Part IV
"What the…it was ten minutes to midnight before Dobby got here…" the young Malfoy murmered. He sat on the couch, contemplating the fire until the clock chimed midnight once more. Shooting his silver eyes all around the room, Draco saw no one. Perhaps no one else was coming…
Then, the creak of the hinges on the back of the portrait caught his ears. He turned sharply to face the entrance to the common room…and was mildly surprised when Albus Dumbledore walked in.
"Professor?" Draco asked, staring at the old man.
"Yes, my dear boy. Your former house elf informed me of your recent revelation. I am here to give you another one." The blue eyes behind half-moon spectacles twinkled.
"Let's get it over with, then." Draco said, standing up.
"Come along," the headmaster commanded gently, gesturing for the young Slytherin to follow him. Draco did so, but cautiously. They left the Slytherin common room and wandered through the halls.
"Professor, where are we going?" Draco ventured.
"Oh, nowhere really." Dumbledore led Draco a little further. A statue stood next to a blue tapestry at the end of the hallway.
"It's a dead end," Draco observed.
"It is." The headmaster took a couple steps forward, cleared his throat, and said clearly, "Corona Australis." The statue spiraled up at the words, revealing an archway. "In we go, Draco. Come along." The stunned blonde boy followed the eccentric old man into what Draco presumed was the Ravenclaw dormitories.
There were students all around the common room, books open, chess games being played, and intelligent conversation scattered elsewhere.
"Why are we here?"
"To see how others are doing on Christmas," Dumbledore answered. Just then, a string of discussion drifted over to them.
"That Malfoy guy?" one girl asked.
"Yeah. I heard he hates Christmas. Isn't that awful?" the second girl said.
"Typical of a Slytherin, anyway, though. To hate peace on earth and good will to man."
"I know what you mean."
They didn't hear anymore of that conversation because Draco had turned and stalked out of the blue common room, scowling. Dumbledore touched Draco's shoulder in a comforting sort of way, then led the young man to their next destination. As they walked, Draco sighed an awful lot.
"Something troubling you?" Albus asked.
"Yes. Those Ravenclaw girls…They're completely right. About me hating Christmas, anyway."
"Well, let's see what these students have to say…" Dumbledore answered as they approached a yellow and black tapestry.
"Oh, no! I am not going in there! That's Hufflepuff territory!"
"Right you are. But I am afraid you are also wrong. You are going in." The headmaster turned to the tapestry. "Shadow Puppet."
The corner of the tapestry peeled upward as though drawn by an invisible hand. The Headmaster ducked through and waited for Draco. With much hesitation and complaining, the young blonde followed.
"Stupid Hufflepuffs…why do I even have to be here?"
"You are here because there is a lesson you must learn," the Headmaster replied. Draco looked up, shocked; he didn't think that Albus had heard him.
"Did you see how that Malfoy git was acting this morning?" one Hufflepuff boy asked.
"Yeah. No surprise, really. He's always like that, isn't he?" responded a girl.
"Sure he is. Ah, well. Nothing we can do about it. I guess some people just…think too highly of themselves," the boy said, shrugging. "I'm retiring for the night. See ya."
A soft sob was heard as the boy walked up to his dormitory. Albus looked around for the source of the noise and found that it was Draco.
"What is it, Draco?" he asked.
"They----they're right….I'm arrogant, and selfish, and vain….and I…." Draco broke off as more tears fell down his face.
"All right. We've seen enough for tonight." Dumbledore nodded once and the Hufflepuff common room melted away to reveal the Slytherin dorms. Draco collapsed on the couch in front of the fire and cried himself to sleep.
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