A Whispered Confession Can Change Everything
folder
Harry Potter › General
Rating:
Adult
Chapters:
38
Views:
5,859
Reviews:
9
Recommended:
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Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › General
Rating:
Adult
Chapters:
38
Views:
5,859
Reviews:
9
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Draco paced from one end of the owlery to the other. Three days and not a letter or word from Harry. He was beyond worried and was quickly approaching panicked. And he hated panicking. It was undignified and he often lost his head when he was panicked. He actually cussed Pansy out when he was panicked once, which had led to a two hour lecture with him profusely apologizing. And he hated apologizing almost as much.
Harry was his friend, and yes he was as loyal as a Hufflepuff but there was more to it than that. Lucius had taken everything from him, with nothing of his own. Harry was his. He wasn’t going to let that go. One of the owls hopped down from his perch, nipping at his shoulder and he shook his head a little, “Sorry, boy, I didn’t bring a treat today.” He stroked the soft feathers, enjoying the calming feeling and let his mind wander. He paused when a muffled hoot caught his attention, toward the back behind some boxes. Frowning and pulling out his wand, he carefully worked his way towards the back. Yes, there were a lot of owls here and they were all making noises, but this noise sounded distressed.
He peeked around a few boxes and lifted a dusty blanket out of his way, pausing when a dirty white owl puffed up at him with a hiss and tried to jump out of the way. She batted a wing at him, the other hanging uselessly at her side and after a moment his eyes widened, “Hedwig?”
***
Draco nearly ran through the castle, pausing to catch his breath as the gargoyle moved before bursting into Albus’ office. He had a plan, two in fact. This was plan A but if his gambit failed at least he had a backup. There were official looking people bustling about, looking through records and talking rapidly to one another. He spotted a couple of Aurors who gave him a glance before dismissing him and talking amongst each other. Others looked to be official types, the education board maybe. They merely turned their noses up at him. He gave them a glare, tempted to stick out his tongue as Cassie would but refrained, stomping up to Albus who was his purpose at the moment, “Albus. I need to talk to you.”
Dumbledore gave him a harried smile. He was surrounded by stacks of parchment, three different people trying to talk to him at the same time. Draco noticed Fawkes had flown away to escape the pandemonium. Not that he blamed him but the plan came first, “I am a tad busy at the moment, Draco. Can this not wait until a little later?”
His tone was more than a tad pleading. Sighing but pressing forward. Harry was more important, “I would but I’m worried of Harry. I think he’s in trouble.”
Albus froze for a moment before giving Draco a considered look, “Are you certain?”
Ticking off his reasons out loud, “He hasn’t written in five days, our parchments don’t work anymore, and now-...”
“Headmaster, our business here is just a tad more important than a boy’s flight of fancy. We must insure the grounds are protected-...”
Jerking his head around and glaring, “I don’t take flights of fancy, you insignificant-...”
“Not to mention all of these contracts-...”
“Don’t talk to me like that you flubberworm!”
“Draco!” The blond subsided with a scowl. Albus held up a hand to the Auror who seemed about to speak while Draco shot the man an evil look, “I am aware. Draco, but I must insist we discuss this later.”
Not quite growling as he nodded, stepping back and letting the adults swamp Albus. So it was to plan B then. Well, he’d covered himself. Albus couldn’t say he hadn’t tried, “And I must insist that I won’t just stand idly by.” And without word or explanation he pivoted on his heels and stalked out of the room, heading for the secret compartment in his trunk. He hadn’t used it ever, might as well break his new wand in. And had Albus not been so distracted, he would have caught the resolve in the boy’s voice.
***
Draco squared his shoulders as he walked with a purpose for Hagrid’s hut. He was a Slytherin after all, he had a plan for everything that he did. And he remembered the rules quite plainly. Since only an adult’s permission is required to leave the school, that left him with any adult of his choosing. It wasn’t his fault that Albus hadn’t been more specific. And though he thought very much like a Slytherin at times, who were not known to stick their necks out for anyone, he possessed an almost Hufflepuff loyalty to his friends.
And he was by no means stupid. Nearly a week with no return messages from Harry to anyone. Not to mention Hedwig’s broken wing and nervous disposition. The owl had nearly clawed his arm off as he attempted to fix her. If there was truly nothing going on then Voldemort wore a tutu in public. Pasting a smile on his face and ignoring his guilt, not to mention his nervousness that Albus was going to kill him, “Hey, Hagrid.”
The half giant looked up with a happily surprised expression on his face. With the home kids and helping Albus develop tests and curriculum ideas, Draco hadn’t had much time for social visiting with the half giant. Hagrid lumbered to his feet, Fang whining and moving back into the hut. Giving a little wave of greeting, “Well hy’ah Draco. Watcha up to?”
Stopping to kick his feet just a bit in the dirt, eyes down and hands behind his back. He could do
this. He’d seen the Gryffindors act like this often enough, “I was hoping you could do me a favor.”
The tall man smiled kindly, “‘Nything I can do.”
Looking up eagerly, knowing his evil plan was working, “Can you take me to London? Please?”
Okay, that was a bit over the top and mentally adjusted just how much innocent child to throw into this. Hagrid’s eyebrow raised, “That’s quite a bit of a ways out there, Draco. Sure it’s okay with Dumbledore?”
No, but he didn’t say I couldn’t. Crossing his fingers behind his back, “He said as long as an adult let’s me I can leave the grounds.”
Hagrid nodded jovially, “Then it’s good ‘nough for me. C’mon then, w’ll take the bike.”
Draco nodded and followed after the half giant amiably for a dozen feet before pausing and cocking his head to one side. He’d been thinking apparation or...well, he wasn’t sure what he was thinking but a bike
hadn’t been it, “Bike, Hagrid?”
Draco paced from one end of the owlery to the other. Three days and not a letter or word from Harry. He was beyond worried and was quickly approaching panicked. And he hated panicking. It was undignified and he often lost his head when he was panicked. He actually cussed Pansy out when he was panicked once, which had led to a two hour lecture with him profusely apologizing. And he hated apologizing almost as much.
Harry was his friend, and yes he was as loyal as a Hufflepuff but there was more to it than that. Lucius had taken everything from him, with nothing of his own. Harry was his. He wasn’t going to let that go. One of the owls hopped down from his perch, nipping at his shoulder and he shook his head a little, “Sorry, boy, I didn’t bring a treat today.” He stroked the soft feathers, enjoying the calming feeling and let his mind wander. He paused when a muffled hoot caught his attention, toward the back behind some boxes. Frowning and pulling out his wand, he carefully worked his way towards the back. Yes, there were a lot of owls here and they were all making noises, but this noise sounded distressed.
He peeked around a few boxes and lifted a dusty blanket out of his way, pausing when a dirty white owl puffed up at him with a hiss and tried to jump out of the way. She batted a wing at him, the other hanging uselessly at her side and after a moment his eyes widened, “Hedwig?”
***
Draco nearly ran through the castle, pausing to catch his breath as the gargoyle moved before bursting into Albus’ office. He had a plan, two in fact. This was plan A but if his gambit failed at least he had a backup. There were official looking people bustling about, looking through records and talking rapidly to one another. He spotted a couple of Aurors who gave him a glance before dismissing him and talking amongst each other. Others looked to be official types, the education board maybe. They merely turned their noses up at him. He gave them a glare, tempted to stick out his tongue as Cassie would but refrained, stomping up to Albus who was his purpose at the moment, “Albus. I need to talk to you.”
Dumbledore gave him a harried smile. He was surrounded by stacks of parchment, three different people trying to talk to him at the same time. Draco noticed Fawkes had flown away to escape the pandemonium. Not that he blamed him but the plan came first, “I am a tad busy at the moment, Draco. Can this not wait until a little later?”
His tone was more than a tad pleading. Sighing but pressing forward. Harry was more important, “I would but I’m worried of Harry. I think he’s in trouble.”
Albus froze for a moment before giving Draco a considered look, “Are you certain?”
Ticking off his reasons out loud, “He hasn’t written in five days, our parchments don’t work anymore, and now-...”
“Headmaster, our business here is just a tad more important than a boy’s flight of fancy. We must insure the grounds are protected-...”
Jerking his head around and glaring, “I don’t take flights of fancy, you insignificant-...”
“Not to mention all of these contracts-...”
“Don’t talk to me like that you flubberworm!”
“Draco!” The blond subsided with a scowl. Albus held up a hand to the Auror who seemed about to speak while Draco shot the man an evil look, “I am aware. Draco, but I must insist we discuss this later.”
Not quite growling as he nodded, stepping back and letting the adults swamp Albus. So it was to plan B then. Well, he’d covered himself. Albus couldn’t say he hadn’t tried, “And I must insist that I won’t just stand idly by.” And without word or explanation he pivoted on his heels and stalked out of the room, heading for the secret compartment in his trunk. He hadn’t used it ever, might as well break his new wand in. And had Albus not been so distracted, he would have caught the resolve in the boy’s voice.
***
Draco squared his shoulders as he walked with a purpose for Hagrid’s hut. He was a Slytherin after all, he had a plan for everything that he did. And he remembered the rules quite plainly. Since only an adult’s permission is required to leave the school, that left him with any adult of his choosing. It wasn’t his fault that Albus hadn’t been more specific. And though he thought very much like a Slytherin at times, who were not known to stick their necks out for anyone, he possessed an almost Hufflepuff loyalty to his friends.
And he was by no means stupid. Nearly a week with no return messages from Harry to anyone. Not to mention Hedwig’s broken wing and nervous disposition. The owl had nearly clawed his arm off as he attempted to fix her. If there was truly nothing going on then Voldemort wore a tutu in public. Pasting a smile on his face and ignoring his guilt, not to mention his nervousness that Albus was going to kill him, “Hey, Hagrid.”
The half giant looked up with a happily surprised expression on his face. With the home kids and helping Albus develop tests and curriculum ideas, Draco hadn’t had much time for social visiting with the half giant. Hagrid lumbered to his feet, Fang whining and moving back into the hut. Giving a little wave of greeting, “Well hy’ah Draco. Watcha up to?”
Stopping to kick his feet just a bit in the dirt, eyes down and hands behind his back. He could do
this. He’d seen the Gryffindors act like this often enough, “I was hoping you could do me a favor.”
The tall man smiled kindly, “‘Nything I can do.”
Looking up eagerly, knowing his evil plan was working, “Can you take me to London? Please?”
Okay, that was a bit over the top and mentally adjusted just how much innocent child to throw into this. Hagrid’s eyebrow raised, “That’s quite a bit of a ways out there, Draco. Sure it’s okay with Dumbledore?”
No, but he didn’t say I couldn’t. Crossing his fingers behind his back, “He said as long as an adult let’s me I can leave the grounds.”
Hagrid nodded jovially, “Then it’s good ‘nough for me. C’mon then, w’ll take the bike.”
Draco nodded and followed after the half giant amiably for a dozen feet before pausing and cocking his head to one side. He’d been thinking apparation or...well, he wasn’t sure what he was thinking but a bike
hadn’t been it, “Bike, Hagrid?”