[ Ruins, that's all that was left of the castle he'd called home for so long. The only home he had, and he'd given it up. Someone has to protect the muggles. He told himself, They need me. He said, but he had ignored Hogwarts, he'd ignored those who needed him right here, he'd done marginal good protecting muggles, he was one man in a world of evil, there was no protecting them all. But his home, he could have done something, anything. But he'd left in his immense selfishness, he was a child and made a child's decisions. But the years roaming and fighting, they'd hardened him prematurely into a man. They'd corrupted him and he grew calloused, much like his hands, hardened from years of handling the cold steel of his pistol. But he'd returned, only to be overrun with guilt. His eyes met those of his old friend, the boy of 16 he'd left behind to finish his education, the boy who'd become a man the same way he had, through hardship. He found that he had difficulty meeting his eyes, and felt himself staring at the ground. an unspeakable guilt mingling with years of unspoken feelings, and a heaviness that grew onto his heart, as words he never said filled his lungs and coated his tongue but were never to be made tangible. And yet, he just found himself holding onto more stumbling sentences, broken syllables spoken in his mind's eye through uncertain lips. He could never voice himself, not truly. Not just to Draco, but to anyone. But when it came to his friend, when it came to Draco Malfoy, he had the most to lose. ] ❝I'm sorry, Draco I ------ I didn't know this was going to happen. I never should have left.❞
