"You can't be serious." Ron groaned as he threw himself into one of the chairs by the fireplace. "You are serious, aren't you?" He looked at Harry before groaning again. "This is never going to work. Tell him, Hermione."
Hermione stood behind the chair Ron was in, leaning over the back of it, deep in thought. "Well, the only people that know he's here are the five of us." She said slowly, causing Ron to groan again.
"We have plenty of time to figure this out." Harry said and turned to Neville who was standing by the portrait hole. He still looked shocked that he had been included into the group. "You made sure no one will be coming back for a while?"
"I told them that Hermione's cat had upset some of the merchandise the Weasley twins were working on, and that it smells like something horrid happened in here. I made sure everyone knew how awful it would be, and that it was best if they wait it out." Harry nodded his thanks and turned back to Ron and Hermione.
"See? Plenty of time."
"For what?" Draco's voice was soft but still carried through the room. They all turned to look up at him standing at the bottom of the staircase, leaning against the wall for support.
"I didn't think you would be up for a little while." Harry said, taking a few steps towards him. "Do you want to sit?"
"I don't need your bloody help, Potter." Draco spat at him, flinching away from Harry's outstretched arm. Harry tried not to look as if he had been slapped as he stared at him.
"This is already so promising." Ron mumbled, turning away to stare into the fire. "I don't know why you're bothering Harry. He's always going to be a selfish git."
"I'm going back to my room." Draco said, pushing off the wall and past Harry. Neville's eyes widened as Draco came towards him and he looked to Harry for direction.
"You can't leave until we're finished." Harry said, grabbing Draco's shoulder and making him jump.
"I can leave whenever I damn well please." Draco fired back at him.
"Hermione, if he takes one step towards the door, stop him by whatever means you think necessary. I'll be right back."
"You can't seriously be leaving us in here with him, Harry!" Hermione said, looking after him as he stepped out of the portrait hole, but lifting her wand just the same.
"I promise I will be right back." He called over his shoulder. He heard Ron mutter something like 'we can't promise Malfoy will be in one piece' as the Fat Lady swung shut behind him. He crossed his fingers, hoping he could still find Dumbledore in the Great Hall eating breakfast.
"Professor Dumbledore." Harry smiled nervously as he approached the Professor's table in the Great Hall. He was surprised to see it still so full of students and staff. Professor Dumbledore looked up at him.
"Ah, Harry. What can I help you with?" He asked, placing a raspberry tart back down to his plate.
"I'm sorry to bother you, Professor… I have a problem."
"And I am assuming you can not speak freely?" Dumbledore asked, a knowing twinkle in his eye.
"I'm sorry, Professor." Harry said, knowing he was interrupting Dumbledore's breakfast.
"Minerva, save a few of those raspberry tarts for me. They're quite delicious." Harry saw him wink at Professor McGonagall before he pushed his chair back and directed Harry out into the hallway. "Here we are…" He said as they reached an empty classroom. He pushed the door open and motioned Harry inside. "Well, Harry, what seems to be the problem?"
"It's Malfoy, Professor…" Harry said before launching into an explanation of the night before. Dumbledore watched him carefully behind his half-moon glasses, scarcely moving.
"And, so, we think he is better. But I couldn't take him to the hospital wing because I just have a gut feeling he can't return to Slytherin. This was forced upon him, and I know before the end of last year you offered to help Draco."
"Mr. Malfoy is capable of making his own decisions, Harry. And you can not keep him locked up in the Gryffindor tower because you fear for his safety. As for my protection, I will protect all students in this school, and provide extra protection if they seek it. The situation with Mr. Malfoy… is a difficult one. But it is one that is entirely his to make."
"But Professor… He can't make it on his own. He tried to kill himself last night." Dumbledore was quiet a moment before he nodded.
"Let's go have a chat with Mr. Malfoy." Harry nodded quickly and followed Dumbledore out of the room.
"Oh, Headmaster!" The Fat Lady sang as they approached her portrait. "I haven't seen you in ages."
"Yes, how are you doing?" Dumbledore smiled at her, which made her dissolve into giggles. Unable to compose herself, she swung back to reveal the opening, without the password.
"I will jinx you, Malfoy!" Hermione's shrill voice met them as the stepped into the room. Hermione was standing beside Ron, both of their arms extended. Neville was crouched behind one of the chairs, a large burn hole in the fabric.
"Well." Dumbledore said, a small smile on his lips. The four of them in the room jumped, and spun, shock on their face as they saw their Headmaster.
"Seriously, Harry." Draco seethed, his eyes seeking Harry's.
"Just listen, Draco."
"I will not!" Draco yelled, shoving his wand back into his robes. "I would like to leave."
"You have every right to leave." Dumbledore said, waving an arm towards the entrance. Draco stared at him suspiciously, unwilling to move.
"Please, Draco. Just listen." Harry pleaded again. Draco met his eyes for a moment before sighing in defeat.
"Mr. Potter has told me you had an… interesting night last night." Dumbledore started. Fury raced across Draco's face again.
"I am not talking about this with them in here." He said, pointing at Ron, Hermione, and Neville who had pushed himself off the floor.
"It seems to me that they're responsible for saving your life." Dumbledore said, shaking his head gently as the three of them moved to leave the room. "I think they have every right to be in here." Draco, still fuming, refused to answer.
"Draco, here is your other option." Harry said, stepping forward.
"You think it's that easy, Harry?" Draco laughed suddenly. "You think that I can just go crawling to Dumbledore, begging for forgiveness and ask to switch sides? Your new friends don't even trust me to take a seat without flinging hexes at me."
Hermione's cheeks burned red and she immediately looked down at her feet.
"I will always have a target on my back. This," He shoved his arm forward, revealing the Dark Mark. "Will never go away. I have tried. I will do what is required of me, or I will be killed. No one can stop that from happening."
"You can stop that from happening, Draco." Dumbledore said softly. Draco dropped his hand and turned to meet Dumbledore's eyes.
"How?" He whispered.
"The offer I gave you at the end of last year still stands. The job will not be easy. But it is not impossible. The choice, as always, is yours."
Draco stared at the headmaster, doubt filling his eyes. Harry could sense the battle he was raging within himself and resisted the urge to step forward and to pull Draco into an embrace. He felt pain for his friend, something he hadn't felt in a long time. As he watched the tears fill Draco's eyes, he could no longer find the anger he had held for him since that day in Diagon Alley.
"I don't know…" Draco's voice cracked as he looked away from Dumbledore and sunk into a chair by the window. Harry looked over his shoulder to see Ron and Hermione staring back at him, concern on their face. They didn't trust Draco, he didn't know if he fully trusted him either. But Draco had to see sense…
"Draco…" Harry started, walking over to sit beside him. "You can be free to make your own decisions again. You don't have to be under the shadow of your parents…"
"They will disown me." Draco's voice was thick with unshed tears. He turned in the chair to face Harry. "I don't know if you'll ever forgive me, but I will try." He looked up towards Dumbledore and shook his head. "I accept your offer."
"You will not regret it. You know where your new quarters will be?" Dumbledore directed the question at Draco before nodded at all of them. "We will start after Christmas break." He bid them farewell and left them sitting in silence.
"Harry…" Hermione said softly, crossing the room to stand near him. She eyed Draco carefully, who had laid his head into his hands. "He is probably still weak from last night… He should rest some more."
"Do you know what Dumbledore was talking about?" Harry asked Draco, and watched as he shook his head gently. "You should probably rest then."
Hermione stepped back as both Harry and Draco stood from their chairs and made their way to the entrance.
"What have we gotten ourselves into?" Ron whispered to Hermione as the portrait closed behind them. Harry followed Draco in silence as he moved down the hallway. Once they reached the seventh floor, Draco began pacing back and forth.
"What the hell are you doing?" Harry asked, worried something else was wrong with him. Draco continued muttering something and then stopped abruptly, moving forward to pull back a tapestry from the wall. Harry leaned over him to see Draco push open and door. He held it open to allow Harry inside.
"Well, I'm here. I'm safe. You don't have to stay." Draco said, watching as Harry walked around the room.
"Like hell I am leaving you after the stunt you pulled last night. What is this place?" Harry scoffed at him before continuing to look around. The room was like its own suite, complete with a bathroom and small library with writing desk.
"I'm not sure… Dumbledore told me that I had my own private quarters if I need them. I have never actually been in here…" He trailed off. "I'm exhausted." He said and walked towards the four poster bed pressed into the corner of the room. Harry watched as he kicked off his shoes and crawled under the covers.
Harry took one last survey of the room before crossing it to sit on the end of the bed. Although he had woken up only hours before, sleeping in a reclining chair in the common room was not that comfortable. After a moment of hesitation, he kicked off his shoes and pushed the covers back to climb into the bed with Draco.
"What the hell?" Draco asked, flipping over to look at him.
"You should have conjured two beds." Harry shrugged, pulling the covers over him. Draco stared at him for a second, opening his mouth once to respond, before he rolled his eyes and laid back down. Soon, his breathing steadied out and Harry relaxed, allowing himself to sleep as well.