BANALITY : Draco Malfoy

71

There is a creak on the stairs above us. I turn my head, but Draco does not. The shadow that races towards us is Harry. His cloak billows around him, his wand outstretched. His eyes barely glaze over Draco and me on the floor as he enters the cellar.

Blaise's muffled whimpers spread through the room behind me, and I am only aware of how quiet it is in here. I peer behind Harry, trying to see if any other aurors have followed behind him. He seems to be alone, but it is possible that the others are combing through the rest of the manor while we wait.

"It was Blaise, huh?" Harry finally speaks, looking not at me nor Draco, but staring Blaise down.

"You actually didn't drag along Granger or Weasley this time," Draco says, trying his best to turn his neck to look at Harry. He is still sluggish, although we've only sat in wait for less than half an hour. "I didn't think you'd ever come alone."

"Ron is still in St. Mungo's," Harry's voice is sharp. "Hermione is with him."

"Right," Draco doesn't seem convinced.

Harry walks away from us, and I dare to glimpse him. He bends over above Blaise, who is bound in ropes and gagged from Draco's magic. He has no power over me. Draco even has Blaise's wand. Still, he's hard to look at.

"Nice work," Harry says, glancing at me.

I nod my head, even if it was Draco that bound Blaise, for I am the one that discovered it was Blaise all along and I am the one who was able to call for help.

Harry then looks at Draco, furrowing his brow, "you look like shit."

"You're too kind," Draco rolls his eyes, leaning against me still.

"I say it with as much kindness as I can muster," Harry crosses his arms over his chest. "You look like you are on death's door."

"This is the sixth manor I tried," Draco shakes his head.

"You should not apparate like that," Harry points out, scrunching his nose. "You're lucky you didn't lose an entire limb or worse."

Draco shrugs.

I force myself into a standing position. Draco behind me is barely able to hold himself upright without me.

"What's our plan now?" I ask. "There is still a containment charm holding me in this room."

Harry looks at the walls. He looks at Draco and then at me, "Try to rest while I deal with it."

I do not argue with him, nor does Draco. I move us up against one of the walls. Harry begins to mutter at the magical shield with his wand, gestures and tone similar to what I remember Draco doing all those nights ago in 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry's voice is quiet enough that it feels like white noise. Draco and I lean against each other. After a few minutes, I feel his body relaxing. He usually avoids sleeping when he thinks I am in trouble. When we were in Hogsmeade, he did not sleep once that night. I wonder how many days he has spent awake.

"I'm sorry," I whisper to him.

His eyes move slowly across my face, "I should have known you were too stubborn to give up. I just didn't realize you would learn to ride a broom in a day to get away."

I had almost forgotten I had stolen a broom as part of my ruse.

"Actually, I used the floo to get to Terry Boot," I explain. "Luna mentioned him once, so I knew we were acquainted."