分卷阅读18（2 / 2）

Dracoisstilltalking.“Butyoucan’thelpme,canyou?”ThewordscutHarryapart,becauseheneverwantsthattobethecase,thatDracoishurtingandHarrybelefthelpless.“Youwouldn’tdoadamnthingaboutit,evenifyoucould.”

“Hetriedtokillme.”Harrytriestomakehisvoiceasgentleashecan,buthefaltersonthelastword.HedoesnotknowhowtomakeDracounderstandthehatethatwasinhisfatherwithoutbeingcruel,ortotellhimthathecouldnotexcusethat,evenforhim.“Hemighthavebeenagoodperson,buthewaswrong.”

“Hewasmydad.”Dracosaid,miserably,rippingathisnailsnow,andhishandswerebleeding.Harrywantedtotellhimsorry,sorrythatlifewaslikethis,sorryhismotheraskedthisofthem,sorrythatDraco’sfatherdidwhathedid,justsorry,sorryforsomanythingsthatweren’thisfaultandthathecouldneverfix.Hewantedtofixthem,butcouldn’t,justpulledDracotohim.“Hewasmyfather.”

Therewasn’tmuchthatcouldbesaidafterthat.Theystaylikethatforafewminutes,thenDracopullsaway,tearsstillstaininghisfaceandeyesred,hisvoicescratchyfromthecrying.Harrycanstillfeelthetearsonhisshirtdrying.

“Whatever,right?”Dracolaughed,butitsoundedwrong,becausenothingaboutthiscouldbelessfunny.“Hedidwhathedid,andnowthere’snothingthatanyonecansayaboutit.”

“Hetriedtokillme.”Harrysaysagain,dumbstruck,becausethis,thisconversationrightnow,whatDracomustbefeeling,thatwassomuchworsethananythingthatHarryhadtodealwithwhenitcametohisparents.Whenthey’redeadandyouneverknewthem,theycanneverdisappoint.“I’msorry,Draco.”

Hereachesouttohim,totryandpullhimback,butDracojustbarksoutalaughthathecutsoffbeforeitreallygetsstarted.“Merlin,Harry.”Dracosmilesathim,tiredbutalmostfondinaway.“Iknow.It’sokay.”

Harryjustnods,becausethereisnothinghecansaytothat.Andwhatwouldhesayanyways?AnotherrenditionofhowthisisnotDraco’sfault,howHarrydoesn’tblamehim,howtheyarefriends?

Becausetheyaren’tfriends,notreally.Thisisnothowyoufeelaboutafriend,thisisnotwhatyoudotocomfortafriendwhentheyarehurtingandyouarehopelesstohelpthem.Theystoppedbeingjustfriendsalongtimeago,butnoneofthatwillhelpthemwiththis.

Chapter15

Harry

Hehearsscreaming.

ItonlytakesasecondtorealizethatthesoundhewashearingbelongedtoHermione,andthatshouldn’tbehappening,itshouldn’tevenbepossibleforhertobeattackedhere,inthishomewithallitsmanydefensivespells.Heisoutofhisseatandhurtlingdownthestairs,barrelingintothekitchenwithhiswandout,onlytoseeDracohuggingHermionesotightlythatheactuallyspinsheraroundthekitchen.

(Like,spins.Thekindfromamugglemovie,wherehetakesherbythewaistandherfeetactuallyliftthegroundbecausetheyarethatlevelofhappy.)

Harrystopsshortandcollapsesintothewall,weakattheknees,becausetherushofadrenalinehehadgottenwhenhethoughtsomethingwaswrongseemstobeleavinghimjustasfast.“Whatthebloodyhellareyoudoing?”

“Wedidit!”Hermioneturnstohim,then,andherembracehitshimthechestwithenoughforcetoknockthewindoutofthem.“Wemadeit!”

Harrydidn’tknowwhattheydid,exactly.DracoandHermione’sworkhadleftpracticalandturnedtotheoreticalalmostimmediately.Itturnsoutthattherewasalmostnothinghardaboutcopyingmugglemedicationsformentaldiseases,andtheonlyreasonthewizardingworlddidnothavethemwasthatnoonehadevertried.Now,though,theywereworkingonthingsthattheministrywashandingdowntothem,averyexperimentalstudythatinvolveschangingconditionsrightatthesource,evenifit’sintheDNA,likeasortofbiologicalpolyjuicepotion.

“Youdidit?”Harryfaltered,andthenhelookedoveratDraco,whojustlookedmildlyexciting,consideringtheyjustmadehistory.“Youfoundthecorrectionforthatgenome,orwhatever?”