A Whispered Confession Can Change Everything

Chapter 23

It was a day later before Harry was well enough to move and Draco hadn’t left his side. If nothing else, it was incentive for Harry to get better again. The blond was worse than a mother hen. Draco led Harry to the Great hall, the boy gasping in shock. There were so many of them. Not all of the Professors that he knew but so many kids. Nope, Draco had not had a dull summer. Draco let Harry collapse next to Cassie and gave her a small wink as he walked up the steps until he was looking down at everyone and everyone could see him.

Red creeping up his face, eyes on the ground, “I’m sorry I worried everyone and left without telling any of you. It was wrong of me and...I won’t do so again.”

Harry was stunned. Draco hadn’t said he’d rescued him behind everyone’s back. He’d assumed someone
other than Hagrid had known. That was a bit Gryffindor even for his taste. Cassie jumped to her feet, “See that you don’t, young man!”

Gales of laughter flooded the hall while Draco glared at her, his face an even deeper red. But it was all in honest fun as she climbed up the steps and welcomed him back to the table. He growled at her, “Don’t make me hex you...” She cleared her throat after a few minutes and he remembered himself, “Everyone this is Harry.” He gave the boy that lived a wink, knowing it would be easier for Harry to make friends if they didn’t know his last name, “Harry, this is Cassie, the ring leader-...”

“Nope, I’m just the lieutenant of mischief. Draco’s the leader.”

Giving her a glare, “Knock it off or I’ll tell the elves you’re allergic to chocolate.” She threw him a set of liquid eyes and he turned away with a sigh, “Those are the twins Alex and Hen-...”

“God, Draco, do you know everybody?”

Shrugging, “Nearly.” He popped a carrot into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully while Harry seemed near to bursting with questions. Rolling his eyes, “Ask, Harry, you look like you’re about to explode.”

“I didn’t realize there were so many. Are you friends with all of them? Just how well have you taught them how to fly? Can I see? You said something about new tests. What new tests? Does this mean I can get into some of the more complex spells or even out of potions, I hope? How did you get to London and scare the piss out of my relatives or did Hagrid resort to brute force? When-...”

Draco shoved an apple at Harry, the raven haired boy staring at him but chewing, “You’ll have to forgive him...he doesn’t get out much.”

Harry glared and mumbled around the apple slice, “Prat.”

“No, I’m a git, get it right. Now, I will answer one question at a time, like any normally conversing person but eat something, Harry, you’re skinnier than I am.”

Cassie snorted, “And that’s saying something.” Draco blew her a raspberry.

Harry sighed but settled backed down. A whole day with him, but he’d been unwell enough that these questions just hadn’t occurred to him. Small pleasantries and his owl had been about as deep as their conversations had progressed. But he did as Draco entreated, watching with an amused turn of his lip as a couple of boys started sword fighting with their celery sticks.

Cassie lightly traced the scar under his lip, “That one looked nasty.”

Harry glanced at the girl but there was no mocking, nor any apology to her bluntness. He kinda liked that and smiled a little, “My uncle was unimpressed with burning breakfast. He hit me in the face with a pan.”

Shuddering, “Between you and Draco, you have a nightmare of a home life. I’m almost glad to be an orphan no one wants.”

His expression slightly sour, “I was an orphan no one wanted. Didn’t save me.”

Cassie frowned, “Then why the hell couldn’t they just send you back to the orphanage?”

Shrugging, grabbing a sandwich, “I was never at an orphanage.”

Blinking, “But you were adopted by them, right?”

This time a silent shrug and Draco frowned, “Cassie, knock it off, okay? He doesn’t want to talk about it.”

Harry glanced at Draco in surprise. Not just that the blond defended him, but his tone of voice. He sounded a bit like Hermione and he was actually thankful for that. Cassie backed down immediately, “I’m sorry. Sometimes you just have to belt me to get the point across.”

Draco rolled his eyes, “No, I’m not friends with all of them since I don’t know all of them but they’re all very nice kids. Yes, you can see us fly since after lunch that’s where we’re all going anyway. There is a whole new testing system, perfected by your’s truly. It will basically place you in the year that you are most qualified for so if you’re having problems with a subject, like potions, you’ll be placed in remedial potions so you can catch up with everyone else at your year. So no, you’re still stuck with potions. We flew on Hagrid’s bike to London, apparently a flying motorcycle that was a harrowing experience, let me assure you. And I used intimidation to scare the piss out of your relatives but I can’t tell you how here, perhaps later. There, does that answer your questions?”

Harry glanced at Cassie, “He get’s crabby before nap time, doesn’t he?” He gave her a cheeky grin but her eyes just widened in horror. Feeling dread fill his stomach, he turned just in time to see Draco welding a cream pie with a nasty smirk on his face.


***

“ACCIO BROOM!”

Albus turned and looked behind him, watching as a hysterically laughing Draco zipped by him on his broom. What had him raising an eyebrow was a pie covered Harry zipping after him on his own broom, “You’re dead, Malfoy!” Children poured out of the Great Hall and ran down the corridor, following after the boys tossing obscenities to one another.

Giving himself a little shake, he moved to follow after them, Minerva quickly at his side and trying like mad to stifle her giggles. He hadn’t seen her trying to repress her laughter so much in years and it did his heart some good. Out on the field, they watched as Draco zigged and zagged, still giggling and giving Harry a good chase, “C’mon Potty Potter...can’t catch me.”

Harry narrowed his eyes, leaning down closer to his broom and moving faster, “Wanna bet?”

Draco’s eyes widened and with a yelp he dove towards the ground in a spiral pattern, the Gryffindor seeker hot on his tail. Smirking to himself, he zigged and zagged much like a snitch and soon had a bit of a distance from Harry. The other children ran for their brooms and Draco raised his hands, “Time out!” Harry froze and frowned at him while Draco pulled out his wand and reciting the incantation to provide safety for the little riders straddling their brooms and taking for the air, “It makes sure they can’t get hurt if they fall or lose control.”

Thinking of all the times he’d banged or broken something playing without it, “Then why the hell can’t they use it during Quidich?”

Shrugging, “Don’t know. Must be restricted to a height limit, we’ve never tested it. Time in.”

Draco was off like a shot, Harry grinning and chasing after him. He slowed down as the younger children tried to keep up with him, watching as Draco was doing the same thing. And they were perfect little mimics. Every move Draco tried they would attempt and no one got hurt. He would steady them if needed, veering sharply to keep one from falling off. Slowing another one down and having her adjust her grip before zipping off again. Harry just shook his head.