Chapter 3
Harry was confused. Why had Malfoy reacted like that?
When he returned to the common room he found Ron and Hermione sitting in their favourite spot near the fireplace. He walked over to them and sat down in his favourite armchair.
"Where have you been?" Ron asked. "I went to see Malfoy. I still had his wand and wanted to give it back. But he was acting strange..." Harry trailed off. "What did he do? In classes he still acts like the annoying prat he's always been."
"He was hiding in the shadow and he looked like he was afraid of me. He asked why I testified at his trial. And before he ran away he... he asked me if he 'wouldn't have owed me enough before the trial'. What does this mean?"
"You saved him from the fiendfyre in the room of requirements. He would have died without you..." Hermione tried to explain. "But we helped so many people. Why is this so important to him?" "You saved him that day. He's a pureblood and in their eyes he owes you a life debt. He basically owes you everything." Ron told him.
"A life debt is a very important issue in the tradition of pureblood families. It means, that Malfoy owes you a favour. It's not like he could just do your homework and the debt will be gone. He will have to do something more valuable for you in order to repay the debt." Hermione finished her explanation.
They sat in silence for a few minutes while Harry tried to comprehend the information. Finally he asked: "And he thinks I want something awful from him, now he also owes me for kicking him out of Azkaban. But I don't want that life debt, it doesn't matter to me." "I think you should talk to him and tell him just that."
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The next day all the 8th years had DADA class together. Harry watched as Malfoy took his seat at the back of the classroom. He eyed him during the lesson and was determined to talk to him right after the class ended. Unfortunately Malfoy slid out of the classroom before Harry could reach him.
During lunch Harry's eyes never left the Slytherin table. When Malfoy got up and left the great hall, he followed him. On the way to the dungeons Harry caught up with Malfoy and cornered him.
"Malfoy, we need to talk about yesterday." Harry dragged the blonde into an abandoned classroom and locked the door behind them. "Yesterday when I gave your wand back, you were talking about something you owed me. You need to explain that a bit more. What is this all about?"
Malfoy only glared at him. "Look, Malfoy. I don't want that life debt, it doesn't matter to me. During the war I saved so many people and I never wanted anything back. I don't know much about wizarding traditions, so you have to explain yourself."
After another long minutes of awkward staring and deathly silence Malfoy finally spoke with venom tainting his voice. "I owe you - the Golden Boy of the wizarding world - my life, my reputation and my security. You pulled me out of the fucking fire instead of letting me die in the war. I would have died in an at least acceptable way, now I have to carry on with my miserable existence. In the weeks between the final battle and our trials I had accepted my fate. Everybody was talking about the new justice of the reformed Ministry and the severe sentenced they were giving out to the remaining Death Eaters and I would have deserved just that. To be put in one of those cells and be left to rot, don't you agree? After all I'm just another Death Eater's bastard. Mother was crying all the time and Father spend every minute by her side. We were expecting to be incarcerated in Azkaban for at least a few decades, if not life sentences for my parents. And then the Boy-Who-Lived had the decency to grace our trial with his presence. When you spoke up for me and my family, you once again took my future in your hand and gave me a second chance. I was granted a place in this class. But that's just one side of the medal. My life depends on your opinion in every way possible. Every witch and wizard in our society keeps an eye on Mother and me. One step out of line and my life could turn into my personal hell again. Mother writes to me everyday. She still cries a lot because she couldn't keep her 'innocent little boy' out of the war. She keeps reminding me that Father always wanted the best for me. He's been in Azkaban since the trial and I still couldn't bring myself to pay him a visit. Mother's seeing him regularly, she tells me he's sorry and coming to his senses at least, but I don't know if I can trust him..." As he realised that he was ranting and spilling all those thoughts he so desperately tried to ignore, Malfoy turned around.
Harry stared at the blond's shaking shoulders. He reached out as if to lay a hand on his shoulder but let his hand fall down before actually touching him.