Harry wanted nothing more than to hide.
"I really don't know what you're talking about." Harry said coolly, looking off towards the staircase wanting Malfoy to just drop the topic.
"Harry tell me what they did. I know that they did something so just spill it." It was almost a command, Malfoy spoke with so much authority but, when Harry looked in his eyes, they were soft and pleading.
"It wasn't that bad," As Harry spoke Malfoy gave him such a forlorn look Harry felt as though he had broken the boy's heart.
"No no Malfoy, it really wasn't that bad. After I got the letter from Hogwarts they let me have my own room, and when they did lock me in I normally could sneak out." Harry scrambled to say something that would make that look go away but he just seemed to dig a deeper hole.
"Don't look at me like that I could take care of myself. There were really loving muggles who would take care of me. I had teachers who would supplement me with breakfast and lunch during the school year. I had one neighbour who really understood the situation and would invite me for lunch during the summers. I learned how to sneak food from the pantry late at night, stuff the Dursley's wouldn't notice or miss." Once Harry started he felt like he had to explain everything, the words just fell out.
Malfoy swallowed hard, "What do you mean got your own room? Potter were these people starving you? Where were you before you got your own room? Harry you keep saying it's not that bad but it sounds really bad." Malfoy's face was indiscernible, but his whole body had gone rigid.
Harry was taken aback, "I talked with Dumbledore in first year… He didn't seem too bothered." He leaned against the other boy thinking for a moment. "It doesn't matter, I'm in contact with an even more distant family member. He's someone I can trust and we really do get along. I'm hoping I might go to live with him in the summer."
Malfoy sat back looking at Harry, "Another muggle?"
Harry decided it was better to lie; he just didn't trust Malfoy enough to lay everything out on the table right now."Yes but he's much more open to all of this. I actually sent him an owl a little while before you showed up. He's really concerned about the trials, wants to visit. I explained the rules, you know it's a secret castle."
"I don't know Harry, I think it's dangerous to stay with these muggles. I mean people knew, hell they still know, about what these monsters have been doing to you for years. No one did anything, no one is doing anything!" Malfoy suddenly stood up, he was starting to wind up into a full rant that Harry wasn't sure he could combat it.
"Harry I'm not gonna stand back and watch you slip through the cracks. You deserve a safe place to go home to! A place where you can develop your powers. Harry those monsters would rather see you wither up and die. You should be with your own people."
There was a silence as Harry and Malfoy glared at each other. Neither one entirely sure why the other was so angry, how this had all escalated so quickly.
"Malfoy, the issue isn't that I'm living with muggles. The issue is that I'm living with these particular muggles." Harry could see Malfoy about to interject, "Wait let me speak."
Harry sighed, he hadn't really put this into words before,"I advocate for muggles so hard because I'm trying to prove to myself more than anyone that they are truly good. I have met good muggles so many times before. I know I would be dead if it wasn't for good muggles." Harry's heart seemed to ache as he spoke.
"I want to remember those good people. I need to know that I wasn't left with the 'worst kind of muggle'. No fuck it, I know that I was left with the absolute worst kind of people this planet has to offer. I don't want to give them the excuse that they didn't know better because Malfoy they did. They knew exactly the hate and prejudice they were showing me just as much as your Father knows the hate he shows muggles. Sometimes it takes everything in me not to turn my anger into exactly that same kind of discrimination. But I know it's not gonna help anyone."
Harry was shaking again, he had been mostly monologuing to the floor. His eyes just locked down on his feet but he could feel Malfoy's hand on his back and knew the other boy was at least trying to decipher what he was spouting off.
"I don't want the worst of all people to mar a whole population of them. I want to remember the good, can't I just have some good?"
Malfoy was silent and waited until Harry's breathing calmed before speaking.
"Of course you are allowed to have some good. I still think we should consider options to get you out of that house as soon as possible. If this relative of yours seems like a fast and safe way to get you out, I think it should be considered. But before you try to switch the subject is there anything else I should know about these relatives? Does anyone else know about these relatives?"
Harry let out a sigh, "No, I've told you everything." He lied, no one needed to know about the cupboard, or how much his cousin beat up on him. Ron and Hermione didn't even know about the cupboard or know anywhere near the extent Harry had been beat up on.
Harry pulled his cloak closer and put his head on Malfoy's shoulder for a moment. "Ron and Hermione know that the Dursley's are stingy with food. But we've never really had a conversation about it… Nothing like this."
Malfoy huffed, "Then it's long overdue." He wasn't looking at Harry and for some reason he was blushing.
"Well seeing how my only relative who would care has already been informed about the tasks... I suppose I should get to answering Molly." He lifted up the letter to read through it a final time. Malfoy handed him a quill and parchment letting Harry silently write a response. Harry looked up as he wrote to see Malfoy still blushing as he looked through his notes for one of his classes.
Harry felt bad, "I didn't mean to make you embarrassed. I didn't mean that you were prying or anything. In a way it was nice to get things off my chest. Put all the feelings into words. Thanks for listening Malfoy."
Malfoy was blushing harder than ever and Harry turned to send off his letter blushing as well. Even when he tried to make things better he only seemed to make it worse. Oh well, they only had a week left before Harry was dead and Malfoy could go back to his own friends.
"Are you going to class today?" Malfoy asked standing up and putting away his things. They both took a moment to watch as Harry finished tying off the letter to Hedwig. She took flight and the boys silently watched as she flew off into the distance, disappearing into the horizon.
"I suppose I should, I think I have charms around now." Harry thought out loud as he collected his things. Malfoy waited for him and they walked together down the owlery stairs. "I'm off to Transfiguration McGonagall is going to have my head. Oh well, I suppose we'll be practising summoning again tonight?"
Harry hummed a yes opening the door for Malfoy. "Yeah I was hoping we could start a bit early-
Harry paused as he processed the person blocking the entrance. Hermione stood in front of the owlery door reaching for the handle. Her eyes widened as she saw Harry, then as Draco came into her view her eyebrow raised, and then the realization they were together dawned on her, and her eyes narrowed. She gave Harry the most disgusted look he had ever seen in person.
"I didn't want to believe it was true but I guess Ron was right." The disappointment and rage in her voice felt like it would draw blood. She turned on her heel and ran off,back towards the castle. Even through the quickly growing distance Harry could tell she was crying as she ran.
It took Harry a moment to find himself, it was mostly because Malfoy was shaking him. Harry looked the other boy in the eyes, and then looked around himself remembering he was outside. "On second thought I think I'm gonna go flying."
Malfoy's face paled, "I'm coming with you."
Harry nodded,"You don't have to really I just…" Harry had lost his train of thought.
"How about we go for a walk instead?"
Harry absently nodded, lost in thoughts of worst case scenarios and what the last few days of his life in gryffindor tower were going to look like.
