Disclaimer: I disclaim! I disclaim!
Revelations, Pt II
Draco nodded. He was beginning to understand the goal of this exercise.
"So now you know, Draco. Enough, anyway, to understand what Harry goes through. And now it's your turn. Tell Harry your story. He needs to understand just as much as you do." Dumbledore was pressuring Draco to begin. Draco wanted to resist. This wasn't right. Harry's not done, he can't be done. It can't be my turn yet. No, wait. I'm not ready!
"It's not quite the same thing, Professor," Draco said, warily. Harry could tell Draco didn't want to start the story.
"Draco. Tell us about your father," Dumbledore prompted, in the same tone he had used on Harry. At the mention of his father, Draco's reaction was visible to both Harry and Dumbledore. He became stony. Draco's signature sneer, and haughty demeanor covered all the sympathy he had previously felt for Harry. "My father?" Draco said nastily, "My father is not a topic I'd like to discuss."
Harry watched this transformation with interest. He hides! People hurt him and he hides behind that mask.
"Your father betrayed you," Harry said quietly. "I wouldn't want to discuss it either."
"Betrayal! Is that what you'd call it? I'd call it torture. And you know what I'm talking about, I'm sure you've had even worse experiences, but mine came from the hands of someone I'm supposed to be able to trust. Mine came from family," Draco spat out that last word with pure hatred. He laughed cynically. "Family. It's amazing how nice that word sounds when you're a child. I'm seventeen, now, and an adult. And once I graduate, I will never, ever, see my family again."
"Even your mother?" Harry asked carefully.
"She knew. She knew and she let it happen. She knew how it felt and she didn't help. She doesn't deserve my love. Not when she sacrificed me for herself. My father didn't torment her, not when he was able to perform Unforgivables on me." His voice shook with rage. Draco's hatred was radiating around the room, providing a very different atmosphere than when Harry told his story.
"The Cruciatus Curse?" Harry supplied.
"Among other spells, yes. I've become pretty adept at throwing off the Imperius Curse. My father hates it when I do that. Throw it off, that is. He would rather I be the obedient son of a Death Eater, join the Death Eaters, and become one of the Dark Lord's lackeys, like he is. I don't want that. I want to be my own man. Not his. That's what we were arguing about the night before Professor Snape came to get me," Draco nodded at Dumbledore.
"In the library? That memory I saw a few weeks ago? What exactly were you two arguing about?" Harry hoped he wasn't being too insistent on answers.
"Arguing? No, Harry, I guess arguing isn't the right word. He was ordering me about, as usual. But that time… that time I refused. And I paid for it. He wanted me to take the Dark Mark after graduation, become a Death Eater, perform certain tasks. I refused. And down came the wrath of Lucius."
Draco told the events of that night with pure animosity toward his father. Harry sat next to him, absorbed in the story, which matched Hermione's nightmares perfectly. Draco didn't mention Hermione sharing his memory, and Harry didn't bring it up. Harry learned of Lucius' ultimatum, and by the end of the story, Harry supported Draco in his hatred for Lucius Malfoy. Not that he hadn't hated Lucius before, but now Harry understood the true evilness inside Draco's father.
"How could he? You're his son!" Harry seethed.
Draco turned to look at Harry. He was surprised to see outrage upon Harry's features. "I don't think he thought of me like a son, Harry. I was just another means to an end." Draco's voice had turned sad. The anger had drained from his body, and now he looked tired. The mask was gone. Draco sighed, and closed his eyes. "Just another way to get what he wanted. A way to manipulate any situation. Another person to exploit for his own benefit. He may have called me 'son', but I was not treated like one."
The silence was deafening. Both boys were lost in thoughts of what they had just relived, and what they had just been told. Each thought the other had it worse. And Dumbledore knew this. This is how it was supposed to be. Dumbledore studied the two sitting before him in the dungeon. A feeling rose in his chest; a feeling he hadn't felt in a long while. He couldn't quite place it. This could work. This could actually work!
If anyone else were to name that feeling, they would call it hope.
Hermione glanced at her watch. 10:30. Ten thirty! Oh, for crying out loud! She hastily gathered her things, and made for the exit of the library. She had wanted to be there when Harry got back from training tonight, in case there were any more insights to Draco's actions. Hermione reached the Fat Lady's portrait, and breathlessly said the password: "dauntless." She stepped through the portrait hole, expecting to see Harry and Ron talking about that night's lesson. Instead, she found Ron alone, at one of the tables, studying. He's getting a bit like me, studying all the time.
Ron glanced up expectantly. "You're not Harry," he said, dumbfounded. "No, Ron, I'm Hermione. Thanks for noticing," she said sarcastically.
Ron blushed. "Of course I know who you are, it's just that I was expecting Harry."
"You mean he's not back yet?" Hermione asked worriedly. "No," sighed Ron. "I'm going to try to stay up and wait for him. But, until he gets back, I have something interesting you might want to see." Ron shoved the book in front of him across the table to Hermione. "I didn't tell you before, because, well… I wasn't sure exactly what my dad meant in his letter, but I've since figured it out."
Hermione picked up a sheet of parchment that was lying on top of the open book. She read:
Dear Ron,
Both your mother and I were happy to hear from you. Each of us is glad you are doing well. Gravely, I cannot answer any of your questions from your last letter. In the hope of offering you some guidance, I ask you to re-read that book you mentioned. Not that you need to, but your mother asks that I tell you to keep warm on your Hogsmeade visits.
At this time, work is going pretty well. There's so much to do, but I won't bore you with the details.
This job is so time consuming, and your mother worries after me. Hopefully, everything will work out and I won't have to work as hard in the future. Eventually, things will calm down.
Be sure to tell your sister that we love her. Each of us misses her as well. God, I can't believe you two are so grown up. I am so proud of both of you. Now is the time to buckle down on your studies. Neither of you have ever disappointed us. I feel I have the most wonderful family. Never has a man been truly blessed. Grapes are my favorite fruit.
Your loving father
At the bottom of the letter, Hermione could see Ron's scribbles. It was hard to read, and she could barely make it out, but he had written "BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING"
"Begin at the beginning? Ron? What does that mean?" Hermione asked.
"Well, I always thought my father was a bit of a nutter. But, I know that Grapes are not his favorite fruit. And that got me thinking. There was something to that line. I went back and re-read the letter. I had specifically asked Dad not to mention this to Mum, but there it was: references that he had talked to Mum. That was something else that was wrong with the letter. And since when does my father use words like 'gravely' and phrases like 'in the hope of offering you guidance'? It took me all day, but I got it. Read the letter again, and think 'Begin at the beginning'."
Ron smiled expectantly at Hermione as she read the letter. A look of dawning comprehension glided across her features. Ron could tell when she started again at the top of the letter. "Begin at the beginning," Hermione mumbled on her third time through. "Genius. You and your father are wonderful, Ron!" Hermione cried, jumping up from the table to hug him.
"Now. Take a look at this chapter I found," Ron, grinning from ear to ear, pointed to the open page.
Hermione glanced down.
Chapter 25: Tri-Humped Elephants, Very Evasive Impish Lemmings, Overweight Ferrets, and Volumes Of Incredible Creatures Employ Sorcery
Hermione laughed with delight.
A/N: Oh ye of wonderful reviews! Thou hast brought joy to mine heart and speed to mine writing hands! Okay, I know Hermione is supposed to be the smart one, and she's the one who would normally figure out the book, but she has been under undue stress lately. So pretend with me, that Ron is the one who figures out the book.
So a big hug and a big thanks to: Karone-Sakura, Elemental Dragon, Miss Extraordinary, & Festis.