分卷阅读36（1 / 2）

Harryalmostlaughs.Herememberedwhentheythrewthatwordaroundlikeitmeantnothing,liketheyknewthefeelingthatshouldhavegoneintoit,buttheyhadn’t.Beingabletohatemeansbeingabletowanttohurt,bylookingatsomeoneandonlythinkingthattheywerevileanddisgustingandworthless,ofwantingthemtobornandbeingtheonetolightthematch.

“Iwon’t.”Heisstillonthefloor,stillholdingDraco’sarms,stilltracingtheedgesofthemark,likeifhediditenoughitwouldjustwashaway,slippingfromtheskinlikewater.“Never.”

“Promise?’

PromisethatIwon’thateyou?ThatIforgiveyouandIloveyouandthatthere’snevergoingtobeamomentwhereI’llturnawayfromyou?That’sadonedeal,Draco.ImadethatdecisionlongbeforeIcaughtsightofwhatwashidingonyourarm.

“Promise.”

Chapter28

Draco

They’vereachedatruce,heandtheWeasleyfamily.

Draco’snotgoingtokidhimself.MostofitisbecauseofHarryandallhehadgonethrough,Harryandhowmuchtheylovehim.Theydonotwanttoseehimhurting,andforwhateverreason,Draco’spresenceinhislifehasseemedtosoothetheachethatwasalwayswaitingrightunderneathHarry’sskin,shaveawayhisbrokenedgesuntiltheyweresoftagain.EvenRonhasadmittedhowitwasgoodforhim,howeverreluctantlyandhowevergruffhisvoicewaswhenhesaidit.Therewassimplynodenyingit—Harrywaseatingagain(firstbecausehefeltbadwhenthefoodDracocookedwentuntouchedandnowbecausehehasrememberedwhatitmeanstobehungry),wassleeping,couldevenleaveawindowopenacracktoletinfreshairwithoutconstantlyhavingtowatchforintruders.

Butsomeofit—asmallpartofit,aparthedoesn’twanttoexaminetoocloselybecauseheishalfafraidthatitmightdisappear,likethewayapotneverboilswhenyouwatchit—isbecauseofhim.BecausefriendshipwithHermionehasturnedintoatrucewithRon,becauseanightspentdrinkinginthestorageroomofGeorge’sshopturnedintoarealsortoffriendship,wheretheycansitthroughQuidditchgamestogetherandbedrinkingbuddies,becauseBillhasswallowedhisresentmentandGinnyhastakentheknowledgeofhisfriendshipwithHarrylikeshehassomanyotherthingsthatshefoundhardtoswallow,withablazingheartandstraightenedshouldersandtheknowledgethatshouldsomethinggowrong,shewouldjusthexhimintooblivion.

It’scomforting,evenwhenitisn’t.

It’scomforting,andwhenPercyextendsaninvitation(aninvitationmeantforDracoexclusively,independentofhisfriendshipwithHarry)tohiscasualdinnerpartyonfancypaper,Dracodoesn’thesitatetoaccept.TherehadneverbeenanounceofjudgementfromPercy,nofalteringoffersoffriendship.Maybeheunderstoodwhatitwasliketomakethewrongchoices.Ormorelikely,heharborednoresentmentforthewayDracousedtoact,becausehehadalwaysbeensosurethathewouldriseuptobebetter,greatereventhantheMalfoys.

“Yougotone,too?”Harry’sdiggingthrougholdcourtrecords,tryingtofindsometreasuremineburiedintheminutesoftrialproceedings.Theslantedscriptalwaysgiveshimaheadache,butevenwhenDracoofferstohelp,Harrywaveshimaway,claiminghewouldn’tbeabletospotwhattheywerelookingfor.Andmaybethatwastrue,butitdidn’tchangethefactthatHarryfoundtheworksotedioushewouldlatchontoanyexcuseforabreakthathecouldfind.“Wonderwhatit’sabout.”

“IthinkitsSundaydinner.Justlikenormal.”DracohadsatthroughalotofSundaydinners.Sometimes,heevengoesoverearlysoHarrycangooutandplayQuidditchintheappleorchardswiththeotherboysandhecanhelpMrs.Weasleyinthekitchen.Theorythatthefamilywouldwarmuptohimfasterifhewastheoneputtingthefoodonthetable.“OnlythistimePercyisrunningit.”

“GoodGod.”HarryhadbeenniceraboutPercyeversincehewasthefirstonetovolunteertojoinhiminrestartingthefightagainsttheremainingDarkLordsupporters,butthatdoesn’tstophimfromfindingsomeofPercy’stendenciestobeacontrolfreakabitannoying.Dracodidn’tmind,butthenagain,Dracohadn’tspentsummerssharingbathroomsandkitchentableswithhim.Hesupposesyougettherighttofindsomeoneannoying,whenyouspendallthattimetogether.Itdoesn’tmeanyoudon’tcare.“We’regoingtohavetofigureoutwhatforktouse,aren’twe?”

There’ssortofadisconnectsometimes,inthethingsthatHarryknowsandDracodoesn’t,orviceversa.LikeDraco,forexample,wouldn’tblinkifhewassatatatablewithafullsetofsilverwareandhavetochoosewhichpiecewentwithwhichcourse.Itwassecondnaturetohim.It’shelpful,sometimes,butDracowouldstilltradeitforeverythingthatHarryknew.

“Don’tworry.”Harrywasn’tworried.Thesepeoplewerehisfamily.Dracowastheonethatgotstuckontheoutsidelookingin.“We’llfigureitouttogether.”

Thatwasfivehoursago.NowtheywerearminarmonPercy’sdoorstepforthefirsttime,HarrytryingtosmoothdownhiswindtussledhairandDracobalancingabottleofwineasherungthedoorbell.Ittakesallofthreesecondsforthedoortoswingopen,revealingafrazzledPercy,hisglassesknockedaskew.

“Comeonin.”He’smorerelaxedthanDraochadeverseenhim,likehere,atleast,hewasn’tgoingtoputonashowwhenhedidn’tneedto.“Youcanthrowthatwhereveryouwant,coatscangoonthecoatrack,horriblehosting,Iknow,butmumalwaysmadethislookeasyandI’mafraiditreallyisn’t.”