A Royal Arrangement (Drarry) ✓

Chapter 3

"Hiking." Hermione said, sliding down a bookshelf to sit beside Draco. "All boys trip, or whatever. Dragon and thestrals and all to the mountain. Basically they wanted me to accompany you."

"Dragon? Thestral?"

"Harry owns a dragon. Thestrals are always used as common transportation." She explained, before realising Draco probably didn't even know what a thestral was. "It's a winged horse, black leathery skin. Barely dangerous unless you aggravate them, but that could be said for almost all animals. They're really fast flyers, that's why we use them in war as well, although some countries don't allow their entry."

"Oh." Draco nodded along to her words. "Slytherin doesn't have all those. Only sea dragons. They're very tame."

"But they're beautiful creatures."

"The only help they brought Slytherin was that one time they overturned an enemy's ship." He mumbled sadly. "28 years ago."

"Mm... come on, we still need to tailor your clothes. I forgot to bring you last week, dealing with Harry's stuff, y'know." Hermione quickly changed the topic, tugging his arm up. "Besides, you can't just mope around here all day. You need to see some sunlight."

Halfway through the seemingly never-ending corridors, a girl from the laundry rooms- Parvati she said her name was- joined Hermione mid-chatter. Occasionally they turned their heads to acknowledge Draco's presence, but even he didn't feel it was his place to cut into conversation.

"Your highness, you should be walking in front, no?" Parvati asked. Hermione had to quickly mumble something about being not familiar with routes, to which she responded with an expected 'it's been a few months!' After a bit more of hushed chatter from the 2 girls, Hermione beckoned Draco to follow them.

Draco tried to familiarise himself with the castle but lost count after the 3rd left turn. It was much more spacious than back home, and larger. Minimal decorations and plain but clean walls, yet somehow it all tied together beautifully. Draco has been trying for the past few months to adapt, but it proved to be harder than he thought. The food was distinctly Gryffindor where most of it had strong tasting spices and herbs. Even the water had a squirt of lemon as an aftertaste. Their talk was louder but not coarse, their gait bolder and firmer, but not menacing unless they wanted to be. They didn't care so much about the sea, unlike how Slytherins based their life around it. The weather was warmer, much warmer than Draco liked, which meant he resorted to the thinnest of clothing options. People seemed warmer too, they seemed to be able to find friends every turn they made, waving and smiling at each other. Maybe the coldness sets in as one of the side effects from having prolonged war waged on you.

Just when they were about to cross a bridge near the gardens, a huge bird-like creature with stell grey feathers stops their path. It's flaming orange eyes seem to try and dissect them apart, it's hooves scratching the cement in the most chilling manner.

"What is that?" Draco asked, slightly terrified by the bird's gaze. Hermione was sticking her hand in front of the two of them, slowly backing them off as the bird made its way closer.

"Hippogriff." Hermione explained in a shushed whisper. "Normally he isn't aggressive, but he's a bit off today." Parvati looked downright mortified, her eyes going about as wide as saucers. "We bow."

Following Hermione's count on three, they did so. The bird doesn't stop, now starting to make soft grunts as it lets out little puffs of air. Almost in frustration.

"Buckbeak, are you hungry?" Hermione asked with a forced, sweet tone, carefully stepping to the side of the walkway. Buckbeak turns to face her while Parvati pulls Draco over to the other side. "I'll get you food, we just need to get to the tailor's first, yes?"

The bird growls, it sounded unpleasant. Draco shivers. Its hooves scratch the flooring again, body bent low as if it was ready to attack. Hermione looked alarmed as well, backing off slowly while still trying to appease it. Suddenly, it snapped its head towards Draco and Parvati, and starts to charge.

Parvati screams, the sound high-pitched and ear-piercing. Draco was being shoved to the ground by the bird, everything happened too fast for him to comprehend. He regretted his not-so-smart decision to shield his face using his arms a second later. A sharp pain was shooting through his left arm immediately, and he was very aware that his sleeve was ripped when the hoof caught onto the fabric. The bird was standing on its hind legs, ready for its next strike, and Draco squeezed his eyes shut.

The strike doesn't come. Instead, a pair of strong arms carry him. Draco is made briefly aware of his irregular, heavy breaths, and the wet patch pressed against his cheek on the person's shirt. He didn't even notice he was crying, although he was sobbing quietly now into someone's clothing.

The gentle sway and the sound of footsteps seem to make his eyelids heavy...

***

Blurry. Everything was a blur when Draco opened his eyes. His head still hurt slightly, his arm was in something stiff, even though the pain subsided to a dull ache. Bright lights seemed to blare into his eyes, probably made worse from whatever medication they decided to administer. He looked around worriedly. There was Hermione, Parvati, and a tall boy that he didn't recognise.

"Draco, good thing you're awake. You scared me." The voice came from none other than Harry's mother herself, who held his uninjured hand as if he were her son. Draco opened his mouth to say something, but she replied as if she could read his mind. "Infirmary, darling. Oliver carried you here." The taller boy does his standard royal greetings, and Draco just nods absentmindedly. "Parvati, together with him, will assist you from now on."

"That... I could just-"

"No. Besides, Hermione is working hard enough." Harry's mother smiled. "You 3 must be tired. Please rest."

"Thank you, Your majesty." They bowed in unison, then exited promptly and quietly. The queen's expression changed to something more sympathetic and guilty.

"Don't apologise. It's not your fault." Draco could tell it was about to roll off the tip of her tongue.

"If Harry ever mistreats you, you must let me know." She squeezed his hand even tighter, her thumb stroking the back of his palm gently. "I don't know how Buckbeak even got out of the paddock, I... I'm so sorry. Do you feel discomfort anywhere?"

"Just a bit dizzy." He replied honestly.

"You knocked your head against the flooring, but nothing serious, we did a full body scan while you were passed out. Your arm is fractured, so you would need 2 full nights if monitoring." She explained. "If you need help, Parvati and Oliver are there, okay? They told me they're happy to help you."

"You know, before I married into the royal family, I was from a small town between the borders of Slytherin and Gryffindor then, in this country but not really. People said the nastiest things when we first married." Harry's mother continued. "What I'm saying is, Draco, they may not accept you now, but eventually they will understand that your heart is with them."

Draco's eyes were watery, but he continued to nod, letting her continue telling her stories to soothe him.