Nothing Left to Give // Drarry

Chapter 1- Lazy Summer

It had been three months of absolutely nothing. I sat in Number 12 Grimmauld Place and thought back on my summer. I should have known it would have been too much to ask for one relaxing break after finally leaving the Dursleys'. It wasn't all bad and at least I got to met with Ron and Hermione a few times a week. They used to come over all the time, but now they seem too caught up in themselves. Call me selfish, but I really needed somebody there and they rarely were these days. When they did come over it wasn't the same.

Hermione started to learn sign language as well as help me learn. We did research on what had caused it, but we couldn't dig much more up than the nurses back at Hogwarts could. We did know that it was caused by an improperly done charm. The chances of reversing spells that you couldn't tell what they were and were misspelled were slim to none. That was when Hermione looked into learning BSL. We all knew it wasn't ideal considering this was an extremely new development. It's not like I could read lips very well considering I'd never had to and I wasn't getting much practice as of late. You can't become fluent in a language in three months, but I would say I'm pretty close. My sentences may not seem as interesting as they could be, though I had never had a particularly interesting way of speaking before.

I tended to look at the whole being deaf thing as an outsider. I had only had my hearing loss for a few months and we were still determined to get it back. I knew deep down that there was a way to fix this. I still continued to learn BSL because I also knew that it would be a while before that would happen. Hermione was extremely good at it and I wouldn't be surprised if she had already known a lot of it. Ron was... trying to say the least. The only other person I had seen this summer was Ginny, but she didn't come over much after the breakup.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when a large barn owl came through the window. I found it easier to leave the window open because I couldn't hear when the owls wanted to get in. I could only hear very loud sounds and even those often came out as muffled. The owl stuck out its leg and I gave it a treat so it would calm down. I open the letter and it read:

Dear Mr. Harry Potter,    

    On behalf of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, we would like to welcome you back and offer a spot in our temporary upper class of students who due to unforeseen circumstances were unable to complete their final year and NEWTs. Listed below are your needed supplies and requirements. Please respond no later than August 28th.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress

I honestly wasn't shocked to read the letter. I knew they would ask us to come back because clearly fighting a war is a minor technicality compared to taking your NEWTs. Hermione would probably agree. Thinking about the war still brings back memories. Of course, it also brings up those unanswered questions.

Why me?

Why couldn't I save them?

What if I had stayed dead?

What was that damn spell?

Who had cast it?

Was anyone else affected?

And why did Malfoy run?

Thinking like this always made my head hurt. Recently, it had been happening a lot more often because I didn't have anything to occupy my time with. The last question though was one that seemed to come up more than the others. I tried coming up with every single malicious reasoning I could and none of them fit. I doubt he was trying to kill me, he had made it very apparent he was no killer. I certainly don't think he was excited to see I was alive. I thought he would have been happy to see me gone as long as it wasn't on his conscience. Maybe it was out of shock? The best answer was it was a way of finally showing people he wasn't on Voldemort's side.

I had known from my... observations in sixth year that he wasn't particularly fond of his mission. If there was anybody who had seen the real Malfoy that year it was probably me. His real friends had no clue of his mission and that was made obvious after word spread of his failed murder attempt. I don't know what they knew because I wasn't friends with the Slytherins and wouldn't be unless something utterly crazy happened. I do know what I saw. The Malfoy that had been crying in that bathroom, sneaking around the halls late at night, and had that sickly pale and tired complexion, was a new side to him.

I didn't want to pity him because I couldn't stand being pitied myself. I could however sympathize. I knew firsthand what it was like to be pushed into something you're not, something bigger than you are. I understand how taxing that can be on your body and mind, how it changes you as a person. I know the feeling of the rumors and remarks behind your back. More than anything I knew what it was like to grow up with a sad excuse of a family. I too felt outcasted by my own flesh and blood.

That was all I needed to make my choice. I couldn't leave somebody in a very similar position to me to attend a school full of people who would hate his every move. I wouldn't allow the pettiness of others to damage the already very crumbled soul of Draco Malfoy. I needed to make amends, I needed to at least not be a complete arse to him when we went back. Whether or not he decided to do the same was up to him. I didn't even know if he was coming back. I, for one, know I wasn't one to hold a grudge, him on the other hand not so much. 

I was fully aware of how hard it would be to be back in that school and also trying to get an education without hearing was less than ideal. I was positive that the teachers knew of my situation, but for once in my life, I didn't want to be alone in this. I needed someone there who had gone through what I had. My friends put up with me and went along with everything, but they didn't have the same pain and pressure I did. Malfoy would have to do for now.

I instantly had my answer clear as day, I needed to go back to Hogwarts. For everybody who had put faith in me, my friends, him, and myself.

One last time.