Equals
Harry's pov
I stared at the gate of the Manor, and sighed for the third time. I didn't know what I was doing here and I started to regret having taken a day off just to come.
I thought about leaving but couldn't bring myself to, I had to speak with him, it was better if I was the one telling him these tipe of things instead of a random auror.
Or so I hope. I haven't seen Draco since the last hearing in court, two years and a half ago, so I had no actual proof that he would be happy to see me.
I took a deep breath again, then reached for the wand in my sleeve, ready to cast a spell to get Draco's attention and get him to open the gate, when the gate opened on his own.
I stared at it for a moment, a bit startled, but then pushed it open completely and walked in the enormous yard.
Malfoy Manor almost hasn't changed at all since the last time I saw it, that day during the war when we got captured, the day when Dobby died. It was still the same dark place with the dead grass, the dark colored walls, and everywhere an overuse of black and dark green.
That place didn't bring back happy memories, I felt goosebuns run down my back as I walked in the yard, yet I forced myself to keep walking, I couldn't back down now.
I had almost walked about half of the yard when the door of the Manor opened, and a figure leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed.
I knew it was Draco, of course, he lived there alone, yet even with the glasses, I needed to walk far more close before seeing him clearly.
He had changed a lot since the last time I saw him.
He looked far more tired, he had clearly lost weight, so much that he looked like a strong wind could easily break him, and didn't seem much happy to see me. Despite all that, though, he was still the prettiest man I have ever seen.
The bags under his eyes or the loss of weight left untouched his aristocratic features that made him look like a long lost prince, and the eyes, despite having walked through hell, didn't lose that beautiful light of superiority that made him incredibly annoying yet amazingly attractive.
What surprised me the most, though, were his hair. The last time I saw him, his hair were longer than usual since he didn't have the chance to cut them, but now it was a whole different thing. His hair were so long they fell on his shoulders making his neck even more slim and royal-like, the blonde in them gave highlights with the soft sunlight of that winter morning marking the pale of his skin Even with his arms crossed on his chest, Draco was rolling a strand of hair in his finger in an action that looked a bit like a sign of uncomfortability.
I swallowed nervously, but forced a smile and walked to him, reaching the top of the three steps to reach the door, and Draco, with a small wave of hand.
"Hi" I tried to smile, not hiding well at all my nervousness, feeling Draco's gaze studying me up and down.
"...hi" he replied with a tone full of caution, biting his lips.
"How did you know I was there?" I asked curious, afterall Draco opened the gate before I could tell him I was here.
He scrolled his shoulders, replying "This house has windows, you know"
I didn't ask him for how long was he staring at me from one of the windows, I preferred to not know if he saw for how long I have been staring at the black metal of the gate, and he chose to not tell me anyway.
He went in, and I followed.
"So? Why are you here, Potter?" he asked, closing the door and starting to walk towards the kitchen followed by me just a couple of steps behind.
"Harry" I corrected him, sighing. I knew he didn't consider me his friend, but I didn't like the idea of continuing to call eachother by surname like we were still dumb kids that hated eachother for no actual reason, plus hell I got him out of prison and that surely had to mean something, so it clearly frustated me his stubborness in continuing to use the surname.
He rolled his eyes and walked to the kitchen in silence, took a teapot and filled it with water before putting it on the stove and casting a spell to make the water boil. I could guess he was making tea, and even if I wasn't a fan of it, I didn't dare to say anything, not when for once he didn't seem to wish he could just get me as far away as possible. He then leaned with his back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.
"You still haven't answered my question" Draco insisted, studying me with his look.
"I have news about your parents" I replied, observing how quickly his shoulders tensed after I pronunced those words.
"And?" he swallowed, staring at me, biting his lips, clearly trying to keep himself composed but in need of answers.
"Six months" I replied with a sigh "I did all I could, I'm sorry. I know they've already been at Azkaban for the past two years and a half, but the lowest I managed to get is another six months there. I couldn't get a lower sentence"
I felt shitty in that moment. I knew Draco was very close with his family, that he had only his parents, but despite having used all my priviledges as ex-Chosen one and savior of the magic world, the judge just wouldn't set for a lower sentence.
"They'll get out together?" he asked, frowning, clearly surprised and cautious.
"Yeah. Even if it had been easier to get the judge to lower your mother's sentence, she's still considered consensual and partially responsable" I explained, my heart aching at his sigh, knowing how close he was with his mother "I tried to do more, I'm sorry"
Draco nodded, fidgeting with a ring on his finger that had the emblem of the Slytherin house.
In that moment, the teapot started whistling and Draco turned off the magic stole with the wand and poured the water in two different mugs. He took out of a cabinet a few boxes of different teas and showed me.
"Which one do you want?"
I stared at the boxes, internally cursing myself for not knowing anything about teas, then scrolled my shoulders.
"Whatever you'll have" I answered in the end, defeated.
He opened one of the boxes, took out two of those small teabags, and put one in each mug.
"It's my favorite" he mumbled, distracted, clearly making tea was a way to take a break and try to process the situation.
I didn't reply, and silence fell between us. I was staring at his back, he was staring at the mugs, and I started wonder if I should leave and let him process the situation on his own because maybe he needed some time alone, but then he spoke again.
"...Harry" he started, and I held my breath because he had never called me that before "Why are you doing this for me?"
He turned around and a soft smile spread on my face. I expected that question two years and a half ago, but it was better late than nothing.
"You and me aren't so different" I sighed, scrolling his shoulders. I've never been too good at explaining myself, the words just didn't form good sentences in my head, so it would probably take me a while to make Draco understand.
"We are" Draco looked away and crossed his arms, even if he tried to act cold and distant, I could hear every note in voice and know how he actually felt "I was a Death Eater"
"Not by choice" I insisted. I wasn't going to let Draco blame himself for something that he had no other choice but do.
"I still was" he stubbornly insisted, making me let out a tired but amused sigh.
"We were both victims in a war we didn't make, Draco" I stepped closer to him and took his hands in mine with a soft smile to convince Draco of it "Just because we were forced on different sides, and not the same, it doesn't make any of us the villain"
He looked away and took his hands away from mine, shaking his head, a bitter smile on his lips.
"I was with the villain, though. It does make me one of them"
I shook my head and repressed a frustated sigh, I needed Draco to understand it wasn't his fault and to forgive himself because he deserved it.
"Draco" I took both his hands in one of mine, ignoring how slim they have became in these years that I didn't see him, then used the other hand to gently cup Draco's face and make him look at me "You were forced with the villain, just like I was forced against him. He would kill me if I didn't do it first, he would kill you, and your family, if you didn't join him. We're the same"
He stared at me with those beautiful grey eyes, clearly hesitant in believing me over the cruel voice in his head, but I could see that I at least managed to put a small doubt in his wall of self deprecation.
"If it makes you a villain having joined Voldemort, doesn't it make me a villain too having become a murderer, even if Voldemort was the victim?" I asked, and he shook his head, trying to speak "It's different-" he had started but I quickly cut him off.
"No, it's not. We're the same. Forced. I consider you my equal, if you want it or not"
He bit his lips and looked away again, making me sigh, but at least this time he didn't reply or protest.
I understood he needed some time, he needed to do some serious thinking about his whole life, and I hoped that that would bring some forgiveness towards himself.
"It's better if I leave now. Whatever you need, you just need to ask me, and I'll do what I can for you" I promised with a smile.
He escorted me to the door, then gently grabbed my sleeve right before I could leave.
"Yes?" I encouraged him with a smile to make him feel comfortable.
"If you want to help me...find me a job"
I could have asked why someone that inheritated the Malfoy and Black fortune would need a job, since definitly it wasn't a money reason, but I didn't.
Draco deserved his privacy and choice and I would let him have that.
"I'll do all I can" I promised before patting Draco on the head, feeling his soft hair under my fingerprints, and then left.