit,likeallthefightgoesawaywhereHarryisonernedandhewilltakewhatmayomeflyingfromthisperson’smouthasgospel,andHarryfeelssikaboutit,andevenmoresowhenheremembersanothertimethathehadstaredatadupliateofhimselfinthishouse,andrealizedthatitwasaboggart.