分卷阅读22（1 / 2）

Whenthehouseclears,itisonlyhimandDraco,alone.

They’recleaningupthekitchen,throwingawaybottlesandevaporatingtheleftoverfood.HarrycantellthatDracoisfollowingbehindhimandcleaningthespotshemissed,eventhoughitreallydidn’tmakeadifference.Itwasstillthecleanesthousetohaveeverexisted.

“Youreallythinkthiswillkeepgoing?”Dracoasks.HisvoicewassoquietthatHarrybarelyheardhim,buthefeltit,too,theneedtotalkaboutimportantthingsinhushedvoices,likeitmightmakethemlessreal.“Morefighting?”

“Ithinkwehavetotry.”Harrysaid,anditwasridiculousthattheyweretalkingaboutbattleplanswhilehewasholdingawashraginhishand.“Wecan’tjustgivein.”

“Youcould.”Dracodidn’tneedtotalkloud,now,becausehewascloseenoughthatHarrywasremindedofthatalmostkissinfrontofHermione’sapartment.Wecan’t,Dracohadsaid,tearinghimselfaway,andthenHarrywasleftstaringatemptyair.“Youcouldletsomeoneelsehandleit,foronce.Givethematurntobeahero.”

Harrywantedto.Hehadwantedtofeelwhatitwasliketoliveanormallife,wherethenightmaresweren’tvisitinghimeverynightandhewouldn’tbewishingthatallhisfriendswouldcomehomesafelyfromamissionhehadsentthemon.“Ican’tjustwalkaway.”Draco’shandshadfoundhiswaytothepocketsofHarry’shoodie,andHarrydidn’tknowwhattodowiththat.Hewantedtopushhimaway,likeDracohadpushedhimaway.“That’snotwhoIam.”

Dracosmiled,then,abeautifulandwistfulexpressiononhisface.“Iknow.”HishandsreachedouttosmoothdownHarry’shair,tryingtotamethewildtanglethatitalwaysforms,andthenitfellaway,disappearing.“I’mgoingtohelpyouthistime.”

Harrydidn’twantthat.HewantedDracosafe,athome,whereHarrydidn’thavetoworry.Buttherewasnocauseforthatkindoftreatment,whenDracowasinsistingthattheywerenothingmorethanflatmates.“Okay.”Hegrabbedontohishand,butDracojustshookhishead.No,hehadsaidandmusthavemeantit.Wecan’t

Chapter18

Draco

Winterisslidingintospring,aquarterofhisprobationsentencedone,andDracohadfoundhimselfcompletelyandhopelesslyinlovewithHarry.

Heprobablyhadbeenatleastinterestedinhimforalongtime,backbeforethewar,butthenitwasalwayskeptoutofreach,somefantasytovisitlateatnight,onewheretheygotalongandHarryhadneverturneddownhishandshakethatfirstyear,whereDracohadfriendsandHarrylikedhimandeverythingwasgoingtoturnoutokay.Itwasn’tarealthing,nothingthatwouldeverbepossible,butthat’swhyhethoughtitwasokaytolikehim.Aslongasitcouldneverbereal,Dracowouldbesafe.

Exceptnow,itcouldbereal.Nowhecookshimbreakfastinthemorningandtheyeatittogether,nowsometimestheyfallasleeponthecouchtogetherandwakeupcurledaroundeachother,nowDracoisaroundtohearhimwakeupfromanightmareatnightandtalktohiscousinDudleyonthephone.HewatcheshimcheckinonGeorgeandonSeamus,seeshimwrapHermioneandGinnyandLunainahugwiththeprotectivenessofabrother.He’supandcloseandpersonalnow,andeventhoughtheflawedpartsofhimmightbeenoughtomakeothersturnaway,itjustmakesDracowanthimmore.

(Like,thecracksareonlyplacesforthegoodthingstoshinethrough,testamentstoallhehaddoneandwillstilltodotoprotectthepeopleheloves,topreservewhatisright.)

“What?”Harrywasleaningoverthekitchentable,waxpaperspreadoutinfrontofhim.Hewasmarkingoffnameswithagreasepencilandrubbingthemaway,creatingaplanofattacktoshowtoKingsleythenextday.Itseemsthatevenwhenhetriestowalkawayfromthefight,thefightjustwouldn’tlethimgo.“Whyareyoulookingatmelikethat?”

Dracohadbeenstaringathimfortoolong.Hehadn’tmeantto,butHarrywasn’tlooking,andwatchinghimwasmuchmoreinterestingthanpencilingininformationaboutdeatheatersthatheonlymetonce,atsomebenefitwhenhewaseleven.

“Idon’tseehowthishelps.”Heshovedthejournalaway,wherehehadscrawledmeaninglessdetailshehadpickedupfromonepartyoranother—whotheyhadanaffairwith,wheretheirsummervacationhomeswere,whichministryofficialtheyhadreportedlybribed,whattheyhadsoldtoBorginandBurkes.Itwastediouswork,butitseemsthatwhenDracostoppedtothinkaboutit,hehadgatheredmoretidbitsofgossipthanhethought.“What’sitmatterwhosomeguycheatsonhiswifewith?”

Harrysmiledathim,shakinghisheadsohishairfallsoutofhisface.He’salwayshavingaconstantbattlewithhishairnow,tryingtokeepitoutofhiswaybutalsowantingitlongenoughtocoverhisscar.Fashionversesfunction,theeternalbattle.“Ifyou’regettingtired,youcangetabreak.”Hewasanaturalleader,butDracohadnoticedthathewasmorecontenttotakealltheresponsibilityonhimselfthantheparceloutjobstoanyoneelse.“Thatdoesn’thavetobedonetonight.”

“Onlyifyoudo.”Hewasn’twalkingawayandleavingHarryinheretopuzzleouttheproblemsalone.Hermionehadspecificallytoldhimnotto,thatitwouldgofasterifHarryhadsomeonetobounceideasoffof,evenifthatsomeonewasaboutashelpfulasbrickwall.(Itdoesn’tmatterifyouknowwhathe’stalkingabout,anyways,hedoesn’ttakeanyone’ssuggestionsevenwhenthey’regood.)“Youcan’tpossiblystillbethinkingstraight.”