The Boy Who Wanted to Live

HeadMaster

Twice now Harry woke up to see Dumbledore watching him.
"Where's Draco," Harry asked immediately, "You've got to find him. Where is he? Draco! DRACO!"
A groan came from the other side of the infirmary and Harry saw a blurry head of blonde hair for a split second before a pillow hit him in the face.
"Shut up, Potter," Draco muttered before falling back asleep.
Dumbledore chuckled softly and shook his head. Harry blushed and sat up.
"You gave us a fright, Harry," Dumbledore said, gently. "We thought you may have died, alas as always you continue to surprise me, Harry Potter,"
Harry watched Albus Dumbledore with a weary suspicion.
"What happened?" He said, bluntly.
Harry sat up and pulled the white box into his lap and opened it to see the dinosaur sleeping in the box that had held his egg. Harry smiled and put the box on the table next to his bed.
"I was hoping you would tell me that, Harry," Dumbledore spoke before sitting down on a chair by Harry's side.
"Voldemort," Harry said, softly, looking at Dumbledore "he was in Quirell."
"Possession, Harry," Dumbledore supplied.
"Yes. Quirel was trying to hurt Draco." Harry paused and looked over at the bed his friend was sleeping in with concern.
"Do you know why?" Dumbledore asked, softly.
"No, Sir," Harry said, sitting up and reaching for his glasses, "I don't know why he would go after Draco. Maybe it's because Quirell didn't like Draco's father and wanted to enact revenge,"
Harry pulled a box of chocolate frogs from the pile of presents at the end of the bed and opened it. He watched as the frog hoped around his lap for a few minutes before he picked it up and bit off it's head. Dumbledore watched amused as Harry broke off one of the fingers of the chocolate frog and dropped it inside the white box.
"Actually, Professor," Harry said "I do remember one thing. Before I fainted Voldemort wanted to talk to me."
"Yes?" Dumbledore asked as the boy ate the frog.
"He said," Harry paused to swallow, "that he wanted to end the war, and that he wanted to stop kids from being hurt by it."
"Harry, I want this war to end just as much as you do, but Voldemort will only stop this battle once he has won,"
"I understand that, Headmaster. He wanted me to join his side of the battle. He said that Draco held the key to winning. What does that mean, Headmaster?"
Dumbledore paused and looked over at the sleeping Malfoy boy with a small sigh.
"It means, Harry, that Draco is very lucky that you came to save him." He said "By any chance, how did you know Young Malfoy here was in trouble?"
"I heard him shout," Harry said, looking at his friend with a small frown.
"Why didn't you tell a teacher? Or call for your father?"
Harry paused and frowned. Dumbledore watched with concern as Harry stiffened in defence.
"My father, Professor?" Harry asked through clenched teeth.
"Newt was still in the room, wasn't he?" Dumbledore asked, looking at where the man slept in the cot next to Harry's.
Harry relaxed and looked at Newt's sleeping form.
"Oh! I thought you meant my other father," Harry said. "I didn't really think about it, Professor, I saw Draco and I panicked."
Dumbledore had a small twinkle in his eye as he watched Harry's green eyes become glued on the sleeping boy.
"I just want to reassure you, Harry" the old man said "That what happened between you and Professor Quirell is a complete secret. So, Naturally, the whole school knows about it."
Harry chuckled and turned to look at the old man.
"Why was it that he couldn't stand my touch, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Well that, my boy, is because of your mother. The night your parents died, when your mother Lilly gave up her life to protect you she left a mark on you,"
Harry's hand flew up to his scar and Dumbledore continued,
"No Harry this type of mark can not be seen,"
"What was it?" Harry asked.
"Love, Harry. In the purest form. I believe that Voldemort, or what was left of him couldn't stand your touch because of the love that flows through your veins,"
Harry looked down at his hands.
"But I wasn't feeling love at the time," Harry whispered to himself.
Dumbledore stood and patted Harry's shoulder, kindly.
"Professor?" Harry asked softly "What was he looking for?"
"Surely, Harry, you can not tell me that you do not know," Dumbledore said with a raised eye brow, "After all it was I who gave permission to your head of house to tell you about the Philosophers stone,"
Dumbledore began to make his way towards the door when Harry stopped him.
"Where is the stone now?" Harry asked.
"I'm afraid, Harry, that I can not answer," Dumbledore made his way a few steps closer to the door when Harry stopped him again.
"Voldemort knows I am with Newt," Harry said, softly.
Dumbledore frowned before turning around and giving Harry a small smile.
"We will worry about such things later, Harry," he said "For now, enjoy the rest of your school year. And for Merlin's sake, those presents have been sitting there for nearly two weeks! Open them, boy!"
Harry smiled widely and pulled the boxes close to him. Dumbledore left the room with a soft click of the door.