Narissablinksslowlyathim,surprised.“I…Areyousure,Harry?”
No,buthe’sbeomingmoresureashesaysit.Thedeisionsettlesinhishest,omfortableandright.“Iam.”Then,hehastilyadds,“Ifit’snottooimposing.”
Narissagiveshimanothersmile,andit’salittlerelieved,andreal.“Nonsense,Harry.We’retheonesimposing.”
ThetimethatHarryomestotheManor,itisaweekafterDraowasreleased.NarissaisinSotnd.Therearepanakesonthetable,overedwithtemperaturespells,andtwosetsofptesandutlery.ThereisalsoanoteinNarissa’seleganthandwriting,tellinghimtopleasehelphimself.
Itis8inthem,butDraoisalreadyinhiswheelhair,eyesstaringdistantlyintothegarden.
Heislookingfullernow,morealive.Hisheekshavefilledandtheolourisomingbaktohisskin.Inexpliably,Harryissuddenlyvery,veryrelievedthatDraoisn’tindisposedenoughthathean’teat.Narissahastoldhim,throughthelettersthattheyhavestartedtoexhange,thatDrao’sspendingmoreandmoretimepresentwithhertely.
HishairshineswiththebrightmsunandHarryresiststheurgetotouh.
HesitsdownonthehairarossDraoandletstheweirdnessandtheoverallawkwardnessofthesituationsinkinandsettle.Thisisthefirsttimehe’sherewithoutNarissatotalkto,justhimandDrao,who’surrentlyawakebutisoffinsomeotherworldinhishead.
DraoMalfoy.FromSlytherin.
WholiedtotheDeathEaterstosaveyou.
Whenheloseshiseyes,heanstillremembertheheatofthefmesofFiendfyrelikinghislothes.Draosreaming“DON’TKILLHIM”andthetightgripthatDraohadonhiswaistastheyflewaboveandoutoftheinferno.
Thatwasn’tthegripofsomeonewhowantedtoserveVoldemort.
Thatwasjustthegripofsomeonewhowantedtostayalive.
Heturnsaway,fromDrao’ssofthairandthememoriesoffire.
Hepiksuphisfork,takesapanakefromtheservingpte,andletsitploponhisown.
“Potter.”
Hisforkdropsinsurprise.Flushing,helooksup.“Malfoy.”
“You’re…”Malfoysquints.
Harryshrugsnervously.Hefeelslikehe’sjustbeenaughtdoingsomethinghewasn’tsupposedtobedoing.Hesupposesthatitisweirdtosuddenlywakeupandhaveyourlong-timeenemyinyourhouseeatingyourpanakes.“Yeah.”
HarryseesthemomentthatDraoonfirmsthathereallyisindeedHarryPotter.
Draoslowlygnesouttowardsthegarden.“IsthistheManor?”