A Whispered Confession Can Change Everything

Chapter 13

Draco looked down miserably, dreading whatever it was that was going to happen. He just couldn’t seem to do anything right. Everything he did he messed up. Sprout’s garden. Hagrid’s animals. They might as well just throw him back in the dungeons for the remainder of the summer. Being called to his guardian after his latest disaster couldn’t be good.

Albus smiled softly, watching as his charge seemed to cringe inside. It had taken him a while, but he finally understood the problem. Minerva had actually been the one to point it out and now it made perfect sense. The boy was trying so hard to be perfect, to be impressive, he was sabotaging himself by mistake. Even Sprout had been left with amusement when she realized Draco had not been malicious with his Herbology disaster. And none of her plants had been damaged so there was really no harm done.

And poor Hagrid. The gentle half giant had spent weeks coaxing der-wolfs out of the forest for his
coming Care of Magical Creatures class in the autumn. The enclosure hadn’t been substantial enough for them and he’d sent Draco out to help. Apparently a mistake as the boy had managed to destroy half the fence and allowed the elusive creatures to escape. Coming around his desk and pulling Draco into a gentle hug, he stroked his hand over his head.

The blond leaned into him instantly, always willing to be hugged, “Draco, you’re simply trying too hard.” Draco looked up with a frown, “You don’t have to take something and make it grand. Sometimes the simple things are just as beautiful.” If anything his frown deepened, “Now, Hagrid will be repairing the fence tomorrow and I want you to help him.”

Stiffening and sneering, “I’m not about to help him again. Once was enough, thank you.”

Albus silently studied him for a moment, mentally examining his reaction before drawing a
conclusion, “While I certainly won’t force you I think it would be generous of you to assist Hagrid.”

Crossing his arms,” Why?”

Raising an eyebrow and patting his back, “You did help topple over his fence.”

Gaping, “I most certainly did not! It was unstable anyway and he’s just lucky I wasn’t hurt-...”

Holding up a hand, “Enough, Draco. Enough.” Mouth opening to object, “No now just listen to me.” Draco sulked a little but closed his mouth, “Now I know it wasn’t intentional but you are at least partly responsible and I think it’s more than reasonable that I insist you accompany Hagrid tomorrow.”

Grimacing, whispering softly the real reason why he didn’t want to spend time with Hagrid, “He hates me.”

Smiling and sitting down in a chair, pulling the blond boy onto his lap. Draco practically scrambled to comply, leaning into the Headmaster and closing his eyes. He’d never get tired of such a simple show of affection. Until Albus he’d never been held and he wouldn’t miss a single opportunity, “Draco, Hagrid doesn’t hate anyone.”

Shaking his head a little, “He hates me. It’s always Malfoy this and Malfoy that but he calls Potter Harry and Granger Hermione.” Wrinkling his nose, “Nobody who likes me calls me by my last name.”

Albus thought carefully about that before replying. He also made a mental note for the teachers here during the summer to call him Draco, “Perhaps you just need to make friends with him.”

Draco immediately thought back to first year, how he’d been so spectacularly shot down by Potter. It
had been the last attempt he’d made to make friends, instead resorting to tactics he’d seen his father use to gain respect. He could admit to Albus what he could tell no one else. Looking down sadly, whispering, “I don’t know how.”

Albus knew Draco was seriously lacking in social skills, his earlier confession to not knowing how to approach Hermione proof of that. But it was encouraging that the boy was willing both to admit to his problem as well as seek out help. Smiling, rising and pulling Draco with him, “Then we’d best get started.”

Trying to dig his feet in, “For what?”

Lightly chucking him under the chin, “Teaching you to make friends, of course.”

***

Hagrid was ambling along, a large timber in his grasp. The Malfoy boy seemed to mean well at times but he was a menace. Who stampedes der-wolfs? It would take him weeks to find them again, “Ha-...Professor Hagrid?”

Frowning to himself, he looked down over the log to see young Malfoy, looking down and timidly holding out his cupped hand. Well, if the boy wanted to give him something he’d certainly take it. Hagrid put the log to the side, leaning down to carefully accept what looked like a muggle whistle, “What’s this then?”

Kicking a small rock in front of him with his boot, “You blow on it. It will attract the Der-wolfs I let loose.”

Hagrid felt himself smile down at Draco for the first time. The boy was accepting responsibility for his actions. Maybe Dumbledore could turn him around, “Well now then, you needn’t done that for me.”

Shrugging just a little before pulling in a deep breath. Albus had said that an apology was the most important part and while the Malfoy part of him wanted to balk at the very idea, the other part that was a lonely little boy without any friends wanted desperately to at least try once, “I want to-to say I was sorry.”

Feeling jovial, “Now none of that Draco, I was just about to fix that fence and I could certainly use the help.”

Looking up and eyes sparkling, hearing what he’d wanted to hear most from just one person, “Yes, sir!”

Smiling as he picked up the log again, “And none of that sir business. It’s Hagrid, Draco.”

Spinning to run backwards, wide grin on his face and kicking his Malfoy persona firmly to the
curb, “Cert-...sure, Hagrid!”

***

Draco raced to his desk, forgetting about his door and flipping open his parchment to Pansy’s page he was so excited. Distractedly he swiped at the sweat from his brow, picking up a quill.


D: Guess what, Pans? Hagrid likes me. I mean, he really likes me. He called me Draco. Finally. He invited me in for tea and we talked about his love for dragons. So naturally I talked about how much I love dragons and we had a gay old time of it. Finally, things are going right. I mean, it would have been more tolerable years ago if Harry had been friends with me then but I’ll take later over never. And even Hermione had forgiven me for being a shit to her. So, how’s your week been so far and have you made any progress...


Draco felt his mouth drop open, face flaming as he realized the parchment he was writing on wasn’t Pansy’s...it was Potter’s. He groaned and thumped his forehead as he watched his hand writing disappear, his message sent. Muttering to himself, flinging himself onto his bed, “Way to go, git...just make an ass of yourself...”

***

He’d puttered around the library all day, worrying just what Potter was going to say. Not so much that the boy would physically harm him, but Potter had a lot of leverage over him. If he riled the boy wonder up he might find himself humiliated for the remainder of his Hogwarts career. With dread he looked through his parchment for messages and found one on Harry’s page. Wincing to himself, he steeled his spine for scathing remarks and read.


H: Draco. I take it you got your parchments mixed up. Fair enough, I did the same thing with Hermione two weeks ago. Now, I could say that I’ll simply ignore your comments and we can continue writing like it never happened...but I can’t. Now that I know what you’ve been going through all this time, I want to say sorry. You know my life’s no picnic but your’s was hell and I made it worse. So, I’m sorry for that. And you’re right, better late than never.


Draco blinked a couple of times in shock, sitting there and staring. Did Harry just confirm that they were friends? It couldn’t be possible. And he’d actually used his first name. Not his last name. Not some stupid mock name he could come up with.


D: We’re friends? Harry?


His breath caught in his throat when Harry’s reply was immediate.


H: Absolutely. You were a git then, still are, but I like this new git over the old one.

D: Oh, I see...you only like gits like Weasley and I.

H: Watch the Ron comments but yeah. So, you’re friends with Hermione, too? Are you trying to steal my best friends?

D: Of course. I’ll keep Hermione and you can have Weasley.

H: He does have a name, you know.

D: Yes, but he hasn’t used mine so I won’t use his. If you recall you called me Draco before I called you Harry.

H: So you’re right.

D: You didn’t give him this system, did you?

H: Tried to, but he’s in Romania over the summer and the spell they use to hide the dragons from muggles keeps owls from getting through. Anyway, tell me about Hagrid.