REBORN

Chapter 7: Healing Bonds

The sunlight was beginning to fade as Draco made his way back to the dorms. He was angry. Did no one believe that he was capable of decency? And if not decency, at least a sliver of intelligence! He had been just behind Granger every year and leagues ahead of everyone else. Had he not been a Malfoy he would have been called the brightest wizard of his age just as Granger was praised as the brightest witch.

Of course, McGonagall would never acknowledge that. This conversation only proved it. He ran a hand through his hair. His Occlumency walls had been shaking since the sorting ceremony, worse since his nightmare. Draco leaned back against a corridor wall, ignoring the few students making their way back to their dorms. He didn't want to return to the Gryffindor dorms but had nowhere else to go. Sighing he pushed off the wall and started to make his way there.

The portrait of the fat lady babbled to him as he approached. Draco tried to be polite and extracted himself from the conversation as soon as he could. As he passed through the common room he overheard the trio discussing something in hushed tones. Draco approached discreetly and leaned against the wall.

"-Hell Harry the woman's torturing you. If the parents knew about this..." Weasley said.

"I haven't got any of those, have I, Ron?" Potter responded hotly.

"Harry, you've got to report this. It's perfectly simple. You're being." Granger tried.

"No, it's not. Hermione, whatever this is, it's not simple." Potter left after that holding a letter, presumably leaving to the owlrey. Potter returned soon after and walked to the boy's dorms. Draco glanced about the common room was nearly empty now so Draco took the hint and followed a few moments later. Draco stared at Potter out of the side of his eye but didn't speak. Potter didn't speak about Draco's nightmare either. They both prepared for bed silently, all the while Draco wondered about what had happened to Potter for his friends to be so concerned.

The next day, before breakfast Draco began the walk to Dumbledore's office. Draco after the past summer and his disownment, felt resigned. He couldn't manage to care about what would happen during this meeting. Draco approached the large gargoyle guarding the plain door. Draco examined the finely crafted stonework, his eye picking out the small imperfections in the stone. He shifted his bag on his shoulder and announced the password in a clear voice.

The large gargoyle jumped aside for him, revealing a plain staircase. Draco didn't allow himself to hesitate. He climbed the stairway not stopping until he reached another door, also oddly plain considering Dumbledore's otherwise opulent style. Draco knocked on the door and entered when it cracked open.

There was no one in the office when Draco entered. Draco stood in the middle of the room, inspecting the contents of the room. The bookshelves were full, not entirely of books, but also with kickbacks. Some, Draco recognized as powerful magical artifacts, while others seemed to be purely inconspicuous.

There was also an intricate bird stand where a beautiful phoenix perched. It seemed to be in the prime stage of its age cycle. Draco, having learned from the disastrous third-year incident, did not approach the animal. Instead, he looked closer at the selves, they were very cluttered and the artifacts almost blended. Draco's eyes caught on the sorting hat, which was half hidden behind a large fabric roll.

Draco's eyes narrowed as he walked closer pulling it from the shelf. He held it by the fraying brim. Why? Draco thought. Why me? In his first year, this hat had given him everything. It had guaranteed his safety. Then, this year, it upended his life and put him in the middle of a war with no one on his side.

Suddenly the wrinkles in the hat deepened and moved. Forming a mouth and indents for eyes. And then, it spoke to him.

"Draco Malfoy, once a Slytherin so true,