What a Handshake Can Do (Drarry)

Year 6: Part 3

 Harry opened his eyes, looking at the pale walls of the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey stood in the corner of his vision, hovering over another student lying in one of the beds. He rolled over to get a better view of who the other person was, seeing a lanky frame and blonde hair. Draco? What was Draco doing here? Hell, what was he doing here?

Madam Pomfrey saw his movement and hurried over to him. "Ah, Mr. Potter, you're awake."

He rubbed his head, scar throbbing. "What happened?" he asked groggily.

She shook her head, clutching her wand to her chest, "Your fellow Slytherins saw you go all crazy and throw the killing curse at some cat, then you passed out. I cast a few examination spells on you and well... There was also some damage along your neck, hips, and, ahem, anal cavity."

Harry grimeased, "I know what that's from," he turned red, "but I don't remember anything from the common room."

Madam Pomfrey frowned, waving her wand and accioing a few potion bottles to his bedside table. "It happened just as I told you. Now, I'm going to have you stay here through the night just to be on the safe side. Take those potions when you wake up more."

She wondered back to Draco who had yet to wake up, setting some potions on the nightstand and waving her wand over him methodically. Harry groaned, pushing himself into a sitting position. He lifted his shirt a little to see finger-shaped bruises on his hips. God, how rough had Draco been on him? All he could remember was pure bliss until Draco ran away. He growled, dropping the hem and grabbing the small bottles, draining them one at a time.

Soon he began to feel sleepy once more. Before he knew it, he had fallen back into a sleep, Draco's face behind his lids as he drifted off. He smiled, dreaming of the Malfoy heir.

-_-_-_-_-

Draco had been pretending to be asleep while Madam Pomfrey tended to Harry. He didn't know how he was going to talk to Harry. The boy was incredibly dangerous. He was practically Voldemort's right-hand man. He shivered, remembering the Dark Lord hovering over him, pale face full of anger and... Amusement?

It was truly sick. How Harry could work for that bastard, he didn't know. Of course, he too was marked by his sign.

He rubbed his forearm, hoping that Madam Pomfrey hadn't seen it in her examination. He shivered, digging his nails into his skin as he looked at the sleeping form of Harry, wishing he had a different fate. Why was it he that had to play this game of pretend? Be the double agent? Bare the Mark of Darkness while secretly working for the Light.

Dumbledore had promised to share so much with him, teach him Voldemort's past. He had promised to save Harry. Voldemort wanted him to kill Dumbledore. He hadn't told the Headmaster yet, not sure if he would trust him after he revealed such sensitive information. He could get expelled! Sighing, he eyed Harry, he looked so peaceful in his sleep.

Before he knew what he was doing, Draco was standing over the other Slytherin, running his long fingers through his thick black locks. So beautiful. When he slept, Harry seemed to let all the weight of the world pass from him, looking so innocent when in reality he was so guilty. He was dangerous. Draco smiled, he liked that.

The doors opened and Draco turned to see Professor Dumbledore walking in. He shuffled over to the other side of Harry's bed, smiling. "You'd never think he's one of the Darkest wizards alive by looking at him like this, would you?"

Draco sighed, lifting his hand from Harry's hair and nodding slowly.

The Headmaster smiled to himself, looking at the sleeping teenager with a look of... Affection? Regret? "Poor boy. Maybe if something in his past had gone differently, he wouldn't have turned out this way. One little event..."

Draco laughed without humor, not seeing where Dumbledore was trying to go with this. "Yeah like what? Me being friends with him or something?" he chuckled bitterly, "like one little handshake could have such a huge effect on history."

Dumbledore did not join in Draco's joke, expression remaining deadly serious. "It could, Mr. Malfoy, it could."

He went silent after that, face serine, like he knew something Draco didn't. Draco didn't like that look, it seemed far too similar to the look of contempt Voldemort had while punishing him for hurting his "pet". He scratched at his arm, clenching his teeth. "Why are you here, Headmaster?"

"I actually wanted to talk with you Draco," he said pleasantly, tucking his cursed hand into his robes.

"Yeah?"

"Yes. You see, I've become aware of the fact that Voldemort - Tom - has instructed you to kill me. Now, I know this must stir a great deal of turmoil inside you, but you will not have to go through this alone, m'boy. I have a plan, but be assured, I must die at the end of all this."

"What?" Draco blinked, had he just said he was going to die willingly?

"You heard me. You must kill me Draco, for the sake of the Wizarding World, you must kill me."

---

Wow. That was a trip. 

This may not seem like it, but there was some major plot in here, whether you realize just how much or not ;)