Change of Heart
Forgetting to Hate
Disclaimer- I don’t own them JKR does, I just borrow them to
play.
Change of Heart
Forgetting to hate
When Harry woke up, he was
disoriented. The room he was in was much too soft and much too big to be his
bed at the Dursleys. The warm body pressed against him was very welcome but he
couldn’t remember who it was and was almost afraid to turn over and look.
“ Good
morning Harry,” said the voice of Poppy Pomfrey,” Just relax and stay still for
a while. Draco’s still asleep but he should wake soon. I know things are a
little foggy but that will clear as soon as the potion wears off.”
“ Ah, I
see you’re awake. Good, as soon as Mr. Malfoy wakes we’ll get started. We all
have much to talk about. It seems that you and Mr. Malfoy have a very similar
secret that you’ve been keeping from those of us with the power to help you.”
Dumbledore’s expression grew sad, “ Come along Poppy,
Remus and I would like to speak with you.”
Harry watched them go with
apprehension. Part of him longed for them to stay, to be able to lookthemthem
for protection and yet some part of him wished to hide. Still, he knew that he
couldn’t run and hide, it was no longer about just
him. As long as there was someone else to save he could focus on achieving the
impossible.
Harry was so lost in thought that
he didn’t see pale blue eyes watching him. Those eyes, both confused and
frightened, watched as each emotion passver ver his saviors face. Silently he
wondered if his face showed any of those emotions. After so many years of
hiding them, was it even possible for him to show them. Finding himself
suddenly uncomfortable with that thought, he tried shifting in the huge bed.
Pain shot through his body and he instantly stilled.
“ Stay
still. Madam Pomfrey has already been here but I’m sure it will take one more
potion to heal all of your wounds.”
“ Harry?”
croaked the blonde.
“ Yeah,
it’s me. How do you feel?”
“ Hurts.”
He choked out as tears began running from pale eyes that became round with
realization,” He… he was trying to kill me.”
Harry moved over and pulled the
blonde into his lap,” I know, but he didn’t. I stopped him,
I won’t let him hurt you.”
“ Good,
you are both awake,” Said Dumbledore walking in followed by his staff, “Now,
who’s tale will be first and you both will tell. I have already been informed
of all of your injuries.”
Harreeineeing Draco’s fear, opted
to go first and tell his tale,” It’s all my fault really,” promised Harry,” I
wasn’t strong enough to carry the big casserole dish but he told me to take it
to the table. I didn’t mean to drop it. After it shattered, he juspt
pt
hitting me. Aunt Petunia tried to stop him so he hit her. When he finally
stopped, Auntuniaunia and I cleaned it up and she helped me to bed.”
“ Has he
done it before?” asked Tonks looking positively murderous.
“ Yes,” he
said head down.
“ As
badly?”
“ Worse. I
spent three weeks in hospital.” Mumbled Harry.
With a nod and a sigh, he turned to
Draco to respond,” Well Mr. Malfoy I will respond when you are finished with
your story.”
Draco looked more frightened than
Harry had ever seen him,” It started at the end of third year,
I refused to kill Harry and the beating started. It was to teach me my place at
first but even after a year of it I refused to become a death eater. It got
worse and worse and Voldemort hadn’t yet sent a direct order for me. I knew he
would eventually call. I had hope at the end of last year but trouble with my
house. There are very few who wouldn’t kill me if they knew about my true
feeling. I went home this summer fearing that I would not return to school. My
mother is always controlled by at least one death e. Sh. She hasn’t been
Narcissa Malfoy in over a year,” Draco choked on the sob he was fighting.
Finally with a force of will few posses, he forced out what he had to say,” I
was so angry because he didn’t want me to play Quidditch, because death eaters
don’t play sports and some such lie, that I broke. He began to smile in that
way he smiles when he knows he’s gonna hurt or kill and I drew my wand. He cast
Crucio so fast that I couldn’t stop it. I.. I couldn’t breath it hurt so much
and he took my wand and snapped it,” sobbed Draco,” I started yelling and
trying to get away from him but he just laughed and did it again. Dumbledore, I
don’t want to be a death eater. I don’t want to fight with Harry anymore. I
just want to go to school, pQuidQuidditch, make friends I can trust, and have
my mother back.”
“ If you
are finished, I have some things to say.” His eyes lingered on the way Harry
held Draco,” The truth is that this would not have gotten so very out of
control if the two of you had trusted me enoug tal talk to me but that can’t be
helped now. Honestly, Mr. Malfoy, we have very few options.”
“ I want
him to stay with me Professor,” Blurted Harry surprising himself.
“ Well,
neither of you are going anywhere until you’ve completely healed. This stuff
should wait until then.”
“ I’m
sorry Poppy, but it’s not possible,” answered Dumbledore,” Mr. Malfoy must
know, I can not keep this quiet long.”
“ What
must I know?”
Dumbledore leveled a look that
shook both boys to the core,” Narcissa Malfoy is in St. Mungo’s
done months ago, probably before you knew anything was wrong.”
Draco clung to Harry as his world
shattered for the second time that day. Without his mother, though she had only
been a puppet in the end, There was nothing
into hell.”
“ Draco,
there is more. Your father is dead, he killed four
And through the tears and pain he
could see where the pieces fell and Harry held the key to putting them back
together.
“ He’s
still welcome to live with me,” said Harry.
“ I would
also be willing to become his temporary guan aan as I have with Harry,” Offered
Remus.
Draco was stunned by what he heard.
His once hated (well not really) adversary was offering to open his home to
him, Draco Malfoy. Draco was suddenly very tired, the
emotional exhaustion of the very short morning rivaled that of his first
meeting with Voldemort. In his exhausted state, he didn’t care about Malfoy
pride. For the first time in nearly six years he was allowed to be exactly what
he was, a frightened little boy.
Harry watched all
of those things pass across watery blue eyes before his tears began to
fall. Harry gathered the still broken Slytherin into his arms and rock him
until the heart shattering sobs ebbed and sleep began to claim him.
“ If you
have anything left to give him, I suggest you do it now,” Said Harry softly to
Madam Pomfrey,” He’s nearly asleep and I don’t think we should disturb him too
much. I doubt that he’s slept much recently.”
“ How do
you know that he hasn’t been sleeping well?” asked Madam Pomfrey.
“ He hides
it well, a spell I think. He has had to keep up the illusion of the perfect
Malfoy family,” Harry sighed a nearly defeated sigh,” Most importantly,
I know what it’s like to be afraid to closur eur eyes. I’ve been in that place,
all my life, where you can’t let down your guard because the moment you do they
sneak in and find a new way to hurt you. Eleven years and six summers of never
being good enough, of living off scraps of food,” tears began to run slowly
down his cheeks and Draco stirred.<
<
“ I always
thought you lived like a prince, I was jealous. You didn’t have to work to make
friends, everyone loved you instantly or hated you for
living.”
“ All
right, this is enough,” Demanded Madam Pomfrey,” Both of these boys need to
rest and heal. If anyone of you tries to enter this room, I’ll make sure you’re
stuck in bed until I’m fully satisfied that they are healed.”
“ You are
quite right Poppy,” Sighed Dumbledore suddenly looking old, “Minerva and I have
a meeting to discuss the protection of several students whom may be in grave
danger this school year. Come along Remus, Your input will be welcomed.”
“ Professor,
I’d like to stay here and make sure they stay safe,” said Tonks softly.
“ Yes,
that would be a good idea,” replied Remus thoughtfully.
“ Alright
everyone out.” Ordered Madam Pomfrey,” I’m sorry Tonks, you’ll have to wait
outside,” She waited until everyone was gone and the door shut before turning
to Harry and Draco, “ Alright Harry, up and off with
the shirt.”
Gently, Harry untangled himself
from Draco, stood up, and began removing his shirt. He closed his eyes and
tried to block out the shocked gasps as he revealed the patchwork tale of
bruises from his short two week stay at the Dursleys. Although he had not been
there long enough to lose all the weight he gained over the previous school
year he had lost . Ye. Years of near starvation kept him relatively small in
comparison to most boys his age.
“ If
stopped when she saw the twin winces that graced her patients faces,” come now
Draco, You too. I’ll do as much as I can this time around then let the two of
you sleep and I do mean sleep. You can talk later.”
“ Madam
Pomfrey,” said Draco softly as he pulled his shirt off, “ I… I don’t know how
to remove the spell.”
She glanced at him in slight
confusion before trying several visibility charms. A nea nearly ten tries the
spell finally dissipated revealing the deep purple bruising that covered most
of his torso. His blue eyes looked sunken and shadowed. He was merely a ghost
of the boy he’d been before. Harry knew by his gasp, that he had looked into
the full length mirror. Before anyone could say anything the door flew opened
and Mrs. Weasley rushed in, slamming it behind her. She was stopped dead in her
tracks by the two shirtless boys.
“ Oh dear
god!” she cried, hand across her mouth, “ Harry, why didn’t you tell me?”
“ There
was nothing you could have done,” whispered Harry.
“ I would
never have allowed Dumbledore to send you back to that horrid place,” She
turned to Draco who was gently prodding bruises in the mirror,” And you, How
could anyone do that to their own son.” Before Draco could respond he was
wrapped in her arms and they were both crying.
“ Molly,”
said Poppy Pomfrey gently,” Let’s heal them, get them a good meal, and let them
get some sleep okay.”
“ You’re
right Poppy,” responded Molly Weasley holding Draco out at arms length,” I
always thought you were really a good boy.”
As Molly and Poppy began healing
the two boys, Draco spoke up though it was in the softest, most childlike voice
they had ever heard from him, “ Why? Why are you all
being so nice to me? I’ve always treated you badly. You should hate me.”
Molly sat on the floor and pulled
the very young looking boy into her lap,” Tell me something Draco, Why did you
act that way?”
Draco looked confused and slightly
afraid,” because it made him happy and It was better if he was happy,” He
blushed crimson,” and I was jealous of all of them.”
“ I’m sure
that they will all forgive you but you’re going to have to give them a reason
to trust you,” said Molly Weasley, “ Now up with you. You need to be healed and
the two of you need to get some sleep while we make dinner.”
“ You
ready for this Molly, it’s been a few years since you left to be a mother.”
“ My
children just grow up and floo home if they can when they’re hurt,” responded
Molly Weasley,” And you know as well as I do how often that can be.”