Trust Me (Drarry)

Chapter 38 - Sixth Year

A/N - Hey guys! This took waaaaay too long I apologise - real life is just insane at the moment... This chapter is fairly short but offers some insight into Draco's mind during sixth year - hope you enjoy! :-)

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Sixth year

DRACO POV

I sat in silence, clutching my forearm and listening to my friends' conversation as the Hogwarts Express wound its way through the countryside. They didn't try to engage with me - they had worked out hours ago that I was not in the mood for talking.

There was a huge battle going on inside my head, one which hadn't stopped since the first day of summer. It was an argument which was forcing me to choose between the two most important things in my life, and I couldn't win either way. I was no closer to reaching an answer than I had been the day I encountered the Dark Lord, and I knew I wouldn't be for a long time.

"Draco..." I was vaguely aware of Pansy's hand on my arm, and pulled myself back to reality. "We're here."

I sighed, grabbing my rucksack and pulling my robes on over my suit. I was not ready for this.

As we waited in line to grab our luggage, I spotted Harry waiting a bit further along the platform. Our eyes met and he smiled, but I couldn't bring myself to return it, so I quickly looked away.

I was surprised to see a group of horses pulling the usually-horseless carriages. Normally they seemed to pull themselves - presumably some powerful magic of Dumbledore's - and I had never before seen the tall, skeletal animals waiting patiently in front of them. I watched them in awe for a second, before realising that Blaise and Pansy were already in the carriage.

The carriage journey up to the castle seemed to take forever. I was forced to look at the many lights and towers of the incredible building for far too long, and it brought a lump to my throat. I couldn't bear to think that I might not be coming back next year.

I tried so hard not to listen to Dumbledore's speech. I knew it would be about standing and fighting together, overcoming evil and holding onto any moments of happiness. I was right. I kept my eyes down, focusing on the fork that I was levitating, rather than meet anyone's eye.

Especially not Snape's. He had been watching me throughout dinner, and it was an uncomfortable reminder of what I needed to do. I thought, once I left my house and was able to avoid the presence of Death Eaters, that I would be able to focus my mind and make the decision by myself. But apparently not.

That night I took a walk around the castle. There were teachers wandering around all over the place, but I had mastered the Disillusionment charm over the summer so I simply walked past them, unseen.

All except one.

"Good evening, Draco."

I jumped at the sound of Dumbledore's voice and glanced around the corridor, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Professor?"

He gradually came into focus, and I realised that he, too, had been using a Disillusionment charm. He was sitting on a stone bench, his eyes focused on a painting on the wall opposite.

"I've always liked this painting," he commented, not taking his eyes off of it. I walked over to have a look, and my heart stopped.

I had seen the painting before, but that was before the summer. Now there was something different about it, and I wondered why I hadn't noticed it before.

As I watched, a young man sat hunched in the middle of the painting, his eyes to the ground. He was completely alone, surrounded by only darkness - exactly how I remembered it. But then, a horse appeared at the side of the painting - just like the ones which I had seen pulling the carriages earlier that evening. The horse walked towards the man, stopping just before it reached him. And there it stood, watching.

Dumbledore and I stayed silent as we watched the painting, but now he spoke.

"They're called Thestrals," Dumbledore explained. "They can only be seen by people who have seen death."

He turned his gaze to me for a second. "May I ask who-?"
I paused for a second, trying to understand the question. "My grandfather died over the summer. The grief of losing my father-"
"He's not lost yet, Draco," Dumbledore replied reassuringly.

I almost told him I didn't care either way, but held my tongue. I did care, a bit. For my mother's sake.

He was still my father, regardless of how he treated us. And he had given us a house and food on the table, if only that.

"The reason I like this painting," Dumbledore continued after a short silence, "is because there is more to it than one might think. Before we come into contact with true darkness and suffering, we might not be able to see the support we have around us. The support of our family and friends, of the people we can trust. They are always there, even in the darkest of times."

I stayed silent, my stomach turning. Was he trying to hint that he knew about my mission? Was he trying to throw me a line?

As my mind span, he suddenly spoke again.

"Although no one in my family looks like a horse," he added seriously, before standing up and disappearing down the corridor, his cloak swishing behind him.

My father was right - the man was one sandwich short of a picnic.

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HARRY POV

I stretched out on my bed and pulled the Marauders map towards me.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," I whispered.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked, turning to me and propping himself up on his elbow.
I shrugged. "Watching TV."
He snorted. "No, seriously."
"Well, I wanted to go for a walk around the castle, but I can't actually be bothered to move."
He nodded. "Mind if I join you?"

I shook my head, and he came over and led on his stomach beside me, watching the map.

"I still can't believe Fred and George never told me about it..." he grumbled, and I rolled my eyes.
"There are probably lots of things Fred and George don't tell you about."
He ignored me, his eyes on the map. "It's so detailed... So every single part of the castle can be seen on here?" He asked, unfolding some of the corners.
"Apart from the Room of Requirement," I nodded, earning myself a raised eyebrow. "I think it's because the door comes out in different places. The room's position always changes depending on who is using it."

"Where does that corridor go?" Ron asked, pointing to the statue of the one-eyed troll on the third-floor.
"That's the passageway to Honeydukes," I whispered. "That's the one I used to take to meet you guys in Hogsmeade."
"Where are the others?"

I pointed some of them out to him, before finding my gaze drawn to two pairs of feet, standing alone in a corridor on the seventh-floor. The labels beside them read, "Albus Dumbledore" and "Draco Malfoy".

Ron had spotted them too, because he said, "what are they doing?"
I shrugged. "Maybe Draco went for a walk and bumped into Dumbledore on the way. He won't tell him off too much." I hoped.

Why was Draco walking along the top floor of the castle at half past eleven? He had looked very distracted at the feast - maybe he needed to clear his head. For a split second, I thought about taking my Invisibility cloak and going to talk to him - just to see if he was ok. But how would I explain that I knew he was there? I hadn't shown him the map yet, and I didn't want him to think I was stalking him...

"Harry..." Ron poked my arm and then pointed at the map. I looked down and saw that Dumbledore had just walked along the corridor, leaving Draco by himself. His label stayed there for a few seconds, as though he was making sure the Headmaster had actually gone, before walking a little further along the corridor and stopping again. My jaw fell open as the label moved up and down in front of the wall of the corridor seven times, before seemingly walking into the wall amd disappearing.

"Woah!" Ron gasped. "Was that the entrance to the Room of Requirement?" I nodded. "So Draco knows about it?"
I nodded again. "He's been in there before." I explained, remembering our dance at the Yule Ball.
Ron made a noise of agreement, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of my bed. "So why is he using it now?"
"I don't know..." I sighed as he got back into his own bed. My eyes were growing heavy and lessons started again tomorrow.

Maybe I could talk to Draco then...