[A/N: Yes, I'm quite aware that Draco is very OOC in this chapter. I'm not changing his character though, nor am I going to change his and Lily's relationship. Apologies to anyone who is against this in any way.]
When Draco had left the corridor, he immediately started walking toward the lake. In the future, it had been his favourite place to go to think - people rarely bothered him there - and nothing had changed when he travelled back to the past.
As he walked along the shore of the lake, he kicked at the rocks that littered the hard, sand-packed ground. The prospect of leaving which loomed on the horizon wouldn't leave him, and as he thought about it, he struggled to fight the tears back.
Even though he never would have admitted it, he had enjoyed the time he had spent with the other Gryffindors. It had given him a chance to get away from the cold and dreary days that accompanied being a Slytherin. He clenched his jaw, not wanting to think about the fact that once he went back, he would have to return to the life he disliked so much. It would be like this entire trip had not existed; only him, Ginny, and Hermione would know. Of course, that certainly didn't make much of a difference because he knew that once he became the old Draco Malfoy again, he would probably never speak to them again.
As he turned these thoughts over and around in his head, he sensed someone coming up behind him. Without even looking, he knew immediately who it was.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, halting, but not yet turning around to face her.
"I'm sorry I left earlier," came Lily's soft voice from behind him. "I came to see how you're feeling. You didn't talk to me today."
"I had things on my mind," he replied simply.
"Would you like to share them?" As the words reached his ears, Draco felt the weight of her hand on his shoulder.
Sighing, he took her hand in his, and turned around to look at her. Her beautiful green eyes, which were so deep and clear that he was distinctly reminded of an emerald, looked back at him. They were filled with sympathy, sadness, and...something else. He shut his eyes tightly and remembered the night he had spent with her in the astronomy tower. The night of their first kiss. He had seen the same expression in her eyes that night, and he was now able to place it.
"Lily," he said, "I'm sorry for hurting you."
"Tell me why," she replied.
Draco started to shake his head, but then stopped himself. Tell her, he urged himself. She has the right to know, especially after everything you put her through because of it. You were nothing short of cruel to her, and this is your only chance to try to give her a reason for all of it.
Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he began to tell Lily his tale.
When Draco finished, he opened his eyes and was surprised to find that tears had slipped out while he told Lily about the death of the only one he had ever loved. He was even more surprised when he saw that Lily was crying too.
"I'm so sorry," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
"It's the past and you can't change it, so don't be sorry." Draco caught himself when he heard the familiar hard, cold tone that accompanied this memory creeping into his voice. He silently chided himself.
"You have every right to not want to let anyone in after that. I...I know how it feels to lose someone you love.
"What do you mean?"
"After James and I broke up..." she began, her voice sounding far-off.
"I thought you were the one who..." Draco started to interrupt.
"No, that's what everyone thought. No one ever knew the real reason why I did that to him. Draco, I'm afraid to let people get close to me. I loved James so much that I started getting scared. I tried to push him away, tell him that I wanted space, but he wouldn't let me go. I don't know what came over me one night...I was in the library with this guy I knew, and I told him everything, and I was crying into his shoulder, and...ugh, it went on from there. I started seeing him in private, and then somehow word about us leaked out, and James..." she bit her lip and tightened her hold on Draco's hand "...told me it was over."
"I had no idea..." Draco said quietly.
"I never really dated anyone once James and I split up. I only let myself trust guys who I was good friends with. I didn't want to make the mistake of giving my heart to one guy, and having it broken when I screwed up. But then you came along. The first time I saw you in the hallway with the others, you stood out. It was the look you were giving me that made me notice you," she said, laughing softly at her last few words. "James used to look at me the same way before I started having feelings for him. Then when we kissed in the astronomy tower...I've never been kissed like that, not even by James. After that, things started piecing themselves together and I..."
"And you...?" Draco prompted.
"I fell in love with you."
His heart stopped. Everything around him and within him seemed to freeze simultaneously. All he could hear were her last few words repeating over and over again in his head..."I fell in love with you."
"Lily, you can't love me," he said shakily.
"It's too late, Draco."
"My heart is broken. You deserve more than the shattered pieces."
"Mine is too. But I laid it down next to yours, and they fit together perfectly."
Draco's heart ached at her words. "I can't do this," he mumbled, taking a step backwards. "I can't love and lose again."
"You can't run from love forever," she whispered, her eyes pleading with him. However, she made no attempt to prevent him from moving away.
He stopped in his tracks, and looked at her. She stood before him, her beauty shining more brightly than he had ever seen it. He remembered the first day he had seen her, and how, even though he was aware that she was the mother of his archrival, her copper hair and delicate, heart-shaped face with its striking features had captivated him. Now, what had originally started out as desire, had turned into something stronger...something he had thought he would never experience again.
Love had him in its power once again.
Without saying anything, Draco moved towards Lily and took her into his arms. Resting his cheek on her head, he murmured, "Then I won't run from you."