Dragon's Flame- Chapter Seven
Endings
By darthelwig
I will never own Harry Potter. They belong to the incomparable J.K. Rowling.
PG-13 again!
I love my reviewers!
Harry and Ron were not cooperating.
Draco sighed again. They were going to make this as difficult for him as they could, weren't they? He wished this didn't matter so much. He would take great pleasure in whipping out his wand and jinxing them both on the spot. He'd have to make it something painful and humiliating….
"Look," he said, each word coming out as slowly and clearly as he could make it. His eyes moved between them as they practically vibrated with laughter. "I just want to hang out with you, alright?"
Weasley couldn't help it anymore. He burst out laughing, holding his stomach as if he were in pain. Draco only wished….
"And why," stammered Harry with his choked voice, "should we let you?" Weasley was doubled over now, laughing so hard Draco was sure he wasn't breathing. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.
"Why not?" Draco asked irritably, trying to ignore Weasley as best he could. The boy's voice was grating on his nerves….
"Well, for starters, how about because you hate us?" Potter asked. He had sobered up a little now, starting to realize that his once-hated enemy was serious about this. Draco could see the wheels turning in Potter's feeble mind and he wondered how long it would take for the boy's brain to kick in. If anyone had a chance of discovering his motives for approaching them, it would be Potter. Draco cast a careful glance at Weasley, who was finally starting to calm down and was catching his breath. He wished Potter would hurry up before Weasley had the chance to start in on him again. Perhaps he should have brought Crabbe and Goyle along….
His thoughts were interrupted by Potter's exclamation of understanding.
"This is about Hermione, isn't it?" the boy exclaimed. Ron looked at his friend, confused.
"What about Hermione?" he asked, apparently a little slow on the uptake after losing so much oxygen. Draco didn't even bother responding to him, but focused entirely on Potter. This was where his battle for acceptance truly lay.
"So glad you're finally catching on," Draco muttered.
"You're not getting anywhere near Hermione, Malfoy!" Weasley yelled, clenching his fists. Draco gave him the coldest look he could manage before turning his attention back to Potter once again.
"I am not the same person I was even a year ago, Potter. I think you can see that for yourself. I'm not asking for you to campaign on my behalf. All I'm asking for is a chance- just one chance. Surely you can grant me that." Draco didn't care anymore that he sounded as if he were pleading. He was. This was a moment he had greatly feared when he had first conceived this crazy plan. This was the event that would make or break it. Potter had to let him in or Weasley wouldn't give him the time of day. And if he couldn't win this battle, he would surely lose the war.
He stood there, looking Potter in the eyes, ignoring everything else. He was unafraid to face the measuring stare he was receiving back. He had nothing left to hide, nothing left to fear. His father, his mother, his friends… nothing mattered except this. He let Potter see him with no arrogant sneer or mocking gaze- just Draco Malfoy, the person behind all of that.
Draco, son of those who would support Lord Voldemort, stood there defenseless and let the Boy Who Lived judge him for himself.
He sensed more than saw Potter's grudging acceptance of his honesty. Their eyes met in understanding for the first time ever, and Draco knew that he had won.
Weasley, on the other hand, was a bit clueless.
"If you think we're going to just stand by and let you torment Hermione, you've got another thing coming, Malfoy. You're worm food!" Weasley pulled out his wand to aim it at his hated enemy, but Potter was faster. He forced his friend's wand down. Ron looked incredulous but put up little resistance, which is what Draco had counted on. He would listen to his best friend's advice, even if he railed against it. Potter always won out in the end.
"Let it go, Ron," Harry said. "We should give him a chance."
"After all the things he's done? What about that? And what about everything he's said- not just to us, but to Hermione as well? Do you really think we can trust him? This is probably some stupid, rotten trick to get something he wants!" Ron was red in the face, his fury making him tremble all over.
"I know what he wants, Ron, and it's not our choice to make. I think we can trust Malfoy, for now. I say we give him a chance." Harry looked at Ron expectantly, waiting patiently for his friend to think things through. Draco thought, for a moment, that Weasley was beyond forgiveness, but he was pleasantly surprised when the red-haired boy huffed and put his wand back in his robes.
"Fine, but harm her in any way, Malfoy, and you're toast." Weasley looked ferocious, but Draco was undaunted. He gave the boy a sickly-sweet smile and turned back to Potter.
"I have no intention of hurting her," he simply stated, and it was the truth. He had no desire to harm her. His interests lay elsewhere.
"I believe you, Malfoy, but good intentions may not be enough for you."
Draco was taken aback by the simple truth in Potter's words. That was exactly what he had been worrying about- that he wasn't going to be good enough to see this through. He was very surprised by his former enemy's uncanny perception into what he thought had been a well-guarded heart.
"Well said, Potter."
Harry's wry smile held a hint of sadness but he didn't say anything else about it. Draco was glad about that. He didn't think he could take any more openness. Weasley seemed to agree.
"Are we off to practice?" he asked his friend, glancing nervously at Draco.
"Yeah," Harry replied. "Want to come?" The invitation was genuine, so Draco agreed. Maybe that would be a good way for them to begin their 'bonding'. Who would have thought that he would ever want to bond with these two? Times changed, he supposed.
He thought of Hermione and suddenly the world was looking a little bit brighter.