Author's note: Thanks so much, reviewers! I'm sorry this update took quite a while but I hope you guys understand that I'm studying for SATs and trying to cope with the hell lotta school work I have this year so…bear with me! _ the next few chapters would probably take this long or longer but please don't stop reading! I'll try to update as regularly as possible… oh and keep the reviews comin~ those really inspire me to carry on :D So here's chapter 9 of Acceptance~
Acceptance
Chapter 9
Knowing
"He should be okay now, I cast a warming spell on him."
"Thanks Hermione, you're awesome."
The door closed shut as Hermione departed. Ron and I had located her and brought her back with us to treat Draco's cold. The little slytherin had fallen asleep. I sat still, mesmerized by the little body that lay on the bed beside me. Just a couple of weeks ago, he was the meanest dumb shit I've ever seen. Now, he was vulnerable. If I wanted revenge, I could have it anytime. But somehow, I just didn't hate him anymore, all that feeling of payback was long gone; gone along with Draco's age.
"Hey, Harry. I'm gonna go find Hermione okay?"
"Sure, don't knock her up too badly."
"You're a dick, mate."
"Yeah I love you too, get out, you fool," I laughed. My best friend was in love with my other best friend. Oh the irony~ I had known it for quite a while, but just never really cared. Anyway, back to watching my Draco…
"Harry…" his voice sounded so weak.
"Draco baby, you're supposed to be resting and-"
"Could you tell Draco a story?"
A story? Seriously? Draco had never asked me to tell him a story before… And no one had ever read ME stories when I was young. God, where has my childhood gone…
"Okay, err…how about the story of the potions master?"
"Potions master?"
"Yeah, you know, like Professor Snape?"
Draco shot me a confused glance. I just began telling him some random story I made up on the spot, in fact, I was quite amazed with myself for coming up with such an awesome story!
"So long time ago, there was a professor called Snape. He was a potions master, so basically he taught students how to deal with stupid things like potions."
"Ooooooh…"
"Yeah, then his favorite student was called Harry Potter."
"That's you!"
"You bet it is, Draco. Harry Potter was the best student to ever walk the earth. But Snape grew jealous that Harry was better than him at potions. So, the professor gave him detention. The end."
"Where's the happy ending?"
"Ah, Dray. You gotta know that not all stories have a happy ending…" I couldn't help but think about the dreadful thought again. Come to think of it, my life was like a story. I begin my life as some poor fool with no parents, get looked down on and abused by the Dursleys, go to Hogwarts and get admired by some and hated by others, eventually got myself an arch enemy, who somehow ended up in my hands as a de-aged little cutie, whom I got freaking attached to and…who will forget everything that I did with him when he goes back to normal…
"Harry, Harry, Harry!"
"Sorry, baby. What is it?"
"Draco has been wondering for long long time…what is professor?"
Ugh, he's a three year old. Of course he doesn't know what's a professor. How could I have missed that after so long… Well, thanks to my story, now he's asking questions to learn stuff. That's a good thing I guess.
"So, let me put this in simple words. Professor is the guy in charge of you. He teaches you stuff. If you do good things, he praises or rewards you. If you do bad things, he punishes you," I tried my best to explain with comprehensible words. Draco paused for a moment before speaking up. His statement was one I didn't foretell he would say:
"Hmm, Draco's Daddy did bad thing, so his professor wanted to punish him. Draco was probably more naughty than Daddy because Draco got punished by professor instead…"
He was revealing things! If I wanted to get any information out of him, now was the time.
"What did Daddy do?" I asked as calmly as possible.
Draco pondered for a few seconds before answering, "Draco heard Professor talking to Daddy one day. He told Daddy to make Draco kill someone to prove Draco's worth or something like that. Draco doesn't really understand. All he knows is that Daddy said "I don't want my son to be a murderer at this age" and then Professor got angry and shot bright light at him. Draco went to hide…"
Oh god…this was more than I could take…At first, my little angel refused to speak and now he was giving me all this information that I found so hard to believe, yet true at the same time.
"And then…?" I asked with a hint of fear in my voice.
Draco sighed and said in a softer tone, "When Daddy came home, Mommy talked to him for long time. Then they went to Draco's room… Mommy was crying, Draco dunno why… Draco forced smile and walked to her and gave her huggie."
That was so sweet, I honestly didn't expect Malfoy to be so close to his Mom…
"And then…" Draco paused. "Daddy hugged Draco too… After while, they let go of Draco and Daddy pointed shiny stick and said one word…"sorry." …Before Draco knew it, Draco was lost at train place…Draco was so scared…Draco dun like Daddy's professor! Daddy's professor must have made Daddy upset! If Daddy wasn't upset, he wouldn't leave Draco!"
There came the tantrum again. Last time when he threw a tantrum, I nearly let him be. That wasn't going to happen this time, the last thing he needed was another person to leave him in his time of need. My heart ached as I saw Draco bury his face in his little hands, trembling, obviously crying. I reached out for him, pretty much expecting to have my hands shoved away or having a pillow thrown in my face like before, but the reaction I received was not like before. Draco ran to me, longing for warmth and comfort, and I was going to give it to him.
This poor boy in my arms right now…who would have thought he had been through so much? I knew something bad had happened but this?
I was desperately trying to fit bits and pieces of Draco's story together while comforting him. "Harry! Please don't leave Draco! Draco dun wanna be alone again…Draco scared!" Draco cried, his tears staining my shirt. But I didn't mind. He was the only one with the privilege of staining my shirt as and when he wanted. Of course I'd rather see him smile than cry…
"Dray…sweetie…don't cry…I promised I wouldn't leave you, remember? I promised you so many times. In fact I…" I gulped before completing my sentence. "I…I love you…"
Draco's wailing reduced to soft whimpers as he looked up with those wide, grey eyes that were filled with tears. "Harry love Draco…? Really…?"
I laughed a little at his innocence. "Yes…really…Harry loves Draco…" I smiled as Draco flashed his signature grin which I missed so much. He threw his short arms around me again and hugged me tightly, "Draco love Harry too…"
My heart was racing, beating out of control. Draco loved me…? Of course it was LITTLE Draco speaking but…I couldn't help it…
Draco…
You have no idea…
What I'd do…
just to hear you say…
those words to me again…
as your teenage self…