Chapter Five: A Benevolent Leader

(This chapter is from the point of view of Harry Potter)

"I'm surprised with you, at least, Mr. Potter. But only because I have not had the pleasure of meeting either of your friends," Dumbledore said gravely, glancing from me over to Hermione and then Draco. His gaze lingered on Draco for a moment too long, and the anger simmering in my chest leapt dangerously when the blonde cringed back into his chair, trying his damnedest to become invisible. He shouldn't have to deal with this.

"Now Harry, why are you in my office on the first day of class?" he asked, his voice heavy with disappointment. I glared defiantly back at him. It had been a long time since this crap had stopped working on me. He couldn't induce shame in me like he had once been able to, not when I'd done nothing wrong, and not when Draco was frightened.

"We got lost. We didn't realize that it was the third corridor, or we wouldn't have been there. I don't think any of us have a desire to die a painful death, like you said we would if we went in there. None of us knew where the Charms classroom was," I said sardonically, angry that we were here, planning a million ways to take revenge on Filch, and waiting for Dumbledore to get through instilling what a benevolent leader he was into Hermione and Draco.

"Sir, it's really my fault. I was so eager to get to class that I didn't want to wait and ask any of the other older students to help. I thought I knew where I was going, but I got turned around," Hermione piped up, her eyes full of tears. I felt sorry for her. She didn't realize that Dumbledore already knew we were telling the truth, and was only playing his stupid games now. "I'm sorry. We won't ever go there again, now that we know what it is."

"Well, it is only human for us to make mistakes. But if you aren't certain of your way, be sure to ask for help next time. It is very easy to get lost in Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling kindly. So full of understanding. "You will all learn your way around in due time. Now, I will explain to Argus that you were only lost, and cancel your detentions. You're all free to go," he told us. I hated him.

"Thank you, sir," Hermione said happily, jumping up and grinning. "Come on—if we hurry, we might be able to catch the last part of the Charms lesson."

"Dumbledore scares me," Draco admitted quietly as he followed me up the stairs toward Gryffindor tower. Hermione was back downstairs, interrogating Professor Flitwick about the Charms lesson, since we had arrived just as the class was being dismissed.

"Yeah, he has that effect on people he isn't worried about having on his side," I sneered unhappily, and Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"You don't like Dumbledore?" he asked, sounding like an odd mixture of curious and hopeful.

"He wants me to be the object of his stupid bloody prophesy, and save the wizarding world from the forces of evil and all that drivel. 'Born at the end of July to parents that have thrice defied Voldemort,' or some nonsense like that. Which could be me, or Neville Longbottom, as far as anyone knows. And since he hasn't marked either one of us as his equal, which is supposed to happen, there is no way to guess which one of us it will be. Dumbledore just has a firmer grip on my mother than Neville's gram, which he thinks means he can control me better," I explained angrily, the whole stupid story spilling out.

I turned around to face him, meeting his wide silvery eyes. "I've been to dueling classes since I was seven. Tumbling, gymnastics, hand-to-hand. All this training for the day that I save the bloody world. And I'm sick of it. I get so angry at all of them, if I let myself think about anything. I can't breathe and I can't think straight, and I do crazy things that don't make sense because I can't stand myself," I ranted, my breathing becoming sharp as my chest began to tighten around the blaze of rage that had begun rising up while we were in the headmaster's office.

"Harry…" he whispered, and the fire in my chest went out all at once. Slowly, a small smile tugging at my lips, I reached out and ruffled Draco's hair. It was as fine as silk under my fingers, and fell perfectly back into place.

"I'm glad I found you, Draco," I murmured, my smile soft and genuine. His eyes were wide and filled with a sort of awe. I bumped my head gently against his, grinning and ruffling his hair some more. "Sorry for exploding at you," I said as I stepped back from Draco, my hand falling to my side. "I get a little shaky sometimes," I laughed, tapping the side of my head with my finger.

"No wonder you're so nice to me. You're mental," Draco said, bumping his shoulder against mine as we resumed walking up the stairs. The gesture was comfortable, and he walked beside me now, instead of behind. I looked at him out of the corner of my eyes, and I saw the quiet joy there. I supposed that he'd just realized that as much as I would defend him and make him happy, he was completely necessary to me remaining Harry.

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(AN: Oh my god please forgive me for this chapter being so pitifully short. It was actually all in Draco's point of view to begin with, but the next scene absolutely has to be Draco, and the chapter was getting out of hand in length, so I tore out a chunk in the middle and changed it over to Harry's point of view. I promise to try super hard to make Harry's next chapter much longer, I'm just really eager to get to the next chapter! I've had it in my head ever since I first got this whole idea! So if you're a lovely awesome reviewer, please don't be too hard on me if you want more Harry, because it's coming, really it is.)