A Whispered Confession Can Change Everything

Chapter 22

Draco looked silently around the small, dirty room. A barely usable bed. A faded, scuffed up bureau and table. That was it. That was the extent of Harry’s life. And from his understanding his room was a cupboard before that. He didn’t understand that. He couldn’t see how a person could function with so little...yet Harry did. Wait, where was his broom? He looked around and frowned to himself before sliding the bed over and smirking.

Kneeling, he lifted a few boards to discover a small treasure trove. A framed picture. A photo album. Harry’s nimbus and polishing kit. His eyebrows rose, whoa, an invisibility cloak. Actually, that explained a lot. Oh, that was new. Apparently the little Creevy twirp had caught him unawares. A picture of him sitting not too far from Hermione at the library. She was just behind him, both he and her flipping through pages and scribbling with dedication into parchments. Turning the photo over, “Best Friend Hermione and Best Git Draco.” Smiling slightly, he apparated again.

Draco sat on a log at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He was bent over, hands fisting his hair and running everything through his mind over and over again. He’d said it, and he meant it, but he couldn’t believe he’d sworn an oath to it. Very much out of his character but what’s done was done. He looked glumly down at the very illegal wand at his feet. He should have never touched it. But then who would have saved Harry? And who was going to save him now? He shook his head. No. Harry would live. Albus would kill him and life would go on. And Merlin wasn’t that glum?

“Draco?”

Draco looked up and smiled weakly. Cassie. She was eying him worriedly, her hair as pale white as his. He frowned and fingered her locks, “How do you do that?”

She shrugged, “It just happens with my moods...are you okay?” He looked into her worried eyes, “Where were you?”

He smiled to her, tweaking her nose as he heard the loud motorcycle approach Hogwarts and winced to himself. He’d forgotten the silence charm, “I had to save a friend.”

***

Hagrid had arrived to Hogwarts before Draco had shown himself. The professors were huddled around the boy, trying to figure out how to dispel the shield around Harry when it vanished, the injured boy easing into the infirmary bed. Draco’s expression was completely blank as he walked slowly over to the far wall and curled up, watching Harry with unreadable eyes.

One by one the professors were sent along their way, giving Draco searching looks but the boy wouldn’t look at any of them. Severus stayed the longest, seeing the wand still clutched in his hand and knowing it was not the one he used at school. Kneeling down over his godson, whispering against his ear, “Give me the wand, Draco.” Draco shook his head silently, fingers tightening around the ebony, “Give it to me now, son.” For the first time Draco’s eyes shifted away from Harry, staring up at his godfather. Shuddering a breath, he released his hold and allowed Severus to take it. Giving his shoulder a squeeze, “He’ll be alright.” Draco nodded a little in acknowledgment but didn’t move and after a few moments Snape left as well.

Draco stayed back against the far side of the infirmary, back pressed against the wall and face pinched as he watched Madam Pomfrey work with dedication over Harry’s unconscious form. Silently, he chanted in his mind, begging that his friend would be okay. He’d just gotten to know the boy, he didn’t want to lose him. Harry was so pale, his eye swollen and the cuts around his eye and lip livid against his skin.

He flinched when Albus moved silently into the hospital, speaking with Poppy in hushed tones for several moments before he nodded. His guardian turned his attention to his charge, the boy trying to make his presence as small as possible. But he could read the worry and coaxed the boy to his side. He wrapped an arm loosely about the pale boy’s shoulders and let him relax, wanting to ease his worry and anxiety.

“You may stay with Harry tonight, Draco, on that bed over there. You were very creative, very dare I say Slytherin in your approach. What you did was very brave but you’ve also worried a lot of people here who care about you and I expect you to apologize...” Draco nodded but froze for a moment when Albus’ tone dropped to a warning tone that was promise, not threat, “...I do not say this to scare you but to ensure that you think before you act so rashly again. If you stretch the rules in such a way to endanger yourself again you will be spanked, young sir.” Draco felt his face flame instantly, eyes shooting up to the Headmaster who was completely serious. After two tries he was able to swallow and nod a tad nervously. Albus just rested his hand lightly on the blond hair, “Alright, then.”

Without even thinking Draco threw his arms around the Headmaster and hugged him tightly, “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, Albus, but he’s my friend...I had to help him.”

Rubbing his back, “And why couldn’t you tell me?”

Sniffing, “I did...you were busy...” A pout entering his voice, “...and you said an adult had to know. You never said it couldn’t be Hagrid.”

“Draco, you are not naive. We both know that Hagrid is far too trusting to know what is best for you.”

Draco frowned, starting to get into this, “But the rules-...”

“Are you certain it’s wise to continue a conversation you will inevitably lose?”

Grey eyes met blue, the lighter color looking away first, “I’m finished.”

Albus pat him on the head, his mind moving back to what Draco had said about coming to him. He vaguely remembered that conversation. It had been a hunch of Draco’s that Harry was in trouble and he’d dismissed it as an idle fear. It reminded him that Gryffindor’s fly off the handle on a whim but Slytherins are very careful before making accusations. The child would have had proof before he’d approached his guardian, “How did you
know?”

Looking up, “I was in the owlery...Harry’s owl was there but she was badly hurt. I patched her up but she was scared of me. Since I know Harry loves that owl it couldn’t be because she was abused...unless she’d been injured by a human recently.”

Nodding, “I understand and your apology is accepted but my promise still stands, Draco. If I’m not
listening to you make me but do not endanger yourself like that again.” Draco nodded and Albus’ tone turned a tad curious, “And just how did you return to Hogwarts without Hagrid?”

Draco looked up warily, but the expression on Albus’ face made it quite plain an explanation was required. Sighing into his robes, “I apparated.”

Albus blinked, frozen, for several moments before he wrapped his mind around that fact, “And where did you learn that?”

Shrugging, “I watched Lucius. And I read all of the time, one of my books is on apparation.”

Ruffling his hair, “Never again, Draco or I will be confiscating such books. Do keep in mind that your accelerated learning is a privilege and one I will revoke if you prove unable to use them responsibly.” Sighing, he nodded and gave Albus one last hug before moving over to the bed.

***

Harry blinked his eyes open slowly, thankful the lights in the room he was in were dim. His head felt three sizes bigger than it really was. His body, however, felt considerably better than it had so he knew he wasn’t in the shed anymore. He wasn’t daring enough to move anything though. Maybe the Dursley’s had pity on him...nay, couldn’t be that. They wanted him dead or at least out of their lives. So what had happened?

“Harry?” He knew that voice. He’d never heard it sound so relieved but he knew that voice, “Harry? Are you alright?”

He turned his head just a little, eyes locking on Draco who looked immensely relieved to see him. He opened his mouth to say something but only a croak came out. Draco disappeared and returned with a glass of water, helping his friend to drink, “Thanks...how’d...I get...here...”

Draco looked down for a bit, his longer hair falling into his eyes. Harry blinked, realizing it was a good look for the Slytherin, “I...we...brought you here.”

Frowning hurt so he let his voice do the asking, “Who’s...we?”

A small smile on Draco’s face, grey eyes looking up before darting away, “Hagrid and I.”

“They let...you...out just...to...come...get me?”

A mischievous smirk crossed his face, “No. They didn’t know we’d left.” Expression turning sour, “Albus was not happy with me over that so you most definitely owe me, Harry.” Leaning back a little, cocking an eyebrow regally, “But what to do to you...now that is the question?” Jumping, tapping his temple and reaching under his shirt, “I also have something for you.”

Carefully he displayed the flawless wood and Harry’s eyes widened a little in delight, “My...wand...I thought...they...destroyed it...”

Shrugging, “It was just hidden. Your fat cousin handed it over after I had him suitably terrified.”

“How did...you know...I was in...trouble?”

His expression turned serious, “Hermione and I couldn’t reach you...then your owl appeared here, injured-.”

“She’s okay!”

Harry lay back gasping and Draco ran a reassuring hand over Harry’s arm. He knew how much that bird meant to his friend, “She’s fine. She grievously wounded me...you owe me for that as well.” Harry rolled his eyes at his friend. Draco looked indignant, touching his arm, “She could have scarred me. I’m serious!” The slight pulling of the corner of his lip said otherwise, “I fixed her up right as rain.” Draco made a face, “How right is rain, anyway?”

The dark haired boy struggled to laugh, falling back in exhaustion and closing his eyes, “Thanks...Draco.”

Draco knew it was for everything. For saving him. For saving his owl. For making him laugh. Giving a small grin, “Anytime.”