Draco flopped on his bed with a thud, his eyes shut in exhaustion.
What in Merlin’s name just happened?
How did he end up under Harry’s protection in less than half a day?
Draco’s day had start out sour, waking up to nightmares in the middle of the night and not falling back asleep after that. He had stayed up for most of the night, trying to distract himself with studying. By the time, everyone in his dorm started waking up, he had red eyes and was fighting sleep with all his strength. Blaise had to drag him alone to the great hall so that he did not miss his breakfast and then proceed to faint in one of the classes during the day.
The breakfast plates on the Slytherin table primarily consisted of hash brown, mushrooms, a grilled slice black bacon, a fried egg and lots of beans. Beans! He hated beans. But leaving them out was not an option. The Slytherin Head of the House, his godfather, Professor Snape was too strict on healthy meals to allow him to leave the beans behind on his plate. He had to glup them down with orange juice.
Once done with breakfast, he stood to follow Blaise and Pansy to their first class — Charms. He liked studying Charms. Professor Flitwick was a nice, gentle professor who did not mind explaining and demonstrating things repeatedly if even one of his students did not get the hang of it. He was kind.
Draco took his place at the back and took out his quill and parchment. The Slytherins shared this class with the fifth year Hufflepuffs and Draco couldn’t help sigh in relief at not having to confront the stupid Gryffindors. He possessed no energy for a fight today.
“I request everyone to put their wands aside. Today, we are going to have a theory lecture and theory lecture only. We are going to learn about Entrancing Enchantment which is a part of your Charms’ syllabus for OWLS, but they are not included in the practical course and neither is anyone to use it in your daily life.” Draco groaned at Professor’s words. Charms’ charm was the practical part. Theory was always boring.
He zoned out after paying attention for the next ten minutes. He knew the theory and history behind the Entrancing Charm. It worked similar to Love Potion and hence was artificial and not long lasting. When used, it emitted a violet light and can be counteracted by Surgito.
He let his head rest on the desk, perks of being slender and sitting behind Vincet. Soon enough, his eyes felt heavy and he let himself be dissolved into the world of darkness. Pansy shook him awake while leaving the class, leaving a groggy Draco behind. He stretched a little and gathered his quill and parchment.
Draco walked aimlessly through the corridors. He had a free period until after lunch and he had no idea how he was going to pass that time. He was too tired to study but also did not want to fall asleep. If he fell asleep now, he doubted he’ll wake up for lunch or even for the class after. His mind went to the time he had spent at the Malfoy Manor. A chill ran down his spine. The Dark Lord has taken residence in the east wing of the Manor. Though he hardly walked through the Manor, it terrified Draco to walk around his home with a fear of facing the Dark Lord and being at the end of his famous Cruciatus Curse.
Draco took a left and entered the boy’s bathroom. Unsurprisingly, it was empty, what with it being abandoned since a couple of years. He walked towards one of the sinks and looked straight at his reflection. He had bags under his eyes, his eyes red and hair untamed. He scoffed. Untamed hair was best suited to Potter. He let his fingers tangle through his locks, straightening them as he recalled the cause of his nightmares. The one meeting with the Dark Lord.
Mindy, one of the Manor’s house-elf had popped into his room conveying his father’s message about needing his presence in his study. Draco had obediently followed the order and entered his father’s study only to stop short in shock. There, sitting on the chair behind the table, was The Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort. A shiver ran down his spine as his gaze moved towards his father. His heart beating fast and sweat starting to line his forehead. That day, the Dark Lord had sat him down and explained what was expected of him. He wasn’t asked if he wanted to carry out the task. He wasn’t asked if he wanted to side him. He wasn’t asked if he wanted to be a Death Eater. He was just expected to follow his orders. He was expected to be as loyal and as faithful as his father was to the Dark Lord. He was handed over the task of delivering a cursed object to Albus Dumbledore. Because, who would ever suspect a student?
Tears rolled out of Draco’s eyes as he went through the horrors of that day. Whilst he had obediently heard every word Dark Lord said, he kept trying to think of ways to get out of the situation. He loved his father but he did not want to be a Death Eater. No! That was not what he wanted from his future. He wanted to study, graduate and go on to be a Healer. Planning and Killing was not his forte. He had been shown the repercussions of failure by having to watch Greyback being put under Cruciatus for two minutes by the Dark Lord when he had failed to find and capture Remus Lupin.
Draco sobbed and shuddered, a wail leaving his mouth as he slid to the floor. He closed his eyes and leaned his head on the dingy wall. Where was he stuck? Why did he have no choice? Why couldn’t he just decide for himself? Tears continued flowing out of his eyes while he lay on the floor dejectedly. He missed the creaking of the door followed by heavy rush of footsteps.
Draco jerked in his place when he felt arms on his shoulders. His eyes widened and he tried to frantically get out of the hold.
“Hey, hey, it’s alright, Malfoy. It’s fine. I mean no harm.” Draco watched his nemesis, Harry Potter, hold his arms up, in open. It took a couple of minutes to gather his thoughts and console himself that he was in no danger.
“What happened, Malfoy?” Potter asked, kneeling in front of him.
“Nothing!”
“You’ve been bawling your eyes out, Malfoy. And.. you look miserable.” Draco kept shaking his head, determined to deny what Potter was already seeing on his face.
Draco looked at Harry move a bit closer to him. His dark hands found his, wrapping around his pale ones. “What is it, Draco?”
“You won’t understand. You’ll just end up hating me more,” he whimpered. He had no idea why he was so bothered about Potter’s hate. Bullshit! He knew exactly why, but he wasn’t going to admit it to himself.
“Draco, I may not understand the situation you are in, but I swear to not judge you or hate you for it.”
Draco’s eyes searched Harry’s for an ounce of lie. But when he found none, he subconscious leaned into Harry. “The Dark Lord’s residing at the manor.” His voice was barely above audible.
Harry’s hand found its way to Draco’s back, forming soothing circles. “I know that, Draco. I think almost anyone who believes about Voldemort’s return gueesed that.” Draco winced as Harry called the Dark Lord by his name. He didn’t think he was brave enough to even think his name, let alone say it aloud and yet here was Harry Potter, not even flinching at his name.
“He.. over the summer, he assigned me a task.” Draco sniffed and felt Harry stiffen. His eyes filled up again. “I swear I did not know he’ll ask me to carry out anything, seeing I am only a student. But that didnot bother him.” Draco whispered, his voice sounding distant and lost.
“What does he want you to do?”
Draco lifted his head and met the green orbs. He looked back at the floor, not wanting to see hate and anger replace the concern and worry. “He wants me to deliver a cursed object to Dumbledore.”
Harry gritted his teeth, his hand over his turning tighter but not once did the hand on his back stop forming circles. It was like a subliminal act and he was grateful to Harry because otherwise, he knows he’d breakdown again.
“I promise, Harry, I promise I do not want to do it. I do not want to hurt anyone let alone kill them. They did not.. he did not ask for my consent. He just ordered. He wants me to follow him. Like my father.” Draco sobbed. He did not blame his father for his ordeal. No, he could not. His father was forced by his grandfather to join the Dark Lord’s ranks and the only way out of it was death. But Lucius Malfoy was no coward. If he died, that would mean more torture to his beloved and his son and he’d be dammed if he let any harm touch his family under his reign. And that is why he turned loyal to Dark Lord and tried to not disappoint him.
“I do not want to be marked, Harry. But, I also do not want to die.” Draco said in horror. His eyes widened as he pushed himself away from Harry and frantically looked around. “No! No! He’ll kill me. If he knows that I did not carry out the task or that I hesitated, he’ll kill me. He will make it painful. He’s going to come after me. He’ll hurt father. And mother. No! They can’t be hurt. They don’t deserve it. I have to do something. I need to do something. No!”
“Draco! Draco! DRACO! STOP!” Harry yelled, shaking Draco by his shoulders. Draco shut his blabble but his eyes still a horror of speculations. “Nothing’s going to happen to you, Draco. Nothing! I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Draco stopped fidgeting at Harry’s determined words. His eyes searched for Harry’s second time to search for deceit. He sagged as he failed. “Why?” He whispered broken.
“Why what?”
“Why are you helping me? I have been nothing but a bully to you and your friends all these years. So, why do you want to save me?” Draco asked, embarrassed and confused.
Harry seemed to have been lost in his thoughts, searching for an answer while Draco waited patiently. For some reason, his mind knew Harry meant no harm and it relaxed. His body relaxed. He breathed freely, awaiting Harry’s answer.
“Because everybody deserves a second chance, Draco. Everybody deserves to choose their own path and make their own decisions.” Harry answered softly but in a determined voice. Draco was taken back by his conviction and he managed to whisper out a thank you.
They sat in silence as Harry moved to sit beside Draco. They both leaned their heads against the wall and let the time pass in a comfortable silence, only forcing themselves up when it was time for Harry’s next class. Harry pulled Draco up with him, walking him towards the dungeons before hurrying to his next class but not before making Draco promise to find him anytime he needed him.
Draco walked towards the Slytherin dormitory and spoke out the password before passing the common room and making a beeline to his dorm.
Draco flopped on his bed with a thud, his eyes shut in exhaustion.
What in Merlin’s name just happened?
How did he end up under Harry’s protection in less than half a day?