Ch: 7
Disclaimer: See previous chapter.
Harry slowly woke from his dreamless sleep. When he felt the soft cushions under his head instead of the cold stone he had grown use to, he jolted upright. A heavy blanket fell from his shoulders as he gazed around the empty room. 'Where am I?' he thought. The memories from the night before suddenly swept back in full force.
"You're awake," said a voice. Harry turned and found Draco sprawled in a chair in front of the fire, reading a book. He barely glanced up as Harry brushed his hair off his forehead and grabbed the blanket. "How long have I been out?" he asked, folding the blanket and placing it on the edge of the couch. "Four hours. I thought you would appreciate the extra sleep." Draco's soft voice was intimate and husky in the dark dungeon.
"Thank you. Can I ask you some questions? About before?" Draco folded his book and sat up. "Fire away." "First off: why didn't I get a trial?" Harry's blank face settled on the fire as the answers he was waiting for came to him. "Fudge. He told everyone you were insane and delusional. The press bought it immediately and said that, with your past, they should have known you would be capable of murder. Fudge also used it as an excuse to try and wipe the truth of Voldemort's return away."
Harry mulled over this statement. He nodded and said, "Smart move. It makes since on why I didn't get a trial. I don't think he likes me very much. Second question: why did you and Snape think I was innocent and Dumbledore didn't? That doesn't make any sense to me." Draco nodded his understanding and leaned back in his chair. "When I stayed the summer with you, Harry, I got to know you better than you think. I felt your pain every night that you relived the memory of the triwizard tournament and what happened to Diggory. I knew you couldn't kill anyone you didn't hate; it caused you too much pain. Snape's reason for saying you were innocent was simple. He said that if you were to kill anyone it would be him, seeing as to how he tortured you everyday."
Draco stopped in his explanation and waited. Harry gave him a moment and had him push on. "And Dumbledore?" "I don't think he thought you did it, Harry. At least, he knew you were innocent subconsciously. He even tried to get you a trial but Fudge said you were too dangerous for one. But Dumbledore stopped Fudge from giving you the Kiss." Harry's head snapped up at the news. Fudged wanted to perform a kiss on him and Dumbledore stopped it?
Draco read Harry's stunned look and nodded. "Yes, he stopped it. He said Fudge could keep you in Azkaban but he had no right to do that to you." "Okay, I'll thank him later," Harry replied sarcastically. All these years Harry had thought the old coot hadn't even tried to help him when he had actually saved Harry's life! He needed to think that over before he could think about forgiving him. "Third question: why in Merlin's name did it take them so long to get me out? I remember Dumbledore saying I was free but it would take me sometime to be released."
Draco laughed softly. "Fudge again. He didn't want to let you go but had to. So he decided to 'conveniently' go on vacation for a few days so he wouldn't have to let you go. That was a seriously bad move. Once the wizarding world knew you were innocent, they took one look at what Fudge did and voted him out. Now Arthur Weasley is the new Minister and it was because of him you were finally freed." Tears threatened to spill over Harry's eyes as Draco finished his statement. Harry remembered how nice the two Weasley's had been and he hoped they were doing all right.
Harry wiped his eyes and continued. "Lastly: why did Granger and Weasley think I did it?" Draco shook his head. "I don't know. I've always wondered why and now would be a good time to ask. But first, I have something to give you." Draco disappeared through a door and reappeared a few moments later. In his hands he carried a long, thin black box with a silver lock. Handing the key to Harry, he sat next to the dark haired man and waited. Harry frowned at him but opened the lock at Draco's urging.
Harry gasped. Inside the velvet lined box lay his wand- polished and looking like new. "But- w-why? How?" He caressed the wood reverently. "I thought they broke it!" He stared at Draco in awe. Though he didn't look it, Draco was immensely pleased at Harry's reaction and a faint blush lit his cheeks. "Well, I was coming up from the dungeons when I noticed what was happening and how you were being held by those two wizards. I wasn't stupid and I figured you where in trouble. So I picked up one of the twins' wand and did a Switching Spell on the two. The wand that the Ministry broke was one of theirs and I kept yours until you were released." "How did you know I was going to be released?" "I didn't."
The two sat in silence for a moment. "Thank you" Harry said softly. "No problem. Did you want to see Weasley?" Harry nodded and began to rise, sticking the wand in his pocket. He was so happy to have it back. "Uhm Harry?" Harry turned and found Draco staring at his hair. "Yes?" "Did you cut your hair yourself?" Harry frowned. What kind of question was that? "Yes.." he replied hesitantly. "Can I please fix it? It looks as if a hippogriff was trying to eat it!" Harry stared at him for just a moment and then, for the first time in ten years, he laughed.
AN: I hope someone likes this and I am sorry about it being so long! I was hoping to try to tighten the plot and fix some things that were pointed out. Why did Ron and Hermione condemn him so quickly? Find out next chapter and please review! ~Ta-ta
Harry slowly woke from his dreamless sleep. When he felt the soft cushions under his head instead of the cold stone he had grown use to, he jolted upright. A heavy blanket fell from his shoulders as he gazed around the empty room. 'Where am I?' he thought. The memories from the night before suddenly swept back in full force.
"You're awake," said a voice. Harry turned and found Draco sprawled in a chair in front of the fire, reading a book. He barely glanced up as Harry brushed his hair off his forehead and grabbed the blanket. "How long have I been out?" he asked, folding the blanket and placing it on the edge of the couch. "Four hours. I thought you would appreciate the extra sleep." Draco's soft voice was intimate and husky in the dark dungeon.
"Thank you. Can I ask you some questions? About before?" Draco folded his book and sat up. "Fire away." "First off: why didn't I get a trial?" Harry's blank face settled on the fire as the answers he was waiting for came to him. "Fudge. He told everyone you were insane and delusional. The press bought it immediately and said that, with your past, they should have known you would be capable of murder. Fudge also used it as an excuse to try and wipe the truth of Voldemort's return away."
Harry mulled over this statement. He nodded and said, "Smart move. It makes since on why I didn't get a trial. I don't think he likes me very much. Second question: why did you and Snape think I was innocent and Dumbledore didn't? That doesn't make any sense to me." Draco nodded his understanding and leaned back in his chair. "When I stayed the summer with you, Harry, I got to know you better than you think. I felt your pain every night that you relived the memory of the triwizard tournament and what happened to Diggory. I knew you couldn't kill anyone you didn't hate; it caused you too much pain. Snape's reason for saying you were innocent was simple. He said that if you were to kill anyone it would be him, seeing as to how he tortured you everyday."
Draco stopped in his explanation and waited. Harry gave him a moment and had him push on. "And Dumbledore?" "I don't think he thought you did it, Harry. At least, he knew you were innocent subconsciously. He even tried to get you a trial but Fudge said you were too dangerous for one. But Dumbledore stopped Fudge from giving you the Kiss." Harry's head snapped up at the news. Fudged wanted to perform a kiss on him and Dumbledore stopped it?
Draco read Harry's stunned look and nodded. "Yes, he stopped it. He said Fudge could keep you in Azkaban but he had no right to do that to you." "Okay, I'll thank him later," Harry replied sarcastically. All these years Harry had thought the old coot hadn't even tried to help him when he had actually saved Harry's life! He needed to think that over before he could think about forgiving him. "Third question: why in Merlin's name did it take them so long to get me out? I remember Dumbledore saying I was free but it would take me sometime to be released."
Draco laughed softly. "Fudge again. He didn't want to let you go but had to. So he decided to 'conveniently' go on vacation for a few days so he wouldn't have to let you go. That was a seriously bad move. Once the wizarding world knew you were innocent, they took one look at what Fudge did and voted him out. Now Arthur Weasley is the new Minister and it was because of him you were finally freed." Tears threatened to spill over Harry's eyes as Draco finished his statement. Harry remembered how nice the two Weasley's had been and he hoped they were doing all right.
Harry wiped his eyes and continued. "Lastly: why did Granger and Weasley think I did it?" Draco shook his head. "I don't know. I've always wondered why and now would be a good time to ask. But first, I have something to give you." Draco disappeared through a door and reappeared a few moments later. In his hands he carried a long, thin black box with a silver lock. Handing the key to Harry, he sat next to the dark haired man and waited. Harry frowned at him but opened the lock at Draco's urging.
Harry gasped. Inside the velvet lined box lay his wand- polished and looking like new. "But- w-why? How?" He caressed the wood reverently. "I thought they broke it!" He stared at Draco in awe. Though he didn't look it, Draco was immensely pleased at Harry's reaction and a faint blush lit his cheeks. "Well, I was coming up from the dungeons when I noticed what was happening and how you were being held by those two wizards. I wasn't stupid and I figured you where in trouble. So I picked up one of the twins' wand and did a Switching Spell on the two. The wand that the Ministry broke was one of theirs and I kept yours until you were released." "How did you know I was going to be released?" "I didn't."
The two sat in silence for a moment. "Thank you" Harry said softly. "No problem. Did you want to see Weasley?" Harry nodded and began to rise, sticking the wand in his pocket. He was so happy to have it back. "Uhm Harry?" Harry turned and found Draco staring at his hair. "Yes?" "Did you cut your hair yourself?" Harry frowned. What kind of question was that? "Yes.." he replied hesitantly. "Can I please fix it? It looks as if a hippogriff was trying to eat it!" Harry stared at him for just a moment and then, for the first time in ten years, he laughed.
AN: I hope someone likes this and I am sorry about it being so long! I was hoping to try to tighten the plot and fix some things that were pointed out. Why did Ron and Hermione condemn him so quickly? Find out next chapter and please review! ~Ta-ta