Disclaimer: You and I both know these characters aren't mine. And I mean really not mine. Or I'd be richer.
Ancient Magic, page 493
Harry and Draco sat in Professor McGonagall's office. Both had their arms crossed, and were staring in opposite directions, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge each other. Dumbledore watched on with curiosity, knowing he shouldn't be amused at their childish antics.
"Gentlemen," Dumbledore started, hiding his amusement behind a solemn expression. "I don't know what happened over the holiday, but I'm guessing it wasn't a good thing. Shall we discuss it?"
Dumbledore's suggestion was met with stony silence, as both boys determinedly ignored him. Dumbledore usually would have indulged this type of behavior, if only to allow expression of emotion, but his patience was wearing thin. Any amusement he had felt was suddenly gone, replaced with something similar to anger. They had to get back on schedule, and both boys were making this impossible by refusing to get past what happened over the holiday. Dumbledore would have loved to help them work this problem out, but they weren't talking. He had a vague notion of the argument from Molly Weasley, but nothing specific. He needed to find out exactly what happened, and he didn't want to resort to Legilimency. Not yet, anyway.
Dumbledore's voice dropped into a hostile warning, "Gentlemen." The one word was enough to bring both Draco and Harry's attention forward, to Dumbledore. Harry was surprised to hear the tone of Dumbledore's voice. He'd never heard Dumbledore threaten before, and wondered why his argument with Draco caused this reaction.
Dumbledore looked at the two seated before him. "We need to discuss this. We need to get past this. There are more important things than your pride." Dumbledore was harsh. Harry was shocked. He's never harsh!
Draco responded before Harry could get over his surprise. "I do not know to what you are referring, sir." His answer was cold, not unlike his response to Harry at the breakfast table.
"You cannot continue your training if you persist in this manner," Dumbledore matched Draco's cold tone. He was again met with silence. Dumbledore sighed, sorrowfully. "If neither of you want to train, fine. I'm sure I can find something for you to do to fulfill your detention. But you are wasting my time. What little of it I have left."
"How was tonight's training session? Any better?"
Hermione's questions were answered with one look from Harry, a look that clearly stated I don't want to talk about it, so don't you bloody dare ask. Harry threw himself into a chair across from Hermione and Ron in the library. Ron and Hermione exchanged mystified shrugs, and continued to discuss the most recent homework.
"What are you two working on?" Harry asked, not really caring.
"Transfiguration," Ron replied as Harry nodded and took out the appropriate book, flipping to a random page and completely ignoring it.
Not even pretending to be studying, Harry put his chin on his hands, and lost himself in thought. What happened here? Why is everything so confusing? Harry shook his head. First of all, Potter, you don't like Draco –erm, Malfoy, remember? He's a nasty git, who has made your life a living hell.
Harry was beginning to worry that arguing with himself might lead to more serious psychological matters, but he couldn't help it. Then why do I feel like I've lost a good friend? Why do I miss talking to him?
Get a hold of yourself, Potter! He's Malfoy! Harry criticized himself. Yeah, he's Malfoy, who understands how you feel about most everything, since he'd been allowed free rein within your mind, moron. And you understand him too.
"Git," Harry whispered to himself. He wasn't sure whom he was calling a git: himself or Draco.
"Harry?" Hermione asked, concerned. He had not realized she was talking to him of their Transfiguration homework.
"Hmm," he answered distractedly. "Harry!" Hermione snapped her fingers in front of his face.
"What?" Harry snapped back to attention. "Hey, where's Ron?"
Hermione sniggered, and pointed across the library. "He found Lavender."
Harry turned to look and saw Ron and Lavender gazing dreamily at each other, while pretending to do homework. They were both flirting like mad. Harry was glad to see that Hermione wasn't upset.
"Aren't they cute?" Hermione smiled. Harry grinned, "Yeah. And completely disgusting."
Hermione giggled and whacked him with her pencil. "Since it's just us two now, I have something I wanted to show you, but you can't get upset."
Harry rolled his eyes, "Hermione, every time you preface something with that phrase…"
"I know. Just… trust me on this, okay?" Hermione reasoned. Harry held her eye. "I have always trusted you, don't you everforget that," he replied softly.
Hermione felt tears sting her eyes. Why does he always seem to be saying goodbye. She cleared her throat. "Yes, well…" she said uncomfortably. "Remember that book you let me borrow? Ancient Magic? Well, there's this section I want you to see." Hermione pulled open the large book, flipping pages until she found page 493.
"Here it explains the Unforgivable Curses, although it doesn't call them Unforgivable in the book. They're just under the heading of Dark Magic. Here it talks of the Imperius Curse, and here it explains how to throw it off," Hermione said hurriedly, pointing out different paragraphs on the page.
"Moody taught us how to throw off the Imperius Curse in fifth year, Hermione. I already know how to do that," Harry said impatiently.
"It was Barty Crouch. But that's beside the point. It talks of casting off other curses, too. Here," Hermione pointed.
"The Cruciatis Curse?" Harry asked, reading the page. "It's possible to throw off the Cruciatis Curse? How come I've never heard of this?"
"There were only seven printings of this book. I'm not surprised that only a few people know about it. And it seems really difficult. The instructions are really vague. I'm not sure exactly how we would go about doing it either," Hermione scanned the page again, even though she'd practically memorized it.
"You want me to learn this," Harry said slowly, realization hitting him.
Hermione nodded, and swallowed the nervousness in her throat. "I figured that you might want to try it since you aren't practicing with Draco right now."
"How did you know we weren't practicing?"
"Harry, you and Draco have been polishing the light fixtures for the past three detentions."
Harry sighed, silently admitting to her that it was true. He turned his attention back to the book. Harry's eyes grew wide as he scanned farther down the page. "It says here that a wizard would learn to throw this spell the same way one would learn how to throw the Imperius Curse. That means I'd have to…"
"Endure the Cruciatis Curse while you learn," Hermione finished, her voice low and apologetic.
Harry blinked. He seemed to consider this for a full minute, the look of shock still gracing his features. Each second was agony for Hermione, since she knew exactly what she was asking of her friend. Harry then gave the slightest of nods, and turned back to the giant book in front of him, devouring the page with his eyes.
Hermione let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Draco walked through the halls of the school, desperately looking for someone to torment. Detention had been hell and he wanted to make sure others were in the same pain he was. He didn't take it into consideration that he had only mistreated others for the past six years because he was unhappy. But, Malfoys did not dwell on emotion, especially emotion the family would think was weak; emotion like happiness.
Had Draco thought about it, he would have realized the reason for this unhappiness, as well as the reason this unhappiness was more painful to endure than that of his early years at Hogwarts. If he had dwelt on it, he would have recognized this unhappiness as a symptom of loneliness. He could have seen that he was even unhappier now, because he'd had a friend – no four friends – and he'd managed to lose them because of his own stupid Malfoy pride.
But Malfoys did not dwell on emotion. Instead he sought out a younger student to torment into tears. His eye settled on a couple of second year Ravenclaws returning from the library. He smirked the notorious Malfoy smirk and strode purposefully toward them, withdrawing his wand.
The two Ravenclaws saw him coming, and immediately froze in fear. Draco had a gleam in his eye, and the second years knew they were in for something horrible. Draco stopped in front of the frightened boys, and twirled his wand casually, while staring them down. He opened his mouth to say something mean; to do something sadistic, but instead heard a voice.
(Don't you dare.)
Draco stopped mid-breath. He was too stunned to speak. Is that Harry?
(Where are you, Potter?)
(Nearby. Near enough to know what you were planning on doing.)
Draco's hesitation allowed his intended targets the chance to escape, and they sprinted past Draco, who was beyond caring. (How do you know what I was planning, Potter?)
(I see what you see. I feel what you feel. Just because I've shut you out doesn't mean you've shut me out. Don't you know how to use Occlumency?)
Draco was seething. How dare he! Draco tried to respond, but found himself again locked out of Harry's mind. He tried again, his anger growing. His irate thought was sent out into the night, but immediately fell short of its intended target, seemingly smashed against a wall. Each time he tried, a dull thud resounded in his head as the barricade around Harry's mind rejected each attempt. He turned on his heel, and marched angrily to his room, the dull thud echoing in his mind.
Had Draco allowed himself emotion, he would have realized that each resounding thud brought sadness. Had Draco allowed himself emotion, he would have realized that each pang of sadness brought loneliness. Had Draco allowed himself emotion, he would have realized that each wave of loneliness was truly his own making, and he could – if he'd wanted to – rectify the situation by apologizing to his new friends, friends he didn't even know he had wanted. It was so easy if Draco could allow himself to feel.
But Malfoys did not dwell on emotion.
A/N: Yeah, I know, it's a little sappy. But, I was feeling a little sorry for Draco here, can you tell?
BIG THANKS and Wonderful Hugs to:
Karone-Sakura: Hey babe, hope all is well with the job and such. School start soon for you?
MeforYou: Hope you like this chapter too. I think they might eventually work things out, don't you think:)
Lady Lily 3: This chappie is a little longer, but a lot sappier. Bit of a sorrowful mood here. These next few chapters are around 1500 - 1700 words. I was a bit worried that they were too long... :) hehe.
Wolbashi: Welcome to the story! I am not sure about having this translated right now because it is unfinished, but thank you for the interest. I do not know how many chapters I have planned. I honestly didn't think it was going to be this long. And I still have a ways to go.