Inescapable | Drarry + Bleville ✔︎

Chapter 3

Draco's POV:

After being healed by Madam Pomfrey, Draco and Harry sat silently in front of Professor Dumbledore. "I am highly disappointed in you two," Dumbledore says calmly. Both boys stare at their shoes. Draco has always said he hated Dumbledore, but now sitting in front of him, he is a lot more intimidating than he thought. It's not that he's done anything to put that thought in Draco's head, he's just such a calm, collected old man, that it almost freaks Draco out. "I expected you two to be mature enough to get through this year together. You both had great potential to cooperate with each other at the very least. Especially you, Harry." Dumbledore says almost sadly.

"We apologize, Professor," Harry speaks up. 'We?!' Draco asks himself.

"No, you apologize, Harry. Draco hasn't said a word." Dumbledore says, peering at Draco with his pale blue eyes. Draco tenses up. "No need to feel threatened. I'm here to help you, not harm you, Draco." Dumbledore gives him a smile.

Draco hugs himself and stares at Dumbledore's wooden desk. "Now, what happened exactly? And no arguing, speak one at a time and let the other speak their truth." Dumbledore says.

Harry and Draco looked at each other as if asking each other silently who should go first. Harry decides to go first. "Well, we were making our Patronus's and after I did mine, I sat back down and Draco called me a show-off and..." Harry gulps and rubs the back of his neck. "I called him a pathetic excuse for a wizard... Then he started punching me and then I punched him back..." Harry finishes, blushing heavily from embarrassment.

"Ah... Draco, do you have another story?" Dumbledore asks. Draco shakes his head in response. "Very well... Well, both of you were in the wrong in this, that's for sure. First of all, Draco apologize to Harry." Dumbledore says.

Draco looks at Harry with a grimace, feeling like he was in first-year again. He took a gulp. "H-Harry? I-I'm... So-Sorry?" It felt weird calling him Harry and it surely felt weird saying sorry to anyone.

"Draco, say it like you mean it," Dumbledore says with a smile.

"I'm sorry... H-Harry..." Draco finishes nervously.

"Good, now, Harry apologize to Draco," Dumbledore demands.

"Mal-Draco, I'm... Sorry." Harry finishes looking uncomfortable.

"Great. Just be lucky I didn't make you do that in front of everyone. But if this happens again, I surely will." Dumbledore says with a grin.

"Yes, Professor," Harry speaks.

"Now, Harry go on along, I want to speak to Draco." Draco's heart pounds as Dumbledore finishes his sentence. Harry gets up promptly and almost leaves running. "Well Draco, I've never talked to you before. Would you like a cup of tea?" Dumbledore asks.

His voice cracks, "S-sure." He clears his throat and stays silent.

"Accio teapot," Dumbledore says, pointing his wand at his desk. A teapot appears right in front of him and he takes two teacups and begins to pour the tea. "Here you go." Dumbledore pushes a teacup toward Draco and he sips it nervously. "You may be wondering why I kept you here... Well, I know you have been very upset recently and I know what Harry said must have hurt you."

Draco looks at him with a cocked eyebrow. "But... But you didn't... Keep Harry here..."

"No, I didn't. Harry can handle criticism, plus I speak to him quite a lot. You are a different story. I don't know you much, but I know your father. I know he must be hard on you." Dumbledore says, taking a sip of his tea.

Draco looks at the floor, fiddling with his teacup. "Draco, no matter what anyone makes you do, you be yourself."

"Huh?" Draco said on instinct. "Why are you telling me that?"

"Just trust me. Sometimes the hard decision is the right decision. Don't always take the easy route. It'll be scary, but it's the right thing to do." Dumbledore finishes, making Draco give him a confused stare. Dumbledore simply chuckles. "Alright, you may go now."

Draco stands up to leave but is stopped once again. "And Draco, if you ever want to stay here for holidays, you may," Dumbledore says with a smile.

Draco's eyes soften and he gives the Professor a nod before walking out. 'He's just trying to get you on his side.' Draco tells himself, 'He wouldn't actually help you, no one would.'

Draco bumps into someone and they both fall on the ground. "Sorry, I-- Potter!" Draco stands up quickly and sneers at the raven-haired boy on the ground. "This is your fault you--"

"Draco!" Harry says, making Draco look at him in shock. "Look, we will get expelled if we fight like this anymore and we have to be partners for the whole year! Can we please just at least be respectful to each other?! We don't have to be friends because I wouldn't want that any more than you would. But please, for the love of Merlin, can we just get along?! Just for this year at the very least, please?!" Harry pleads.

Draco stares at him in wonder, not knowing what to say. Harry sighs and straightens out his glasses, standing up, and beginning to leave. "Potter!" Draco shouts at him.

"What?" Harry asks with a sigh.

"Fine..." Draco says, making Harry raise an eyebrow.

"Fine, what?"

"Fine... Fine, we can try to get along..." Draco says, making Harry smile a little. "But don't get all weird and try to be my friend."

"Of course not. Why would I even want that a little bit?!" Harry retorts. Draco gasps which makes Harry smirk. "Come on, we gotta go to class."

"Don't tell me what to do, Potter!" Draco shouts, walking quickly past Harry into his next class: Transfiguration.

"Now--Mr. Malfoy! Care to explain--Mr. Potter?! Oh, good grief! I demand to know why you two are late!" Professor McGonagall demands.

"Professor, we had to go speak to Professor Dumbledore," Harry says confidently.

Professor McGonagall sighs. "Very well, take a seat." Harry and Draco take a seat beside each other. They managed to agree to transfigure a quill into a frog without making too much of a scene. The frog took a liking to Draco, so he decided to take it with him. By the end of the day, Draco had a pet frog named Aristotle and two full classes of not having to compete with the famous Harry Potter. He was actually quite happy.