Stormy Confessions

Stormy Confessions (1/1)
By: Tazzy (jellicalcat1@yahoo.com)
Rating: PG
Warning: Spoilers for Goblet of Fire, Full Moon Confessions
Disclaimer: I don\'t own any one here. They all belong to the talented J.K. Rowlings.
Author\'s notes: This is a sequel to my short story \"Full Moon Confessions\", and you don\'t have to read that one first, but it helps. That was from Draco Malfoy\'s POV. This one is from Harry\'s and takes place the morning after that one ends.
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Yawning, I stretched and blinked against the dim light that streamed into the room. Frowning slightly, I glanced around at the familiar blobs that made up the Gryffindor Boy\'s dorm. I couldn\'t remember how I had gotten back to my bed when my last memories were talking with Draco as we sat in the window. There may have been a second voice, but my memories were too hazy to be sure. Shaking my head, I slipped out from under my covers, automatically washing and dressing before heading towards the Great Hall.

Silence descended as I slipped past the doors and I quickly made my way to the Gryffindor table, painfully aware of all the eyes follow my every movement. I sat down across from Ron and Hermione, pushing back the memories that threatened to rush forward and bury me again. If I could just make it through one more day, I would be fine. Just one more day.

A plate of food seemed to appear before me, and I looked up to find Hermione giving me a comforting smile. I managed to offer a weak smile before picking at my food. I knew I should eat as much as possible before returning to the Dursley\'s, but my appetite had vanished as quickly as the Twins when Filch showed up. Slowly, conversation began picking up once more, but there were still too many eyes on me for my comfort. I really wished I could just curl up in my invisibility cloak for the next decade or until Voldemort was defeated.

A comforting presence approached me, and I looked up to find Professor McGonagall there, a soft smile on her face that she had directed at me ever since the end of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. \"Mr. Potter, when you are finished, Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak to you,\" she said, and I felt misery clutch my heart. I didn\'t want to go over everything again, but I knew I didn\'t have a choice. Other than Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew, I was the only one who knew everything that happened.

I pushed my plate away and stood up. \"I\'m finished,\" I muttered, turning away from the table. McGonagall placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and we left the hall together. Instead of continuing towards Dumbledore\'s office, we stopped and waited a few minutes before Professor Snape and Draco emerged from the hall. The two professors nodded to each other and started down the hall together with Draco and I trailing behind them.

Why was Draco coming with us? Snape I could understand as a professor and a former Death Eater, but why Draco? I glanced over at the pale boy to find his face cool and emotionless as marble. Running a hand through my hair, I forced my worries and concerns aside and instead concentrated on the various paintings that we passed. Unfortunately, they were just a blur of color before my eyes and I couldn\'t enjoy them today. With each step, the gloom grew heavier and deeper around me until it felt like I was walking in a thick fog, cold and unfeeling.

A soft weight settled on my shoulder, infusing me with warmth and hope, and I looked over to find Dumbledore\'s phoenix, Fawkes, resting on my shoulder, his bright feathers brushing my cheek in a gentle caress. Some time when I was lost in the fog, we had entered the office and the two professors were standing next to his desk while Draco and I were sitting in the chairs facing him.

\"Welcome back, Harry,\" greeted Dumbledore in a gentle voice before turning his gaze on Draco. \"Mr. Malfoy, what proof do you offer against your father using the Dark Arts?\"

My head whipped around to stare at Draco in disbelief. He was going to offer proof that would convict his father of practicing the Dark Arts? I tried desperately to remember what we had discussed last night, but my mind refused to cooperate and our words were still shrouded in darkness for me. Much like many of my days since I had seen Sirius Black.

Draco stood up and all color had drained from his face, making him seem like one of the ghosts that frequented the halls of Hogwarts. \"I have proof, sir,\" he said in a calm voice that belied his pale complexion. \"However, it requires I remove my shirt as well as borrow Professor Snape\'s help.\" He took a deep breath and continued, his voice acquiring a slight tremor. \"I will explain everything, but only one with the Dark Mark can reveal the proof.\"

Dumbledore nodded in agreement, and Draco gracefully shrugged out of his robes and shirt. Then he handed Snape a piece of paper. \"This is all that I know of the spell,\" he stated, his hand trembling as he held out the paper.

Puzzled, Snape took the paper and read through it as Draco turned to face me. \"Any time you are ready, Professor.\" There was fear dancing in those gray eyes as he kept his gaze locked on my face. The rest of the world seemed to fade as we stared at each other for what seemed like hours until two words drifted over us. \"Draco Mortis.\" As if that had been some sort of signal, Draco screamed in agony and his knees buckled. I leaped from my seat to grab his upper arms, preventing him from crashing to the floor. His angular face was twisted in a mask of pain as tears streamed down his face.

\"By Merlin\'s Beard,\" breathed Snape as McGonagall gave a soft cry of despair. \"I knew Lucious was ruthless but to do this to his own son?\"

Trembling hands latched onto my arms, digging into my skin as sweat slicked Draco\'s pale torso. \"Hurts... by Merlin, it hurts...\" The words were whispered past my ear and I began murmuring comforting nonsense in his ear, desperate to sooth the agony that he was experiencing. A light rustling of feathers reminded me of Fawkes as he lightly settled on Draco\'s shoulder. He rubbed his feathered head against the pale cheek, offering his own form of comfort as the professors fluttered around behind Draco.

\"Draco Vivunt.\" The second the last letter passed Snape\'s lips, Draco collapsed like a marionette whose strings had been cut, his chest heaving with deep, shuddering breaths as I helped him back into his chair. His trembling bothered me, probably because he had never seemed weak or vulnerable in the four years I had known him. Snagging his shirt and robe, I eased them over his shoulders and he offered me a weak smile.

A goblet of pumpkin juice was pressed into Draco\'s hand, and I looked up into the tired face of Dumbledore. \"When you have recovered,\" he softly invited before returning to his desk.

Draco drained the goblet as I brushed a silver strand of hair off his sweat-soaked forehead, offering comfort without gathering him in my arms. After several minutes, the trembling finally ceased, and Draco slipped both his shirt and his robe on, once more appearing calm and sophisticated. \"What are your questions?\"

\"When was that placed on your back?\" inquired Dumbledore, his voice still soft and gentle.

\"When I was five.\" A note of bitterness crept into Draco\'s words. \"Father had decided that I was old enough to start serious studies, but didn\'t want me to get out of control.\" I flinched at the implications behind the words, but didn\'t remove my eyes from his face. \"If I was ever willful or disobedient, he would activate the spell. He briefly showed me what it felt like after he put it on me, but when I tried to turn it off the first time he punished me, he stood over me, laughing. Claimed that only those with a Dark Mark could control it.\"

Snape stared at Draco, his face thoughtful. \"What else has your father taught you?\" he asked. Draco closed his eyes and began reciting everything from the Unforgivable Curses to demonic summoning and anything in between. He had learned things that I wondered if even the DADA professors knew how to do. Well, maybe with the exception of Remus Lupin.

\"What else can you tell us about your father\'s practice?\" Dumbledore inquired, drawing the attention back to him.

\"He has a section of the dungeon that no one is allowed in and his office is always locked. No matter if he\'s in there or not,\" Draco explained. \"Whenever he vanished into the dungeon, about two or three of the house elves vanished as well.\" Absently, he stroked the feathers of Fawkes, who had moved to perch on his lap. \"When I asked after them, he only replied that I wasn\'t ready for that lesson yet.\" He sighed, sounding a bit depressed. \"I\'m not sure if any of this helps or not.\"

Dumbledore smiled again. \"Yes, all this definitely helps,\" he agreed. \"Now, as to what to do with you for the summer, I have an idea, but I need to contact some people first.\" He glanced at Snape and McGonagall. \"Would it be possible for you to watch over Draco, Servius? And can you keep an eye on Harry, Minerva?\" They nodded and Dumbledore turned back to us. \"You two will have an exceptionally difficult task ahead of you. You must act like nothing has changed between you at all. Especially on the train to Diagon Alley.\"

I nodded and tried to offer Draco a reassuring smile, but it felt weak and brittle to me. He stood up, shrugging into his shirt and robe before returning a stronger version of my smile. \"I\'d like to apologize now for anything I say on the train,\" he announced. \"Crabbe and Goyle will be clinging to me like unwanted shadows and they may seem stupid, but they\'re rather observant.\" With that, he turned and left with Snape.

\"Where are you going to send us, Sir?\" I asked, hesitantly. I didn\'t want to leave the comfort of his office for the harsh reality waiting for me on the other side of his door.

\"The one place where Voldemort would never think to look for you and where Muggles use magic,\" came the cryptic reply. He smiled and nodded his head at me in a clear dismissal. \"Now if you will excuse me, I have some letters to write.\"

I nodded and reluctantly left his office with McGonagall, his words echoing through my head. Muggles use magic? Shaking my head, I wandered back to my House to collect my books for the day. One more day to live through.

The End.