Nothing had been magically fixed. Trust would take time. Forgiveness would take effort. And neither of them could pretend yesterday had never happened. But as the castle lights appeared in the distance, Dracaena no longer felt completely alone. And Harry understood something he would never forget: being a good person did not mean never making a terrible mistake. It meant facing what he had done, accepting the consequences, and choosing never to repeat it. That evening, beneath the fading sky, they began again. Dracaena: Harry? Harry: Hmm? Dracaena: ...I'm glad you're here. Harry: Me too, Dracaena. She held him a little tighter. And for the first time since yesterday, she allowed herself to believe that perhaps their story wasn't over after all

He hesitated, afraid that even approaching her might frighten her. Harry: Can I... can I hug you? Only if you're comfortable with it. Dracaena stared at him. Then, slowly, she nodded. Harry stepped forward and gently wrapped his arms around her. For a moment, Dracaena remained perfectly still. Then she clutched the back of his robes and buried her face against his chest. Dracaena: Harry... Harry: I'm here. Dracaena: Don't say that if you don't mean it. Harry: I mean it. He held her a little closer, careful not to hurt her. Harry: I'm not going to ask you to forget what happened. I can't promise that we'll never argue again. But I promise I'll never hit you like that again. He rested his cheek gently against her hair. Harry: And if I ever become that angry again, I'll walk away and calm down. I'll never use my anger as an excuse to hurt you. Dracaena: You really mean that? Harry: I swear. They stood together beneath the evening sky, neither of them wanting to let go. After a long silence, Dracaena spoke again. Dracaena: Harry... I'm sorry, too. Harry: You don't have to apologize for my mistake. Dracaena: I know. But I'm sorry for everything I did to Hermione. I'm sorry for the things I've said to you, too. I was so desperate for your attention that I never thought about how much I was hurting other people. She tightened her hold on him. Dracaena: I don't want to be that person anymore. Harry: Then don't be. You can change, Dracaena. You can become someone you're proud of. Dracaena: And... will you still talk to me? Harry pulled back just enough to look at her. Harry: Of course I will. Dracaena: Even after everything? Harry: Even after everything. Dracaena stared at him, searching his face for any sign that he was lying. Dracaena: You're an idiot, Potter. Harry gave a small, tearful laugh. Harry: Yeah. I've been told. Dracaena: And you're stubborn. Harry: Probably. Dracaena: And sometimes you're so dense that I want to scream. Harry: That sounds familiar. For the first time that evening, Dracaena managed a tiny smile. Then her expression grew serious again. Dracaena: Harry... can I ask you something? Harry: Anything. Dracaena: Do you still hate me? Harry looked at her in disbelief. Harry: No, Dracaena. I don't hate you. Dracaena: Really? Harry: Really. He gently wiped a tear from her cheek. Harry: I'm angry about what happened to Hermione. I won't pretend it was acceptable. But I don't hate you. And I don't want you to spend the rest of your life thinking you're beyond forgiveness. Dracaena's eyes widened. Dracaena: Harry... Harry: You made a terrible mistake. So did I. We can't undo either of them. All we can do is take responsibility and try to become better. She lowered her head against his chest again. Dracaena: I wish I could stay here a little longer. Harry: Then stay. Dracaena: You won't leave? Harry: Not while you still need a friend beside you. Dracaena closed her eyes. She wanted to tell him that she wanted much more than friendship. She wanted to tell him that she had liked him for years, that every stupid argument had hidden feelings she had never known how to express. But for once, she didn't force the words out. She simply held him. Dracaena: Harry? Harry: Hmm? Dracaena: Could you give me a piggyback ride back to the castle? Harry blinked, then smiled faintly. Harry: Like old times? Dracaena: Yes. Like old times. He crouched down, and she climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. As Harry began walking toward Hogwarts, Dracaena rested her cheek against him. Dracaena: Harry? Harry: Yes? Dracaena: Thank you for coming to find me. Harry: I'm glad I found you. She closed her eyes, hiding the tears still gathering at their corners. Dracaena: (I thought I'd lost you forever...) Harry carried her through the fading light, both of them quiet for once.

The Promise Beneath the Evening Sky Part 3 The next morning at Hogwarts, Harry sat alone, staring at his hands. Harry: Yesterday... what the hell was I doing? He slowly clenched his fists, then opened them again. Harry: This isn't me. I've never done something like that before. I got angry, and I... I hit her. He lowered his head. Harry: Am I a bad person now? Am I becoming someone I always hated? His chest tightened as he remembered Dracaena's tearful face. Harry: She apologized to Hermione. She even apologized to me. And what did I do? I hurt her anyway. His eyes began to water. Harry: No. I have to find her. I have to apologize. I have to make this right. He stood up, wiping his face. Harry: I'm sorry, Dracaena. Please... let me find you. For hours, Harry searched the castle. He checked the library, the courtyard, the Great Hall, and every corridor where he had ever encountered her. But Dracaena was nowhere to be found. As evening approached, Harry finally spotted a familiar figure sitting alone on a grassy hill overlooking Hogwarts. Dracaena sat with her knees drawn to her chest, her head lowered. The wind gently moved her blonde hair, but she didn't seem to notice. Harry: ...There she is. He approached slowly. Harry: Hey, Dracaena. Dracaena: Huh?! She immediately looked up. The moment she recognized him, she instinctively stepped backward, raising her arms to protect her face. Harry stopped. That small movement hurt him more than he could explain. Dracaena: H-Harry... I... I wasn't— Harry: Dracaena, please. Don't be afraid of me. She froze. Harry: I'm not here to hurt you. I promise. His voice trembled. Harry: I'm here because I need to apologize. Dracaena: Harry... Harry: NO, PLEASE, LET ME SPEAK! He swallowed hard, tears gathering in his eyes. Harry: I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I shouldn't have hit you. I had no right to do that, no matter how angry I was. He looked down at his hands. Harry: I keep remembering your face. The way you looked at me before you walked away. You weren't even angry anymore. You just looked... broken. His voice cracked. Harry: And I did that to you. Dracaena stared at him silently. Harry: I've spent the whole day asking myself what kind of person I've become. I kept thinking that I was supposed to protect people, to stand up for them, to do what's right. He wiped his tears, but more followed. Harry: But yesterday, I hurt someone who was already hurting. And that someone was you. He took a shaky breath. Harry: I'm sorry, Dracaena. Please don't think I'm asking you to forgive me immediately. You don't owe me that. I just... I needed you to know that I regret what I did. Dracaena's eyes filled with tears. Dracaena: Harry... are you okay? Harry: No. He shook his head. Harry: I'm not okay. Because every time I close my eyes, I remember hitting you. And I keep wishing I could go back and stop myself. His shoulders trembled. Harry: I wish I'd just walked away. I wish I'd taken a breath. I wish I'd remembered that you were a person with feelings, just like everyone else. He looked at her. Harry: I never wanted to become someone you were afraid of. Dracaena's lips trembled. Dracaena: I was afraid, Harry. Harry went completely still. Dracaena: When you raised your hand, I thought... I thought you were going to hit me again. She looked down, ashamed of her own fear. Dracaena: I know I've done terrible things. I know I hurt Hermione, and I know I've been horrible to people. I deserved to be told that I was wrong. She wiped her cheek. Dracaena: But when you hit me, all I could think was that the one person I wanted to like me had finally come to hate me. Harry: Dracaena... Dracaena: I thought you never wanted to see me again. I thought I'd lost you forever. Her voice broke. Dracaena: And the stupidest part is that even then, I still wanted you to come back. Harry's tears fell freely now. Harry: I'm here.