Reluctant and Not

Chapter 5

That summer was one of the warmest summers the manor had ever endured. I no sooner arrived with my trunk and Harry's owl, and I decided I would vacation in France. Quickly I pulled put a quill and some parchment, intending to write Harry a quick note.

"Harry~

Hedwig has been very helpful lately. I never knew I should try wearing blue, but I must admit, it's a good color for me. Anyway, it's way too warm at the Manor for me, so I'll be in France. Thought you should know since it'll take Sandy longer to get to the house in France than here.

~Draco"

After tying the note to her leg, Hedwig took off out the window. Deciding to stay until she returned, I shed my clothes and put on a pair of linen boxers for bed.

Even though it was sweltering hot, I managed to fall asleep quickly. I dreamt of black hair and white feathers. I woke up to a light weight on my stomach and opened my eyes to Hedwig. She had returned from her journey and had a letter tied to her leg.

"Draco~

I understand completely. She gives me some good advice too. Anyways, thanks for the heads up. I'll keep it in mind. Remember-no more until friends know. Now stop frowning and smile when you give Hedwig a treat.

~Harry"

I wondered at the last sentence. How could he possibly know that I was frowning? I dismissed the thought quickly. He had a way of knowing those things about me...then again, it worked both ways.

I made sure everything I needed was packed in the trunk I usually reserved for school and apparated to Diagon Alley.

The only things I did was go to Gringotts to refill my half-empty money bag and get mote owl treats for Hedwig. I was passing the pet store when I ran into Blaise and Pansy.

"Draco!" a surprised Pansy said.

"Ow!" was my brilliant response.

"Hey buddy." was Blaise's reaction.

"What are you two doing here?"

"We're here for Pansy's haircut and I needed money. What about you?"

"Gold an owl treats." Blaise looked up at the Snowy Owl on my shoulder.

"And a copy of Potter's bird?" I swallowed.

"No. Um...can I talk to you two?" They nodded. "Well," we started walking slowly towards the hair cuttery. "See...it is Harry's bird." I quickly continued before they could cut me off. "We've made a truce and we started to become friends. We traded owls for the summer as a reminder to each other that we had to break it to our other friends."

"Why?" Pansy didn't sound happy.

"Because I wanted people to know about us being friends. He didn't think his would be so forgiving so the deal was we'd drop all contact this summer until we told our friends." Pansy openly gaped and Blaise tried not to laugh at her. And failed epically.

"What is so funny?"

"Well, it was bound to happen. Either friendship or murder with those two." She stalked off. "She'll come around eventually. But she won't hate you. I'll go calm her down, you go do what you do." He ran after her and I pitied anyone who crossed her path now.

"Harry~

I went to Diagon Alley the day after we got home from Hogwarts and ran into Blaise and Pansy. He took it okay, but she didn't. As I understand it, she's still in hysterics and hexing anyone and anything that even reminds her of either of us. I waited a month to send you this so you could have some time to yourself for awhile and not feel pressured into telling your friends before you were ready. I hope they take it well...or, at least not poorly, anyways.

~Draco

P.S. Hedwig really misses you so I'm sending this to you a week before I originally intended."

I sent the owl off with the fancy parchment and sat back in my chair. I missed the green-eyed git, but I supposed he would have to wait. For now, I had more important matters on my mind.

Like, say, the mysterious bird flying towards me. I took the letter from the tawny and recognized my lawyer's handwriting immediately.

"Mr. Malfoy~

Your father died this morning at nine. He left everything to you. What do you wish to do with his remains?

~Keith Weathers"

I got out more French parchment and penned a quick response.

"Mr. Weathers~

Do whatever you want with the body. Transfer everything to my name. Have Aurors go through the Manor and clean the place out. No potions. No questionable artifacts. Be done within a month.

~Draco Malfoy"

I didn't need his prying into where I was or if I cared so I made sure that the tone was one of finality. I just didn't want to deal with people right now. So, of course, the butler decided to tell me that someone was at the door. I waved him off, not really caring who was there.

"Make an excuse up. I'm sick or something."

"Oh, but that's hardly necessary." I jumped up and stuttered.

"Mr. Dumbledore...Sir...Professor...I...What are you doing here?"

"Sit, please. I'm here on a rather irritating matter. Now, can you tell me why the boy who managed to kill Voldemort, is currently crying in my office?"

"I...What?"

"Yes, I'd rather say that Harry's quite distressed right now. As if that wasn't odd enough, he shows up with two owls and several letters." I stood up.

"Where is he?"

"Dear boy, he's in my office. Come, come. Take my arm, I can apparate us straight there." His eyes twinkled. "Being Headmaster certainly has its perks." I took hold and stepped into the familiar nothingness. I opened my eyes to Dumbledore's office, a place I had only been to once before.

And among all the swirling smoke and chiming objects, was Harry Potter.

Lying in the fetal position. Crying.

I knelt down next to his back and put a hand on his shoulder while Hedwig and Sandy tried to get him to open his eyes with their wings.

"Harry?" I felt his body pull in closer to himself. "Harry...Answer me. Can you hear me?" He nodded. "What's wrong?"

After several failed attempts, Harry managed to get a decent breath. I didn't care how long I had to sit there, but I was going to make it better before I moved. It took a total of almost twenty minutes before he could talk at all.

"I-I got your letter a-and sent H-Hermione and Ron l-letters explaining ev-everything a-and Hermione sent a jinx back."

"What about Ron?"

"Didn't care."

"So he's okay with us being friends?" A slight nod was the only answer I got. "And she's not?" The lack of movement and increase in tears was all the answer I needed. "Come on." I lifted Harry up and carried him to the school's boundaries, Hedwig and Sandy following with all the letters Harry had been grasping when he arrived here. The birds landed on my shoulders and I apparated us back to the Manor.

I put Harry on my bed and left to write a letter, well half letter and half Howler.

"Hermione~

I am sorry. I'm sorry for all the years I made hell for you. I'm sorry you don't like me. I'm sorry I messed up so royally with you. But that's no reason to make Harry cry in the Headmaster's office. If you can't deal with me, then that's our problem. Not his. So please, don't make this his problem. I care about him too.

~Draco"

The last sentence I charmed to echo my voice when she reached that part of the letter. I made sure to make myself sound raw with emotion and sadness.

It wasn't hard. Clearly, I cared.