Dreams and Lies

PART
TWO

Draco
cautiously came out on the other side of the tunnel.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> As Fred had told him before shutting the
secret door behind him it did come out right near Hagrid’s
Hut in a shed that obviously hadn’t been used for several long years if the
inches thick dust was any indication. He
listened carefully to make sure that he really was alone and that no one was
near by. It would not do to get caught
without his little escort.

He
opened the door and stepped out into the grounds of Hogwarts.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> When he peered through the heavy brush he
could see Hagrid’s house with smoke pouring out from
the chimney. Draco looked around the
Hogwarts grounds. It had been several
long years since he had last been at Hogwarts.
Perhaps he shouldn’t have come back but he owed it to Harry and Severus
to be here now, even if some people did not trust him and would never trust him.
He couldn’t help but wonder if it was truly
worth it to have returned.

Draco
raked a hand through his chin length blond hair.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> He had allowed it to grow out quite a bit
since he had moved to style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Americastyle='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'> three years ago.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> It had been time for a change.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Wearily he trudged towards the large castle
not knowing what to expect and not really caring.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> After all, most of the staff would not bother
to cover their disdain towards him.

“Draco?”
A figure stepped out of Hagrid’s hut and walked
towards him. “Is that really you?”

“Harry?”
Draco turned to the familiar voice even though he had not heard it for several
years. “It’s been a long time.”

“Yeah
it has,” Harry Potter allowed a brief smile to cross his face as he took in
Draco standing before him. “But that’s
ok. What are you doing here?”

“Something
I heard made me come here,” Draco told his former enemy with a shrug.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “I don’t know what to make of it.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Apparently Dumbledore and McGonagall know
that I’m back because they sent Granger to come and track me down as soon as I
got to the Continent.”

“What
is it?” Harry frowned. “I haven’t heard
anything and for you to come back it has to be something fairly serious.”

“Doesn’t
surprise me,” Draco sneered at the castle.
“I doubt that Dumbledore would tell his protégé anything useful.”

Draco,”
Harry sighed at the tired old argument.

“You
know it’s true,” Draco cut in before Harry could defend the old wizard.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “Why do you think I left?style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I don’t want to be manipulated, even if it’s
only a little bit as you put it. He keeps
important knowledge away from you, knowledge that you should be aware of if
only to preserve your life.”

“Then
why come back?” Harry folded his arms across his chest, his tone challenging.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “You could just as easily have sent a message
of some kind.”

“It’s
important,” Draco shrugged again. “And I
had to see how you and Professor Snape were doing.”

Harry
looked at Draco for a few long moments before turning away towards the
castle.

“Let’s
go then,” Harry squared his shoulders.
“I suppose now’s as good a time as any.
And Draco?”

“Hm?”style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'> The blond Slytherin
looked at the black haired Gryffindor walking by his side.

“I
have some news for you too,” The green eyes studied gray ones as they made
their way to the looming structure before them, the only home either of them
laid claim to even if they no longer cared for it as greatly as they once had.