Chapter 28

Harry had never fully appreciated how much he hated the Hogwarts Express. Time seemed to drone on endlessly as he ran scenarios and thoughts in his head. Maybe Draco just forgot to tell him, there was so much going on! That could be it. It could be a misunderstanding...

Harry put his head into his hands.

"Draco is not okay." Blaise's words haunted him now. Why didn't he listen? At the very least, he could have not been a shitty friend. He couldn't even remember the last time he had really had a conversation with Draco. Who knows what was going on in Draco's mind.

The sliding of the compartment door surprised him as he looked up quickly, praying that it wasn't Hermione Granger. Instead, he was met with the smiling face of Daphne Greengrass.

"Hey stranger," Daphne said as she plopped down across from Harry.

"What are you doing here?"

Daphne's smile died into narrowing eyes. "Harry, You okay?" She asked.

The tightness in Harry's stomach seemed to double as he looked at her. Harry took a deep breath, "A lot on my mind is all. I didn't mean to be harsh."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not...particularly." He hadn't even sorted his own thoughts yet.

"Okay." Daphne said, "Then we don't have to, but like I told you...nothing is scaring me away."

Harry nodded appreciatively, "I know... But you shouldn't be here. You shouldn't be seen anywhere near me...it's not safe."

"I thought we had this conversation already?" Daphne chuckled for a moment, but her smile died as she looked at Harry, " I don't know what's got you in a bad mood, but at this point, who cares? No one is safe anymore."

Remnants of anger spilled out from Harry, "I care, for one."

His tone did not affect Daphne as she leaned her head back against the seat. Which surprisingly annoyed Harry.

"Earlier... the first thing I did when I saw Blaise was make fun of the Weasley's. For that moment, It felt good. In fact, it felt really good. It felt normal until the second it left my mouth. Once I said it, I realized how stupid it was." Daphne said her gaze absent from any particular focus, "I can't believe how insulated from the real world I had been just a year ago...less than a year ago. I thought I could be safe...be protected if I just followed the safe choices. I was wrong, Harry. I was so wrong. It was just an illusion of safety. Something to appease everything I've been feeling, and even though I felt good...it was still wrong."

"But you were safer then."

"Don't be daft. It doesn't suit you." Daphne said, "I hated you at the start of last term. How safe was I really? When I learned about Theodore's death, I almost joined them...did you know that? I would have gladly taken the mark. If we hadn't been made prefects, I'm sure I would have."

"No, I didn't." Harry mused, "I didn't like you either...still don't."

Daphne playfully punched Harry on the leg before she continued, "All I'm saying is one step in the direction of your safety and I would have ended up dying anyway. That's the case for everyone."

Harry sighed as he stared out the window. "Just be careful."

"I'm not going anywhere, Harry." Daphne replied, her tone confident, "So stop worrying and tell me what's really on your mind?"

"Draco knew that you knew who the imperius killer was. " Harry admitted as he watched the hills roll past. "And he didn't tell me."

"What!" Daphne said, the information taking her by surprise.

"Astoria told him," Harry said as he lowered his head. "I don't even know what I think yet. I know he didn't want me to kill anyone, and so he just might not have told me. That's not a crime. I can't be upset with him because he didn't want someone to die, right?"

"But he didn't tell you. What If I hadn't told you? At best, he was fine with letting more people die while you suffered? What kind of...friend is that, Harry? "

"I-" Harry stopped. What was he to think? Daphne was right. No matter how you could spin it, it was inexcusable. "You're right, but what could be the reason?"

"Giving me a fucking break, Harry. It's Malfoy, he would sell anyone's soul to benefit himself."

"He's not like that, Daphne," Harry replied. "At first maybe, but he's not what he portrays himself as."

"How can you be sure?" Daphne asked.

"Because of Theodore Knott," Harry admitted as he saw Hogwarts begin to appear in the distance, he looked over at Daphne who went stiff at the mention of Theodore, "Theodore and I were...friends once. At the end of my first year, he had helped me with Quirrell."

"Helped with...Professor Quirrell? "

"Yes, Voldemort-" Harry began as Daphne jumped, "-was using him. Underneath his head wrap he had allowed Voldemort to commandeer a portion of him, and on one night when I snuck out of the commons to explore Hogwarts. I accidentally walked in on a conversation between Quirrell and Vol-his master, and- Well- long story short, Theodore...he...finished it."

Harry could tell this was the first time, Daphne was hearing about all this. Those moments felt like another lifetime ago, especially when all he could think about was the gurgling noises Theodore made as Harry stood over him in his final moments.

"He had followed me that night …out of curiosity. When I was in rough shape. Theodore used the killing curse, and saved me in a dire moment. Afterwards, we became close. Closer than I would have guessed, but he was smart, charismatic, and he was more pragmatic than anyone I have ever met. He felt like an equal."

Daphne shook her head incredulously, "You both hated each other. "

"For a few months into second year, we didn't, but it only took a few months to remember Pure-blood supremacy exists, and when we remembered...Well, it doesn't take a genius to realize we were on two different sides of it." Harry said coldly as Daphne's eyes took a downward glance, "And when I thought he would help me take down the basilisk...that fucker... tried to kill me. And he would have if it wasn't for Draco. Draco saved me -so yeah- I've trusted him ever since."

The train jolted to a stop. They had arrived. Daphne sat still, processing everything Harry had said, with a melancholic expression etched tightly on her face.

"Daphne, I'm sorry. I don't really know how you feel about him anymore," Harry admitted as he stood up, "But I guess I don't care either way."

Harry grabbed his trunk as he prepared to exit out.

"I don't want you to," Daphne said with a regained composure, "Theodore was my first love. Of course, I'll always feel something for him, but the person I was when I was with him, isn't...me anymore, so get over yourself. We have bigger things to worry about right now than bringing up the dead."

Harry stood in the front of the compartment door, he could see the fierceness in her blue eyes. A lot had changed for a lot of people it seems. Harry nodded.

"You're right. You remember the entrances to the chamber, right?"

Hermione had considered the amount of aurors before the holidays suffocating. Now, it was unbearable. An entire army had been moved into Hogwarts which only produced a sense of unease amongst the student population, and it certainly made her feel less safe than she ever had. On the brightside, sixth and seventh years had been permitted to move through Hogwarts again without escorts, but with so many around, there was no such thing as freedom anymore or even the very appearance of it.

"Is he alright?" Hermione asked as they made their way through the corridor. A patrol of aurors passing by as they walked.

"Considering he didn't stop crying once on the train ride back, alright seems to capture it." Ron replied dryly. "Blimey, his entire life has kind of centered around you, Hermione. He's going to spend the next term and a half sulking like a ghost."

Hermione lowered her gaze. "I feel bad. I really do."

"I mean you couldn't have waited?"

Hermione looked up at Ron with abhorrence, "No, Ron! What do you think? I should have lied to him Just so you wouldn't-"

"That's not what I meant!" Ron held up his hands in a defensive manner. " I see where I look like the jerk, but I mean I was going to force Harry to hold up his end of the bargain- and well-he managed to slip out before things got back in control. That's all. If you wanted to break up with him, that's 100% your decision."

"Oh." Hermione replied, "I'm sorry,"

Ron grabbed the bridges of his nose. "It's not your fault, I'm tired of not knowing the truth, and I refuse to let it continue to be that way."

"What do you want the truth to be, Ron?" Hermione asked as they entered the courtyard. it was relatively quiet, an auror stood on the far corner, watching as they entered.

"For once, you could pretend not to be sticking up for him."

"I'm not sticking up for anyone, Ron. I'm wondering if you think the truth will help you in any way? "

Ron kneeled down to smell an arrangement of Bell-Heathers. Hermione stood next to him, overlooking.

"My brothers and I were called into Dumbledore's office. You remember...I was called out of the potions lab, and so I was the last to get there. When I did, my parents and siblings were there already there, everyone was there even Bill. I remember feeling so out of place when I entered because my entire family looked so...defeated. I had never seen anything like it. My Dad came over and told me Ginny had been killed by a basilisk. She went to capture it for a dare. There was no body left, not even a wand. Harry Potter had attempted to save her but couldn't. When he told me that I refused to believe it. I called Dumbledore a liar. I attempted to brandish my wand against him, but I think I dropped it. I don't remember much after except crying." Ron said as he ran his hands over the plaque that said In memory of Ginny Weasley, A brave heart gone too soon. "I've always wanted the truth to be that Harry potter murdered her. It was the easiest thing to believe. It made me feel less afraid when I thought it was him. He was someone I could hate. Especially after that bastard didn't even come to her funeral. "

"It made you feel less afraid?"

Ron sighed. "You remember Harry before that incident...in our classes?"

"He never showed much interest in classes since he was always so far ahead. " Hermione recollected.

"What I remembered was he was bright-eyed, and he was confident. After the whole incident. I remember seeing him in the hall. When he looked at me, I saw nothing, Hermione. All of the confidence, all of who he used to be was...gone, and that scared me. It scared me that someone like him could have gone down that chamber and come back like that. Thinking that Harry killed her was easier than the thought of two people dying down there to something."

"Ron-"

"You were right, Hermione." Ron stood up, facing Hermione, "We haven't been kids since my sister died and because of that I don't have the right to be afraid I was afraid of back when I was thirteen is going to fear me when this all over. That's why I need answers."

Hermione could see the resolve in his face. She had never seen him like this.

"And If you're going to fight Hermione then I'll fight right beside you."

Draco found himself in an empty white room. It was strange. Where could he possibly be? Furthermore, how did he get here? Why was he even here?

"Look here." The voice said. It was soft but stern.

Draco turned his head, and it felt like he was moving through water. Draco couldn't find where he thought he had heard it.

"Look at me." The voice was louder.

Draco attempted to locate the voice again, but to no avail.

"Draco, here."

Draco found it and as he turned he saw...him. He was standing in the middle of the room. A man with pale skin, slightly bloodshot red eyes, and a hair that seemed to have lost some sheen. He looked only a few years older than Draco, but the most fascinating thing about this man was that his arms and legs were chained to the floor of the white space.

The man smiled, a rather pleasant smile. "Come here, young Draco."

Draco made a move forward, he was wary, but he felt like he could trust the man, in a way. "Who are you?" Draco asked. "Why are you chains?"

"I am trapped, my friend. I've been trapped for a long time.." He said, "Draco, you must help me. You're in danger."

"Danger?" Draco asked, the words unfamiliar to him.

"Danger." The man confirmed. "You will die if you don't free me from my chains, Draco. Do you want to die?"

"No!" Draco yelled, "I can't die. Please!"

"Draco, do not be afraid. I'm here to help you. You can trust me."

Draco nodded. The voice was right. He could trust the man.

"Just look at me as you make your way over here. I won't forsake you, Draco. Free me and I can help."

Draco felt a calmness as he looked at the bright smile of the man as he slowly made his way through the watery viscous of the room.

"I know you Draco. I know the world you want to build." The man said, "A world where there is no more death. No more wars. No more reasons to fight."

Draco pushed harder. He had to free this man.

"A world where you won't experience anybody dying again. Where your friends are at peace. Where your family is at peace." The man said. "Your friends, they wouldn't understand, but I do. I promised you I would help. You can trust me."

Draco was so close. The man was so close now.

"I'll help you build a world where everyone is immortal. Where no Wizard will ever die again. You will live peacefully."

He stood in front of the man now. Draco looked up at his smiling face staring down at him.

"You've asked me to build this world. Touch my chains and free me, Draco. I will rescue you and I will fulfill your demands. "

Draco smiled. He was at peace. He raised his hands reaching out toward the heavy chains that had gripped the man's arm. As he reached out, he could see it, the world...the…

"Aggh." Draco yelled. As his arms fell away, a sharp pain rippled through his body.

"No. Draco fight through it. Fight-"

"Bring me the Ghoul's kiss, we still need to extract smaller bits of the darker residue."

"Draco. Stand up. Now."

The pain was gone again. Draco looked up at the man...no….at Lord Voldemort. There was no mistaking him.

"Touch my chains, now. Draco."

"Lord Voldemort." Draco said as he stood up, memories and events began to flood back into his mind. He had been pierced by that...creature. Light. He could remember watching the fight take place, losing complete control of his body until he fell over.

"It's Voldemort, and you've awakened. Delightful."

Draco stood closely to Voldemort, staring at his chains. "Those would free you from the diadem. You were trying to take over my body."

Voldemort's smile turned into a vicious grin. "Foolish boy, I'm limited in this position. Imagine everything we could accomplish if we...merged."

Draco stepped away. "I have no interest in that arrangement."

"Your desires are naïve. The world you seek can only be built with power."

Draco laughed. "Don't fucking lecture me. If there's a chance then you'll show me or I'll destroy you, horcrux."

Voldemort didn't say anything, but Draco could imagine there was a smug grin on his had a plan, Draco was assured, and it would be a race to death. One wrong move, and the game was over.

The diadem had destroyed Theodore, but it wasn't going to destroy Draco Malfoy, or at least not all of him.

"He's stabilizing. Bring the elves for Post."

Post-Chapter Thoughts:

As always thank you for reading!

-Originally, Theodore wasn't even in this story, but he's a canon character that had massive unused potential. The other reasons for him was that I wanted to avoid common iterations of the "Ice Queen trope ", wanted to treat teenagers like teenager, and It also felt important to not sugarcoat pureblood ideology and its varying prevalence among Slytherins. Some people believe in it with their entire life, and others pay lip service to it, but I felt like either way being a part of the Slytherin ecosystem means interacting with pureblood ideology/blood purity in a much more prominent way.

-As an aside, the only reason Harry hasn't had a previous love interest, I imagine, is that he's had bigger things on his plate. I won't speak for him though.

-Draco :/

Next Chapter, Blaise finds a previous love interest.