Harry Potter and Dumbledore's Army
Chapter Seven: Even more guests and a few more answers
A/N: This is probably the hardest chapter for me to write thus far because of the character building but please be patient with it. What may seem extreme is only reactionary. Just go with it.
I wrote this chapter specifically for Rebecca Victoria Rushton, Dreamer22 and Luna Moonlight Fawn who are all furious at me for leaving a cliff hanger
"Yes, Potter? Wow, first a great bird impression and now an even better flopping, gasping, fish impression. To what do I owe this once in a lifetime show?" Malfoy smirked and pulled out his wand. Harry quickly pulled out his wand and aimed it at Malfoy but was surprised to see that all Draco was doing was a simply cleaning spell.
"Potter, I am rather offended that you would assume that I wouldn't clean up after myself. If you would, put down your wand, otherwise I might have to make you." He then turned and looked at the table. Sniffing around, Malfoy picked up a tart and took a bite. Enjoying the sweet treat, he continued to stuff his face with numerous different dishes waiting in the kitchen. Harry stared a little bewildered at Malfoy's behavior. It seemed as if he hadn't eaten in days. It wasn't until then that Harry noticed that Malfoy was not dressed as an elite rich heir. His clothing, though possibly once decadent, was torn and filthy. There seemed to be blood dried along the hem and there were quite a few rips that revealed scratches and bloody burns.
"Harry? Did you get the- Malfoy!" Hermione joined Harry's side, wand pointed and determination marking her face. "Wow, is my presence so unpleasant that you would hex me away?" Malfoy smirked and stuffed a small pork pie into his mouth. At this point a group of people rushed into the room. Hermione opened her palm to reveal to Harry a small coin flashing red. Harry chuckled in his mind at Hermione's constant diligence. The D.A was surrounding Malfoy and the Weasley's were not far behind. Mrs. Weasley gasped and Mr. Weasley got in front of Harry and Hermione.
"Mr. Malfoy, to what do we owe this visit?" Harry noticed that Mr. Weasley's wand was in his hand as well but he wanted the appearance of protection rather than defense. At that point Malfoy went to smirk and reply but instead he fainted. Hermione slightly pushed Mr. Weasley out of the way and muttered another spell over Malfoy. He glowed red for a moment then glowed green and finally returned to normal.
"He doesn't have any spells over him. He's simple fainted. He isn't a danger right now but we better keep everyone outside." Hermione assisted Mrs. Weasley as she checked his pulse and levitated him upstairs to a bed. Everyone went back outside and waited, trying to pretend nothing was odd. A little later Hermione walked outside and collected Professor McGonagall and Professor Lupin for Mrs. Weasley. The wedding came to it's end and slowly guests made their way home without even the slightest idea of what had happened earlier that night. The whole family gave hugs and kisses to Bill and Fleur as they mounted their brooms to fly off into the night towards their honeymoon destination, Thailand. As they made their way into the house to get into their respective beds Harry began to talk with Ron about the nights events.
"What was Malfoy thinking coming here? What could he have wanted?" Harry pondered out loud to Ron.
"I don't know, mate. He almost ruined my brother's wedding!" Ron growled as Harry shook his head.
"Where did your mom take him?" Harry asked as they walked in the attic, only to have his question answered. There lay an unconscious Malfoy looking as innocent as an angel. Harry grumbled under his breath as he realized it was his bed that Malfoy now resided in. Hermione looked at the pale-faced monster with clear lines of worry on her face.
"He hasn't said a thing yet. He's barely even moved since he passed out. I've tried everything I know and your mom has tried everything she knows. Professor McGonagall sent for Madame Pomfrey. I'm really worried." Ron was the one to grumble under his breath this time. Clearly jealous, he said quick goodnights and got into bed and covered his head with a pillow. Hermione looked at Harry questioningly and just shook her head and looked down at Malfoy. She checked his temperature and again just shook her head. Harry sighed and grabbed his pajamas. He smiled half-heartedly at Hermione and headed downstairs to fall asleep on the couch.
The next morning Harry woke up very suddenly (yet again) and found an entire Ginny Weasley sitting on his stomach. "Get up, Malfoy just woke up. Hurry up stairs." She laughed at him when she noticed morning symptoms of the male kind and just rushed up stairs. Harry, who was in the middle of a very good dream about the foresaid Weasley, groggily made his way into the bathroom then upstairs to see Malfoy.
"Ah, Harry, took you long enough. Now I can get on with my story. So Voldemort was going on and on about how pathetic I am and how useless I am when he threw the death curse at my mum and dad then tried to hit me. I ran like chicken shit until I got to a fireplace. Unfortunately I have no home to return to and Voldemort only connects his floo with Pureblood families so I did the first thing that came to mind and showed up here. I was hoping for a larger fireplace but whatever works works." Harry was very unsettled by the lack of emotion in Malfoy's story especially concerning the death of his parents. How could someone be so heartless and careless about something so severe. Clearly Malfoy didn't share the same relationship with his parents as most children do. The whole family shifted uncomfortably at the lack of feeling and Mrs. Weasley eventually said, "Draco, that's so horrible. Are you all right?" She handed him a bubbling purple potion and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, which he promptly shrugged off.
"How did you get past my wards though? Mr. Weasley and I put up some very strong wards against intruders- er- unknown guests." Hermione asked, stumbling on what to call Malfoy. She was probably the most unsettled by Malfoy's coldness towards his story. "I suppose it's because of the wedding. Tell Mr. William Weasley I am sorry for barging in on his wedding and that he'll receive his gifts with due time. If it wasn't for the wedding I doubt I would have been able to floo here. In that way it saved my life." Malfoy shuddered at the thought, or perhaps at the obligation that placed him in to save a Weasley life.
"Everyone out. Mr. Malfoy needs his rest and you all have chores." Mrs. Weasley clearly wanted to clear the air and not bring up any more traumatizing events.
Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way down to the kitchen where they began to talk about Malfoy and clean the kitchen. As they scrubbed and dried dishes they all felt unsettled about Malfoy.
"He's lying. He's a spy." Harry said after about a hundred dishes. "I mean think about it. Voldemort killed his parents and he doesn't even shed a single tear?" Harry furiously scrubbed a plate as he thought about the traitor laying in his bed upstairs.
"I don't know Harry. He's clearly traumatized and emotion has always been difficult for Slytherin men. Look at Mecklenburg Thomas, the first wizard to clinically die of heartbreak. He was a Slytherin. No one realized that he was depressed or even upset. They say he acted completely normal until one day he died at his desk in the Ministry. Malfoy doesn't have the loving background we do. He hasn't even had a Christmas gift from his parents since first year." Hermione scrubbed equally as ferociously as Harry.
"How do you know that? I don't care about this Thomas fellow, I'm siding with Harry on this one. He's a spy and a liar. His parents are probably part of this scam too." Ron said as he attempted to cast drying spells (so unsuccessfully that Hermione often charmed the dishes behind his back as she washed just so he wouldn't feel like a completely failure). "Have you been spying on Malfoy or something?"
"No, it's obvious. He's very emotionally repressive."
"I was talking about the gifts, but obviously you've been watching him as well as his mail." Ron accused Hermione, clearly jealous.
"I have not been watching him. It's psychology 101 that's all, duh."
"What are you saying that we all should have known Malfoy wasn't a git, he was just clinically depressed and repressive? Like, it is psychology 101 right?" Harry shook his head knowing that Ron had no idea what 101 meant or even what psychology. Ron had taken Hermione's worried tone the wrong way and assumed she was mocking them.
"I didn't mean it like that! Jeeze Ron you're so defensive!" Hermione said with a little emotion creeping into her voice.
"Then how did you mean it?" Ron shouted back.
"I was just saying I noticed his behavior over the past six years and he has always had emotional problems. Why else would he say such mean things all of the time."
"Now you're defending him? I think you're in love and in denial!"
"Well, I think you're impossible!" Hermione threw the plate in her hand onto the ground then instantly fixed as she stomped away. Ron tried to charm the dish to dry with intense emotion but instead blew up the plate and was unable to fix it.
"I just don't understand her!" Harry shrugged knowing that another year was going to be wasted because of their bickering.
A/N: So, Malfoy's appearance has been explained… or has it? Do you believe his story? Obviously two-thirds of our team doesn't. Will Malfoy murder them in their sleep or will he become a valuable ally? How do you think I did with this chapter? More to come soon enough.