“Oh,hehasn’tdonethatsinehewastwelve.”Ginnybreaksin,snappingimpatientlyatthetwoofthem,andHarrystartsughingthewayhedoeswhenRonmakesateasingommentathim.“Andthatwasonlyonegrateextra.Justgoalready,youtwo,Ian’tdistratthepressforever.”
Harryarhesaneyebrow,andrefusingwouldnotjustbesilly,itwouldalsofeellikeDraowasadmittingdefeat.Everythingbetweenthetwoofthemwasstillaonstantompetition,andhewasdeterminedtowinatsomething.
Hetookhishand.
Harry
Whentheideafirstametohim,hedidn’treallythinkitthroughatall.Hehadjustseensomeonewhoneededhelp,andthoughtofhisbigemptyhousestuffedfullwithSirius’shadow,andthoughtthatanextrapersonwouldhelpfillitupwithsomethingliving.Sohehadstood,andthenitwasallhappening,theageoldsayingthatitonlytakesfiveseondsofetohangeyourlife.
AndnowDraoMalfoywasstandinginhislivingroom.
Thestupidthingwas,thatasthetwoofthemlookaroundathishouse,Harryisatuallyembarrassed.It’sstillthesamefurniture,soit’sdarkandgloomy,andHarryisn’talwaysthebestathousekeeping.HeknowsthatitsnothinglikewhatDraohadgottentogohometoeverynight.
“Well,thisishome.”Harrybreakstheiefirst,beausehe’saGryffindorandbraveryiskindofhisthing.“Mybedroomisonthefirstfloor,butIanshowyouaoupleandyoupikwhere’sbest?Kreaherantakeyouaround.”
“Youdon’thavetodothis.”ItwasreallythefirstthingthatDraohadsaidtohim,besidesthejibehemadeinfrontofthefloogate,wherethesmilesplithisfaeapartandHarryouldseetheoldMalfoyunderh.“Whyareyoudoingthis?”
“Idon’tknow.”
“Ideservedit.”Drao’shandswereshaking.Harryknewthefeeling,hadbeendealingwithRon’sboutsofunexpinedangersinethewarended,allthepainandterrorandgriefburstingoutofalloftheminunexpinableways.Harrygoesonwalksinthemiddleofthenight.Hermioneleansandwritespetitions,dependingonthemood.“Imademypeaewiththat,okay,andIwasready,Iwasreadyforit,tohavesomepeaeforone,andthenyouamealonganddidthis,soIwanttoknowwhy.”
ThiswasmoreliketheDraothatHarryknew,theonewhothoughthedeservedthingsandmadehisowndemands.“BeauseIdidn’tthinkyoudeservedit.”HarrywouldneverthinkthatMalfoydeservedaoldellinAzkaban,notafterallthebloodthatseemedtobeoatinghisownhands.“AndIdon’tthinkyoushouldletyourselflokedupjustbeauseyou’vedeidedthatyoufeelguilty,alright?”
Hewastired,allofasudden,theboneahingexhaustionthatomesuponhimsometimes.“Justpikaroom,okay?I’llseeyouinthem.”