A Forest Lord

Chapter Fourteen

~Harry Potter-LeFay~
Ron stared at me for a few moments before shaking his head, "It doesn't matter, mate, not if it means causing more problems for you. As long as he apologizes and doesn't keep up with the insults, I promise I won't cause any problems with him."
Clapping Ron on the shoulder, "Thanks, mate. I appreciate it a lot. I know it can be hard to let go of things sometimes, but it means a lot to me that you'd put it aside to help me."
Ron shrugged, "You're my best friend, Harry. Even just last year, we've faced You-Know-Who together. You're right, you do have more than enough enemies-you don't need to add Malfoy to that list as he gets older."
We went back to repotting mandrakes after that, and all too soon it was the end of class. Time to face Malfoy.
I waved Hermione and Ron ahead, mentioning that I'd speak to them later, and motioned for Draco to take a walk with me. Once we were out of hearing range, I began, "I grew up with magic-hating muggles, Draco. My aunt and uncle hid what I was from me. Before the letters started coming-I slept in a cupboard under the stairs. I did the chores and housework. I barely got enough to eat even when I did the cooking."
I didn't bother looking at him as I pushed on, "My uncle would beat me, frequently, for any reason he could think of. Later, when Hagrid finally came with my letter, my uncle explained that they had been trying to stamp my magic out of me. My aunt was verbally abusive and occasionally physically as it's not normal to swing hot pans at your nephews head when he accidentally burns something."
We came to a stop about thirty feet from the greenhouses, and I sat down, patting the ground next to me. Once he sat, I finally looked at him as I explained, "My cousin grew up to be a bully, just like his parents. At Madam Malkin's shop, when you spoke so badly of Hagrid, the first person to show me kindness that I could remember, I-I assumed you were a bully just like my cousin. Ron was my first friend, Draco, and you were insulting him in one breath, and asking me to be your friend in the next. What was I supposed to do? Lose the first friend I made, or turn you down? What would you have done?"
Draco sighed softly and stated, "I would have turned me down too. My parents...My father is not a good man, Harry. He is the one who told me to befriend you in the beginning, to try and sway you to the dark side of the war."
Draco swallowed tightly, "The thing is, my mother cares more about me than just having an heir. She truly loves me, truly wants me happy. She suggested that I befriend you and I try to distance myself from Father. She doesn't want me to be on the dark side. Almost her whole family is dark, Harry, but she doesn't care about the war. She cares that I live past it. She knows that he isn't dead. That-that was what was in the forest last year, wasn't it?"
Nodding, I agreed, "I definitely think you should stay out of the war, Draco. I don't even want to be in the war, but I doubt Voldemort will let me. He'll keep coming after me. I understand if you don't want to be my friend, so you can be neutral or something, but I promise that if you apologize to Hermione and Ron and promise not to keep calling them those awful names, I'll do my best to keep you safe. I have several properties, and if you don't want to live with your father, perhaps your mother and you could stay with me or at one of my properties."
"I'd like to be friends, Harry, but I have to be careful. Crabbe and Goyle were told by their fathers to befriend me, but they're basically just followers. There are some dangerous older students in Slytherin. I don't want to get targeted because I'm suddenly friends with you."
Shrugging, I admitted, "I am technically Lord Slytherin. You can tell them you're befriending me for my wealth and prestige. Will you apologize to my friends? We won't be able to be friends if you can't at least be civil with them."
"I believed in blood purity when I came here, Potter, but Granger is the smartest witch in our year. Weasley doesn't seem too awful-he seems like an excellent friend, at least. If they're willing to be civil with me, I'll definitely apologize to them."
Grinning, I stood, holding out my hand, and I pulled him to his feet once he clasped his hand into mine. "Shall we meet up before dinner? I no longer stay in the castle, but we could meet up before dinner and apologies could be said all around. You weren't the only one in the wrong, but you did instigate a lot of the time. Don't we have class in a few minutes? Want to take a portal?"
Draco chuckled, "Before dinner works for me, Potter. Shall we? We have History Of Magic next."