Crossing the Line (H/D, PG)

[sesheta66]

Title: Crossing the Line
Author: sesheta_66
Rating: PG
Word Count: 400
Challenges: dracoharry100's prompt #56 - "Betrayal," and hd100's prompt of "heart". It also fits the slythindor100 prompt #3 - a picture of wedding rings, and the awdt Valentine's Quickie prompt #14 - "I think I love you."
Summary: Where does the line cross into betrayal?
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.


I stand at the storefront and see the rings, innocently placed, and I begin to wonder. I play with my own ring, thinking of what it represents, the bond between my wife and me, the commitment I made, the lifetime in which I must live up to it.

I recall with joy the day I said my vows. With all my heart, I meant them. And yet now they weigh heavily upon me. It has not been so very long, and there is so much life ahead of me. The weight begins to crush me until I have trouble breathing.

~*~*~

When did lust and passion turned into acceptance and friendship? It pains me that I cannot pinpoint it. There was no flip of a switch that stopped the flow of life through this relationship. It just faded. I find myself still loving but not in love. Still caring but not as deeply as I should. Still wanting to do what's right, but saddened by what that means.

When does desire become betrayal? Is there such a thing as a definitive line drawn, or is it murkier than that? In matters of the heart, when is anything ever black and white?

~*~*~

To say that I think of you is the truth. But is it betrayal? When I dream of you, thoughts enter my mind, unbidden, so how can I control them? How can I control my reaction when I am not awake? I cannot. I pledged my heart to another, yet now I dream of you. I dream of your smell, your touch, your taste. I crave you.

I awake aroused, and I remember. The thoughts that crowd my mind are memories of us together, but they are not real. But if I think them, does that not make them real?

~*~*~

Now that I'm awake, I push aside my desire, but there is a war raging inside me. My emotions betray me, and I cannot stop them. Everything I do reminds me of you.

I remember the real you, the fights we had, the way I felt so alive around you.

I remember the dream you, the way you taste, the way you feel, the passion that flows through me.

With every day that passes, I am that much closer to acting. That much closer to crossing the line. But in my heart, I already have.

I think I love you.


.

Comments

[charmed310.livejournal.com]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*faints*

So devastating.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

*revives you*

It kinda just flowed. Thanks hon.

[piratesmile331.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that this is Harry's POV, but I like the fact that it could just as easily be Draco's.
*waits for him to act*
*is a dirtball who wants Harry/Draco to ditch his wife and get with whom he belongs*

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

I'll admit to having Harry in my mind as I was writing it (well, when don't I?) but I left it deliberately ambiguous, because it really could be either of them.

[svgurl.livejournal.com]

That was beautiful. And the ending line was just perfect. I love how there is that hesitancy with the "think".

Wonderfully written!

Thanks for sharing!

(http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee155/svgurl410/?action=view&current=31.jpg)

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thanks :)

[lijahlover.livejournal.com]

That was so very good and sad!

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[thrnbrooke.livejournal.com]

I'm heartbroken for him. He sounds torn and confused. Of course he can't talk to his best friends about this. How alone he must be. And now to believe that he's in love. I sooo need more!

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

*pets him*

I'm not planning more, although there was a bit more I had planned to say that didn't quite make it into this. We'll see.

[winter-june.livejournal.com]

Beautiful, part painful, part hopeful, just like life and love. I don't know which one of them is speaking, but these are my two cents: Don't betray your heart (ultimately that's the only thing you are going to be left with).

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Ah, but it's so tricky when he married for love. He hadn't betrayed his heart when he married his wife (could be either of them, as I've left it ambiguous deliberately), and now he's torn because he doesn't want to betray that love, even if it has faded into something more like friendship.

*sighs*

[gurliemoviegeek.livejournal.com]

Oh god...

With every day that passes, I am that much closer to acting. That much closer to crossing the line. But in my heart, I already have.

Gorgeous piece you've written here, darling. Absolutely stunning! I'm crushed and yet somehow elated that Harry's getting closer to taking his chance...

Just beautiful.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thanks ♥

[kaykayen.livejournal.com]

Oh my. This is lovely and thoughtful and sad and hopeful...

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[bryoneybrynn.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm. Angsty hotness. I love the conflict and the yearning.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[alaana-fair.livejournal.com]

Well, you know I've already come up with my own happy ending to this, because I can't help myself. But I can't imagine Harry, and I'm just assuming it is Harry because, well, it's you. *G* Anyway, I can't imagine Harry coming to such a realization without acting on it. Even if he tries desperately not to, and even if the guilt of it eats him up inside, he's too much of a Gryffindor to stop himself.

Not to mention that Draco is just too damned tempting to resist.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

I'm just assuming it is Harry because, well, it's you. *G* - You know me so well, but I did leave it ambiguous so that the readers could picture whichever one they want.

He acts on everything, but he also believes in fairness, and he's chivalrous. He's completely torn apart by it. You know ... if it happens to be Harry, that is.

[romaine24.livejournal.com]

This maybe my favourite short piece you have written. Absolutely love it.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hon. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out myself. ♥

[accio-yossarian.livejournal.com]

This is quite possibly the best angst I have ever read. The way you just built the tension gradually through this was marvelous.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Wow, thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the comments.

[lunakat.livejournal.com]

Wow..this was so wonderful. So much sadness and confusion.
So perfect for the situation written....as others have said
I see this as Harry's POV. It has his heart....
Thank you

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I will admit to thinking of Harry as I wrote this, but was deliberately ambiguous, so the reader can decide.

[panderia.livejournal.com]

The confusion and angst and pain was so palpable. I love that you left the character ambiguous cause while I was reading I was picturing Harry but at the same time could see it being Malfoy as well.

When does desire become betrayal? Is there such a thing as a definitive line drawn, or is it murkier than that? In matters of the heart, when is anything ever black and white?

Those three lines just hit me. This is heartbreakingly beautiful and to convey such emotion in so little words...wonderful.

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for your comments. I'm glad that the emotions were felt so strongly. :)

[nocturnali.livejournal.com]

Lovely.

And really, it needn't be either Harry or Draco, it might be Remus...
Oh, okay... I'll give you the valuable H/D point. *grumbles* ; )

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

*grins*

You know, no matter how many of these "special prompts" you give, H/D will still come out on top. And bottom. *groans*

:P

[andrea--88.livejournal.com]

Love this, the struggle
Not a fun situation to be in at all

excellent :o)

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

*drools at icon*