The Heart of the Matter (Harry/Draco)

Chapter Five

Potter was still gripping his wand and Tonks still had Draco by the elbows when Snape stepped out of Dumbledore's shadow. He was glaring murderously at Potter.

'Molly,' Dumbledore said lightly. 'Bill has been transferred to St Mungo's.'

'Are Ginny and Charlie still with him?' Mrs Weasley inquired.

Dumbledore nodded. 'Alastor, Arthur, and Miss Delacour as well. I imagine they'll be back as soon as Bill's been settled in.' His gaze floated over the table. 'I'm sorry to interrupt, but I require to speak to Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy alone. I must ask the rest of you to have an early night.'

Granger, Lupin, Tonks, Weasley and the twins all began moving immediately while Molly quickly began gathering extra food into bowls with her wand. Weasley and Granger both paused at the door, looking back at Potter, but eventually followed the others out. Draco and Potter both still had their wands out, but had lowered them at the appearance of the Headmaster, settling for glaring coldly at one another.

Mrs Weasley was bustling past when Draco suddenly had a thought, and reacted before he could think better of it.

'Mrs Weasley.'

She stopped, looking surprised. 'Yes, dear?'

'I,' Draco started, thrown off by the narrowed stare Potter had fixed him with. Draco looked away from him and at Mrs Weasley instead. 'I really had no idea. I'm—'

'It's all right, dear,' Mrs Weasley assured, interrupting him. 'I know. We don't blame you.'

Draco stared at her. He could not understand, for the life of him, why she wouldn't. If his situation had been reversed, his mother would have killed the one responsible. 'Why?'

Much to his chagrin, she smiled faintly at him. 'Because there's only one person to blame for all of this, dear. And it isn't you.'

She left, leaving Draco feeling extremely hollow.

Potter was still glaring at him, but more bewildered than murderous. Dumbledore bade her goodnight before addressing the boys. 'Molly is quite right,' said the Headmaster. 'But now that I have you both here, I need to—'

'I don't give a damn what you need,' Draco snarled, and both Snape and Dumbledore looked at him. Draco was gripping his wand so tightly his hand was trembling. 'I don't care what you want, or what you have to say.'

Dumbledore sighed. 'I am truly sorry about your mother, Draco. Be assured we did everything we could.'

'You're a liar,' he hissed through his teeth. His throat felt very tight all of a sudden.

'He isn't a liar!' Potter snapped.

'Harry, please,' Dumbledore said, before turning his attention back to Draco. 'No, Malfoy is quite right, I'm afraid. I should not have made a promise I was unable to keep. For that, I could only ask if you can forgive an old man's mistake.'

Draco's teeth were trembling against one another so hard it hurt. 'Never,' he hissed. 'I will never forgive you for that.'

Potter opened his mouth again but Dumbledore quieted him with a raised hand. 'I do not blame you,' Dumbledore said, sounding sincere. 'Your mother's loss was extremely unfortunate. And it is part of the reason I have come here tonight. But first...'

He paused, looking briefly sideways at Snape, who pressed his thin lips together until they were as white as the rest of him. Dumbledore must have interpreted this as permission to continue. 'There is something very serious both of you need to know, and I need your word that it will not leave this room.'