When Harry reached the dungeons, Draco was standing there waiting for
him.
"Where's Snape?" Harry questioned.
"He had to go and run an errand but he told me what we are supposed to do."
"And that is?" Harry asked.
"We have to clean out all the jars and he told me to tell you that you can't use magic."
"What do you mean I can't use magic, don't you mean we can't use magic?"
"Well, actually Snape said I could, he just wanted to make it harder on you. He also said that he will be back in three hours to check on us to see how much we have done," Draco continued.
"You know that is an awfully long errand he is running if it takes him three hours, and what if we finish before that?"
"Well then we can either clean them again OR we can sit and wait until he comes back!" Draco sneered. "Personally, I don't want to clean anymore than I have to.
The two worked silently for about 30 minutes when Harry decided to ask Draco again, about what happened over the summer.
"So, umm... Draco, you never answered my question."
"Oh, you mean the one that got us this detention?" Draco said coldly, waving his wand, causing another set of jars to sparkle.
"Yeah, that one," Harry said cautiously.
"It meant exactly what it said. I want to be your friend and I want a chance to start over. Was it that hard for you to comprehend?"
"But what made you change your mind? I mean you have always hated me. What makes you change your mind all of a sudden?" Harry questioned.
"You wouldn't understand me even if I told you."
"Try me." Harry dropped the jar he was currently cleaning and sat on one of the desks nearby to listen to Draco's story.
"Ok then," Draco cleared his throat and began to Harry what happened to him over the summer.
"You know Voldemort came back, and well... every since then, my father has been his servant again and now that I am I guess you would say old enough, he wants me to follow in his footsteps."
"And I thought that you did," Harry interrupted. "I mean I thought that it was your life goal to become a Death Eater."
"Yeah, so did I. At least at first I wanted to because I wanted power. Power means everything to my family and so far, we have quite a bit of it. You have noticed that not many people dare to mess with me at this school. That is thanks to the reputation my family has built. But after my father started showing me all of these dark curses and hexes; I started to wonder if I really wanted to end up like that. I mean, my father killed people in front of me for no reason. They hadn't done anything wrong. And when he did, he had this horrible look of joy in his eyes. He liked killing people. Then I started to realize that I never wanted to become what he had. I want to do what I want to do, not what someone has already planned out for me," Draco paused a moment before going on.
"One night I was in my room and I was thinking about all the things that I had said and done to the people at school, especially to you and your friends. That's when it dawned on me that the whole time it was what my father had wanted. Not me, my father. He was the one who encouraged me to be rude to you when you turned down my friendship. He wanted me to make your life as miserable as humanly possible. Now I want a chance to start over. Every since you replied to my letter I had the same feeling that I had the first day of school on the train. I wanted to tell you that what I said to you about Cedric was all a lie. I am truly sorry. I never meant it. I know you might not forgive me, but that's ok. I'm not even sure I want you to. I slipped you the second letter secretly because I knew that if Weasley and Granger saw it then they might eat me for dinner and I would never be able to live that down or show my face in school again," he finished.
"Draco, I never knew you felt that way," Harry said, not really sure what he should say or do.
"Have you ever told your father how you feel?"
"Yeah right!!! Do you really think I would risk getting beat to within an inch of my life. No thanks, I'll pass," Draco replied.
"You mean your father beats you?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, and let me tell you, it can sometimes be worse than the Cruciatus curse. Believe me, I know," Draco told him looking away, embarrassed that he had let that remark slip.
"Oh My God! Your father does that to you?" Harry asked looking amazed.
"Yeah, but I really don't like to talk about it," Draco said.
"Have you ever told anyone about it? No one should have to go through that especially not you."
"No, Harry... you are the only person that I have ever told, and I don't plan on telling anyone else. And neither should you."
"But... you could tell Dumbledore he would help you out. He has helped me out lots of times and I am sure if you just explain to him..."
"NO, Harry. No One! You have to promise me you won't say anything to anyone and I mean it."
"Ok I won't, but I'm not going to stop trying to convince you that you need to get some help.
They continued to work in silence for about an hour. Right as Draco, was about to tell Harry something Snape barged in and told them they were allowed to leave. As they were walking down the deserted corridor, Draco leaned over and kissed Harry.
"What the hell do you think that you are doing, Draco?" Harry screamed. He made sure there was plenty of space between the two them
"Sorry, but that was what I was trying to tell you when Snape walked in. I also tried to tell you over the summer but I just couldn't bring myself to tell you in a letter that I think I am falling in love with you if I am not already. You are supposed to be my worst enemy. I didn't think that you would take it very well if I just declared my feelings for you all of a sudden."
"You are?" Harry asked stupidly.
"Yeah, I am, but how stupid could I be? I know it's sudden and I am not sure if it is even love. But I am crazy about you and I am also crazy to think you could ever return those feelings.
"Doesn't seem very stupid if you ask me," Harry leaned over and kissed Draco again. At first, Draco was surprised but then he relaxed and opened his mouth to allow the kiss to become deeper. When they finally broke apart, they were gasping for air and very tired. They decided to meet the next night at eleven in the Astronomy Tower. They parted ways and went back to their Houses' common room.
~**~**~
When Harry reached the common room, Ron and Hermione were waiting for him. Hermione finished her homework and Ron gave up on his so they decided to help themselves stay awake, they played a game of Wizard's chess and Hermione had won for the first time even though Ron rarely ever lost a game.
They asked him what happened during detention and Harry told them that Malfoy and him had decided to be friends. Before Ron could say anything, Hermione started shouting at Harry.
"How on earth can you agree to be friends with the same person who has been insulting all three of us for the last four years? You of all people should know how evil he and his whole family are," Hermione stood up and stormed out of the room.
Harry started to go after her but Ron stopped him and said, "Let me. I don't think that she wants to talk to you right now, and she isn't the only one." He shoved Harry out of the way and went after Hermione without looking back.
Harry went upstairs alone, feeling worse than he had ever felt before. Even at the Triwizard Tournament, he had still had Hermione to talk to, but now he had lost both of them. Who was he going to share his meals with if those two weren't talking to him? It was a good thing that he hadn't told them everything that had happened between himself and Draco. 'Filch might have had to scrape me up off the floor,' he thought. As he changed into his pajamas, he asked himself if losing two best friends for one person he might be in love with was a fair trade. He fell into a semi- peaceful sleep with the memory of Draco, the kiss, and the next night's meeting in the Astronomy Tower in his head.
"Where's Snape?" Harry questioned.
"He had to go and run an errand but he told me what we are supposed to do."
"And that is?" Harry asked.
"We have to clean out all the jars and he told me to tell you that you can't use magic."
"What do you mean I can't use magic, don't you mean we can't use magic?"
"Well, actually Snape said I could, he just wanted to make it harder on you. He also said that he will be back in three hours to check on us to see how much we have done," Draco continued.
"You know that is an awfully long errand he is running if it takes him three hours, and what if we finish before that?"
"Well then we can either clean them again OR we can sit and wait until he comes back!" Draco sneered. "Personally, I don't want to clean anymore than I have to.
The two worked silently for about 30 minutes when Harry decided to ask Draco again, about what happened over the summer.
"So, umm... Draco, you never answered my question."
"Oh, you mean the one that got us this detention?" Draco said coldly, waving his wand, causing another set of jars to sparkle.
"Yeah, that one," Harry said cautiously.
"It meant exactly what it said. I want to be your friend and I want a chance to start over. Was it that hard for you to comprehend?"
"But what made you change your mind? I mean you have always hated me. What makes you change your mind all of a sudden?" Harry questioned.
"You wouldn't understand me even if I told you."
"Try me." Harry dropped the jar he was currently cleaning and sat on one of the desks nearby to listen to Draco's story.
"Ok then," Draco cleared his throat and began to Harry what happened to him over the summer.
"You know Voldemort came back, and well... every since then, my father has been his servant again and now that I am I guess you would say old enough, he wants me to follow in his footsteps."
"And I thought that you did," Harry interrupted. "I mean I thought that it was your life goal to become a Death Eater."
"Yeah, so did I. At least at first I wanted to because I wanted power. Power means everything to my family and so far, we have quite a bit of it. You have noticed that not many people dare to mess with me at this school. That is thanks to the reputation my family has built. But after my father started showing me all of these dark curses and hexes; I started to wonder if I really wanted to end up like that. I mean, my father killed people in front of me for no reason. They hadn't done anything wrong. And when he did, he had this horrible look of joy in his eyes. He liked killing people. Then I started to realize that I never wanted to become what he had. I want to do what I want to do, not what someone has already planned out for me," Draco paused a moment before going on.
"One night I was in my room and I was thinking about all the things that I had said and done to the people at school, especially to you and your friends. That's when it dawned on me that the whole time it was what my father had wanted. Not me, my father. He was the one who encouraged me to be rude to you when you turned down my friendship. He wanted me to make your life as miserable as humanly possible. Now I want a chance to start over. Every since you replied to my letter I had the same feeling that I had the first day of school on the train. I wanted to tell you that what I said to you about Cedric was all a lie. I am truly sorry. I never meant it. I know you might not forgive me, but that's ok. I'm not even sure I want you to. I slipped you the second letter secretly because I knew that if Weasley and Granger saw it then they might eat me for dinner and I would never be able to live that down or show my face in school again," he finished.
"Draco, I never knew you felt that way," Harry said, not really sure what he should say or do.
"Have you ever told your father how you feel?"
"Yeah right!!! Do you really think I would risk getting beat to within an inch of my life. No thanks, I'll pass," Draco replied.
"You mean your father beats you?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, and let me tell you, it can sometimes be worse than the Cruciatus curse. Believe me, I know," Draco told him looking away, embarrassed that he had let that remark slip.
"Oh My God! Your father does that to you?" Harry asked looking amazed.
"Yeah, but I really don't like to talk about it," Draco said.
"Have you ever told anyone about it? No one should have to go through that especially not you."
"No, Harry... you are the only person that I have ever told, and I don't plan on telling anyone else. And neither should you."
"But... you could tell Dumbledore he would help you out. He has helped me out lots of times and I am sure if you just explain to him..."
"NO, Harry. No One! You have to promise me you won't say anything to anyone and I mean it."
"Ok I won't, but I'm not going to stop trying to convince you that you need to get some help.
They continued to work in silence for about an hour. Right as Draco, was about to tell Harry something Snape barged in and told them they were allowed to leave. As they were walking down the deserted corridor, Draco leaned over and kissed Harry.
"What the hell do you think that you are doing, Draco?" Harry screamed. He made sure there was plenty of space between the two them
"Sorry, but that was what I was trying to tell you when Snape walked in. I also tried to tell you over the summer but I just couldn't bring myself to tell you in a letter that I think I am falling in love with you if I am not already. You are supposed to be my worst enemy. I didn't think that you would take it very well if I just declared my feelings for you all of a sudden."
"You are?" Harry asked stupidly.
"Yeah, I am, but how stupid could I be? I know it's sudden and I am not sure if it is even love. But I am crazy about you and I am also crazy to think you could ever return those feelings.
"Doesn't seem very stupid if you ask me," Harry leaned over and kissed Draco again. At first, Draco was surprised but then he relaxed and opened his mouth to allow the kiss to become deeper. When they finally broke apart, they were gasping for air and very tired. They decided to meet the next night at eleven in the Astronomy Tower. They parted ways and went back to their Houses' common room.
~**~**~
When Harry reached the common room, Ron and Hermione were waiting for him. Hermione finished her homework and Ron gave up on his so they decided to help themselves stay awake, they played a game of Wizard's chess and Hermione had won for the first time even though Ron rarely ever lost a game.
They asked him what happened during detention and Harry told them that Malfoy and him had decided to be friends. Before Ron could say anything, Hermione started shouting at Harry.
"How on earth can you agree to be friends with the same person who has been insulting all three of us for the last four years? You of all people should know how evil he and his whole family are," Hermione stood up and stormed out of the room.
Harry started to go after her but Ron stopped him and said, "Let me. I don't think that she wants to talk to you right now, and she isn't the only one." He shoved Harry out of the way and went after Hermione without looking back.
Harry went upstairs alone, feeling worse than he had ever felt before. Even at the Triwizard Tournament, he had still had Hermione to talk to, but now he had lost both of them. Who was he going to share his meals with if those two weren't talking to him? It was a good thing that he hadn't told them everything that had happened between himself and Draco. 'Filch might have had to scrape me up off the floor,' he thought. As he changed into his pajamas, he asked himself if losing two best friends for one person he might be in love with was a fair trade. He fell into a semi- peaceful sleep with the memory of Draco, the kiss, and the next night's meeting in the Astronomy Tower in his head.