Beautiful World ~ 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑹𝑹𝒀

Chapter 20

Breakfast was just ending when Draco walked into the Great Hall, easily ignoring the suspicious stares thrown at him from his housemates. He had, after all, not returned to his dorm last night, and they had to have figured out by now that whomever he'd been with, it hadn't been a Slytherin. He didn't care. Hopefully they didn't compare notes with the Gryffindors and find out that Harry hadn't slept there either. Draco didn't need a full out house war right now on top of everything else.

The headmaster was still sitting at the High Table, though most of the professors had left to prepare for their classes. Climbing the stairs onto the platform, Draco made his way over to where Dumbledore sat discussing something with Professor Flitwick, who didn't have a class that morning. Draco waited almost patiently for them to become aware of his presence.

It was Dumbledore who finally glanced over at him, looking mildly curious. "Mr. Malfoy. Is there something I can do for you?"

"It's about Harry."

That got all of Dumbledore's attention, and he turned back to Flitwick, excusing himself graciously and then standing, leading Draco out of the Hall. As they walked, he asked almost casually, "You and Harry have become friends then, have you?"

Draco felt his face flush the tiniest bit and he licked his lips and said uncomfortably, "Sorta. I guess."

"I must admit, Draco, that I'm surprised the two of you are able to get on at all. However, I'm grateful for it. Now then, what is it you wished to discuss?"

Deciding that directness was the best way to get the information he needed, Draco said abruptly, "Have you found anything to stop him from dying?"

Dumbledore stopped so suddenly that Draco had taken three steps before realizing that he'd left the headmaster behind. He turned, and Dumbledore said quietly, "Harry told you?"

"Yes."

"That's quite strange. That he trusts you that much."

This put Draco on the defensive, as if Dumbledore were insinuating that he was not trustworthy. He stiffened and said, "He doesn't seem to think it's strange. Besides, if it's a secret that was meant to be kept, it was his choice, not yours. It's him that's going to... that's... he's the one who..." he trailed off, and Dumbledore touched his shoulder gently.

"I did not mean to offend, Mr. Malfoy. The strangeness is not that he trusts you, but that he only trusts you. Harry hasn't discussed this with anyone, not me, not his godfather, not his best friends. He refuses to mention it, acts angry and sullen if either Sirius or I mention it. We have been worried that he was in denial, that he would do something reckless."

"And why shouldn't he?" Draco asked, lifting his eyebrows. "How would you react?" He was running out of patience.

"We are doing all we can. There is still hope."

"Why did you warn him if there was still hope? Have you checked the dark books?"

"They would not be helpful," Dumbledore said, too quickly. "The spell his mother cast is not a dark spell and there is no dark spell that can lengthen it, only spells that would cancel the energy and make him die faster."

"A dark spell to stop Voldemort's spell then." Draco had come to see the entire thing as the two spells, the dark spell of Voldemort's and the light spell of Lily Potter, warring for control over Harry.

"There is no way to cancel the Killing Curse, Draco, you know that."

"You haven't looked. I mean no disrespect, sir, but this is a unique case. If you would just look into the Dark Arts, there could be -"