Change In A Star's Alignment
Chapter 5:
As he had expected, when Harry got back to the Common Room, he found Ron and Hermione waiting for him with concerned looks on their faces. Hermione was the first to see Harry and she rushed over to him from where she was sitting. "We were so worried!" She said, "We had no idea where you had gone and when you didn't show up at curfew… Well, we didn't know what to think, but we didn't think it could be anything good."
As Hermione had been speaking, Ron had gotten up from his position on the couch and now stood behind Hermione. "Harry," Ron started, "are you okay? What kept you out so late?"
Harry looked between his two best friends and wondered if he should tell them about Malfoy. Harry sighed, realizing that he would have to tell them because he was a terrible liar and they wouldn't believe anything he could make up. "I was with Malfoy" He said at last.
"What!?" Ron interrupted. "What were you doing with Malfoy?"
"Ron, shush" Hermione said, "let him finish."
"Thanks 'Mione." Harry said, thankful that she had gotten Ron to shut up. "So just hear me out until the end, okay?" When both Ron and Hermione did nothing but nod in agreement, Harry went on. "So, I was just mindlessly walking around when I found Malfoy in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom-"
"What was he doing in there?" Hermione asked.
Harry all of a sudden didn't want to tell his best friends about Malfoy crying. Harry felt that it was something Malfoy wouldn't even want his best friends to see, let alone his enemies. Former enemies, Harry reminded himself, Malfoy is on our side now.
Harry realized that Hermione was waiting for an answer, so Harry told them the story, while being sure to take out the part where Malfoy cried. "Well, I overheard him talking to Myrtle. He was saying how he didn't want to do the task he was given, but how he had no choice. Then he realized I was standing there and he drew his wand."
Harry heard Hermione gasp so he looked at her and saw that she was staring at him in horror. "Oh no, Harry!" She began, sounding almost frantic, "He didn't hex you did he? Is that why you were gone so long?"
"No 'Mione, I didn't get hexed"
Ron decided to jump into the conversation next. "So you hexed him? Way to go Harry!"
"No!" Harry said, getting quite frustrated now. "No one hexed anyone! Now would the both of you be quiet so I can finish?"
"Sorry Harry." Hermione said. She promptly elbowed Ron, telling him to apologize too.
"Yeah," Ron said, "sorry."
"Okay," Harry said, "now where was I? Oh, right. Well he pulled out his wand and so did I. But I now knew that Malfoy didn't want to hurt anybody or even be a Death Eater. And I realized then that he needed my help. He needed someone to give him a choice. So I gave him that choice. And so after a little while of talking, we went to Dumbledore to sort things out. Snape is going to warn Narcissa and get her out of Malfoy Manor and into Hogwarts to keep her safe."
"So," Hermione said the rest of her sentence slowly, as if not truly believing her own words. "Malfoy's on our side now? He's going to help us defeat Voldemort?"
Yeah," Harry answered. "he's on our side now. We can't say anything yet though. We have to wait until Narcissa is safe before anyone else can know, so don't mention this to anyone."
Hermione looked deep in thought and then finally nodded her approval. "Alright Harry, I trust your judgement until I can make a decision of my own. You seem to understand him more than anyone so I trust you. By the way, what was his task?"
"He was supposed to kill Dumbledore" Harry said quietly.
"Does Dumbledore know this?" Hermione asked, sounding alarmed. Harry nodded in answer. "If Dumbledore can still trust him after knowing that… Wow… He must have made quite an impression. I'll trust him for now".
"Thanks 'Mione. It means a lot." Harry said.
Ron, who had been surprisingly quiet throughout Harry and Hermione's conversation, had apparently had enough. "Harry," he said in a voice that was anything but calm, "how could you do this?"
"What do you mean Ron? Do what?" Harry asked.
"How could you defend that Ferret? If you ask me, he deserves whatever is coming to him when he fails."
"How could you say that, Ron?" Hermione asked, clearly upset by her boyfriend's behaviour.
"He's done nothing but torment us his whole life 'Mione!"
Harry had had enough. "So he deserves to die Ron? His mother deserves to die? All because of some silly childhood rivalry!?" Harry was seething. He couldn't believe what Ron was saying. Even if Harry hadn't seen Malfoy cry and seen the anguished looks and sliver of hope when offered a choice… Even if Harry hadn't seen all of that, he knew he would never have wished death on Malfoy.
"Look," Ron said, a little shaken after Harry's outburst, "he's a slimy git and I don't trust him."
"Then trust me." Harry pleaded.
"I don't know if I can anymore, Harry." Ron then turned and left up the staircase just like last time. But this time, Harry didn't think Ron would get over it.
Harry turned to Hermione and saw that she had a conflicted look on her face. Harry knew she was trying to decide whether she should stay with him, or go up to Ron. "Go 'Mione" Harry said, forcing a small smile. "I'll be okay. Go talk some sense into him would you?"
"I'll try Harry." She gave him one last look and then went after Ron to try and calm him down.
Harry felt overwhelmed. So much had happened in such a small amount of time and Harry's mind was reeling. He was glad that he could help Malfoy and that they had put their past differences behind them, but he was afraid that he may have lost his best friend in the process. But he didn't want to think about that right now. He let his thoughts wander to Malfoy and he wondered if the blonde Slytherin boy was okay and how he was dealing with all the changes.
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Draco's POV:
Draco walked into the Slytherin Common Room and quickly made his way to the stairs, not noticing someone had been up waiting for him to return. "Draco, wait!" a voice said right behind the blonde, making him jump. Draco turned to see Blaise Zabini, his best friend.
"Not now Blaise, I just want to go to bed, I'm tired." Draco didn't realize how true his statement was until he had said it. He suddenly discovered that he was, in fact, exhausted. All he wanted to do was sleep before he had to get up again for classes. But Blaise, apparently, wasn't going to go away so easily.
"Where were you Draco? Its way past curfew! What if you had of been caught? Wait! You weren't caught were you?" Blaise asked, with genuine worry in his voice.
"Don't worry Blaise, I'm not in any trouble." Draco said, cautiously steering away from the 'being caught' part of Blaise's questions. He really hated lying to Blaise so Draco tried to tell half-truths whenever possible so that he wouldn't have to flat out lie.
Apparently, Blaise knew this too and he called Draco out on it. "Oh please, Draco, don't do that half-truth crap to me! We both very well know you're not telling me the whole story so spill!"
Draco sighed heavily, wishing more than anything that he could be in his nice, warm bed. "Look Blaise," he began, "I promise I'll tell you everything, but I can't right now! You just have to trust me on this okay?"
"You'll tell me everything right?" Blaise asked.
"Yeah I will. I should be able to tell you by the end of the week. It'll all make sense when I explain it, but for now, just trust me."
"Alright, I trust you. 'Night, Draco." Blaise gave Draco one last look, then left for his room.
"'Night, Blaise." Draco said to Blaise's retreating form before heading to his own bed.
Draco tried to sleep, but he soon found himself staring at the curtains of his four-poster bed. He couldn't stop thinking of the events of this evening. He remembered how he had been talking to Myrtle again and how hopeless he had felt. He knew he couldn't go through with the task and the consequences of that were finally starting to sink in. Draco had been sure that he was going to die. He had been sure his Mother was going to die. He had been breaking down and then, of course, bloody Potter had to be there when it happened.
Draco remembered how angry he had been when he saw Potter. He didn't want his best friends to see him so vulnerable, let alone Potter. But then Potter had surprised him because when they both had their wands pointed at each other, Potter had let his drop. At first Draco had thought that he had accidentally sent a hex or something at Potter, but then realized Potter had done it on purpose when he dropped his wand and kicked it over to Draco.
Draco was surprised by his own behaviour as well. He couldn't believe that he had broken down in front of Potter and had even let The-Boy-Who-Lived hold and comfort him. He had been surprised that he found he kind of liked being comforted by Potter of all people. But Potter had made him feel safe. For the first time in a long time, Draco had felt protected. He had felt like no one could ever hurt him while he was with Potter. It was strange to feel that way when a few minutes earlier, Draco had been ready to hex the living daylights out of him. Of course, Draco was hardly admitting any of this to even himself.
Draco lay for a while wondering what Potter was telling his friends. Draco couldn't help but worry that Potter was telling them about him breaking down and crying. Draco could see it now. The Golden Trio, laughing their heads off at the thought of him crying. Draco didn't want to see those three tomorrow. He didn't want to see them smirking at him. At least he had a few days where no one else in the school would know. He really wished Potter didn't tell his friends, but Draco knew that that would take a miracle and a completely different Potter than the one he knew. No, Potter was most definitely telling his friends.
Draco sighed then turned over onto his side to try and get some sleep. Finally, after what seemed like hours of lying awake, Draco fell asleep wondering what tomorrow would bring.