When the world around you is ugly and so is the person you see behind your eyes, you don't want to create beauty you want to destroy it. Harry/Draco pre-slash

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, all rights belong to J. K. Rowling.

Fill the seats of justice

With good men, not so absolute in

goodness

As to forget what human frailty is.

Ion Act V, Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd

Draco's earliest memory was of the first time he met Albus Dumbledore.

It had been a short encounter, with Draco shyly standing behind the ragged armchair in front of the stairs, having been sitting in it playing with a snitch, before the floo had sputtered into life.

Draco had only realized when he was seven who Dumbledore was, when he came by the man's picture in a potions book that explained the uses of dragon blood, along with giving a summary of the accomplishments of their founder, Albus Dumbledore. But even without knowing that Albus Dumbledore had defeated the Dark Lord Grindelwald, and then become the only man feared by the Dark Lord, the impossible man that had hopped out of the fire marked the first time Draco felt pure, undulated fear.

Dumbledore had been shining, burning bright.

Recounting the memory when his childhood would feel like a lifetime ago Draco would remember the scene by its colours; the worn grey that he associated with Spinner's End, the exploding white of Dumbledore's flowing beard and magic, the bronzed gold of the snitch clutched in his white knuckled hands, and the iron red taste of fear that exploded in his mouth when he clenched his jaw.

In reflection, much of Draco's life had been spent associating red and white with fear. It seemed inventible when everything else in his life except the grey had been either red or white.

The discovery of Dumbledore's identity had lead him to prompt a discussion with Severus at dinner that day so many years ago.

"Severus, does Dum-le-dor" Draco had to take time to sound out the name, "kill Death Eaters?"

Remembering Dumbledore's yells about a Mundungus Fletcher being ambushed and the need for healing potions that had been his fist meeting with the wizard, the hard sound of his voice and the harder look in his eyes made Draco certain that he could.

"No he doesn't," Severus' answer was brisk and said in the same tone of voice he used when he was working on his potions and wanted Draco to leave.

There was a pause were Severus had stopped eating to stare intently at him, and Draco quickly averted his eyes. He always seemed to get into trouble when Severus held his eyes for too long.

"So he doesn't kill Death Eater children too?" Draco wouldn't have asked but he knew that Dumbledore was the Headmaster of Hogwarts and he wanted to know if he could hope to go when he was older. When he had wanted a racing broom Severus had told him to only hope for things that he could get, with the same weird look on his face that Dobby got when he did laundry. Draco had gotten the broom last month on his birthday so he was sure Severus could tell him what he could get or not.

"Don't be daft, Dumbledore would never physically harm a child. What have I told you about questions?"

Draco had to stop himself from looking down at his plate and mumbling, it would only cause Severus to be more disapproving.

"To only ask them when I have to, or when I have first tried to find the answer myself."

Draco hated when he did something wrong because he wanted to be just like Severus and make him proud. Quietly turning back to his breakfast Draco was determined to spend the rest of the day reading his potion books instead of flying. He was sure he could impress Severus by reading the whole potions book that didn't have a single picture in it!

Three years passed. The second time he met Albus Dumbledore he was ten years old.

He had been asleep when he had been awoken by the bright shining light of the sun. Or at least he had thought so before looking out of his bedroom mirror and seeing the night sky.

A sense of remembrance made him want to stay in his bed, hide his head under his covers to hopefully block out the bright light, and go to sleep. He would have, if it were not for the thought of Hogwarts.

Draco was due to get his acceptance letter in a few months, a fact that he had not failed to remind Severus of every morning that he had to go back to work.

Draco wanted to see Dumbledore himself, to see if he could handle being in the man's presence at Hogwarts, to see if he could block Dumbledore's bright white light like he could Severus's emerald green one.

So gripping his white dragon pendant, something Severus had told him they had found him with the Halloween his mother had died, he tiptoed to the living room.

Pressed against the wall next to the living room entrance he took a moment to try to block out Dumbledore's light so he could concentrate on listening over the burning sensation it caused.

" – amel agreed to help you in this plan Headmaster?" Draco heard once the rushing in his ears and the light had dimmed. Draco smirked to himself thinking of the sneer Severus was almost certainly directing at the Headmaster.

"It will be well protected Severus, and Nicolas understands the importance of the reason we need it," Dumbledore's surprisingly soft voice answered.

"Very well Albus, if he chooses to put his life in danger then I won't stop either of you in your madness. I will make sure at least that the protection I devise will not be one that can be conquered by silly wand waving."

"Your support is greatly appreciated as always my boy. I know that you worry since Harry is coming to Hogwart's."

"Albus."

"Ah, I apologize Severus my memory is not what it used to be. It is young Draco who is coming to Hogwarts this year as well."

"To which I dread each day. Merlin knows the trouble the boy will find in that castle and the joy Minerva will get in reminding me of it." Draco frowned, Severus should trust that he wouldn't be found out by McGonagall of all people. He made a note to review his Transfiguration books one more time. He sniggered imagining the McGonagall Severus always told him about having to admit that he, Draco Malfoy - ward of Severus Snape - was her top student.

"I'm sure you will make sure his adventuring spirit will not extend to a meeting with Hagrid's friend in the third-floor corridor won't you Severus?"

Draco's interest was piqued but before he could hear Severus's answer he felt a tug on his sleeve that almost made him tumble in front of the living room entrance.

He turned to see Dobby's scolding eyes and knew his night time adventure was over. He only hoped that Dobby could be convinced not to tell Severus.

…

It was only years later that Draco bitterly wished that he had found out the answer to if Dobby had told Severus that he had been spying on his conversation with Dumbledore. Because it was years later that he came to realize that Dumbledore had known that he had been listening the whole time.

Thank-you so much for reading! I've always wanted to write a Harry Potter fanfiction and when this idea came to me and wouldn't go away I though why not. So hopefully you can stay with me through this story as I try to get used to writing something multi chaptered and become comfortable enough with the characters that their dialogue isn't as awkward as I'm afraid it was here.

See you (hopefully soon) next chapter!