分卷阅读52（1 / 2）

“Itwasaboggart,”Harrysays,abitredundantly,stowinghiswandinthebackpocketofhispantswithoutlookingDracointheface.“That’sallitwas,Draco.Justaboggart.”

“Oh.”Dracofeltlikecrying.Infact,hewascrying,bothbecausealltheworstthingshehadbeenthinkingsincehefirstcametosaywithHarryhadbeensaidoutloud,bytheonepersonthathedidnotexpecttosaythem,andalsobecausehehadbeencaughtatit,coweringonthefloorlikeachild.AndalsobecausehewantedHarrytotellhimthatitwasallokay,whichhewasnotyetdoing.“Right.”

“Doyoureallythinkthat?”Harry’sheadsnappedup,andhewascrying,too,hurtbythiswholething,andDracojustwantstomeltintothefloorandnevercomeback.“ThatIwanttosayallthosethings?”

“I’mafraidofit,”Dracoanswers,becausetheboggarthaslefthimnochoicebuttotellthetruth.“Ikeeptellingmyselfthatitwassilly,thatyouwouldn’thavesaidallthosethingsifyoudidn’tmeanthem,andyet,”heshrugs.“Fearsdon’talwaysmakesense.”

“BecauseIdo.”Harry’swordswerehalted,likehewastryingtoreignhimselfin.“Careaboutyou.”

“Iknow.”

“AndIhaveforgivenyou.Foreverything.Everythingyou’vedone,anythingyoumightdo.”Harrywaveshishandintheair.“It’slikeit’snonexistent.”

“Iknowthat,too.”

“AndIknowthatthis—whatwe’redoing—I’mnotjustscrewingaround.It’s,”Heissearchingforaword,clearly,somethingstrongenoughtoexpresshisfeelingswithoutscaringDracoaway.“Thisisitforme.ThisisallIeverwant,youandmeandthatcottage.”

That—thoselastsixwords—makeDracofeellikeheisabletobreatheagain.“Iknow.”

“Doyou?”

Dracodoesnotwanttolietohim.Maybehehasn’tbeenlyingexactly,buthehasbeenholdingback,buryingthingsthatheshouldhavelaidoutintheopen.“I’mstartingto,”Heamends,whichisnotthewholetruthbutiscloserthanhehadgottenbefore.

“Okay.”Harrynodshishead,fastenstheclosetclosedonemoretime,andsticksahandouttohelpDracotohisfeet.“Soarewegoodhere?”

“Yeah,”Dracosays,andthistime,itdoesnotfeellikealie.“We’reallgood.”

Harry

Harryhadbeensurprisedbefore,butthere’snothingquitelikehearingyourboyfriendtalkingtosomeoneupintheatticandclimbingthatricketystaircaseonlytofindthatthepersonhe’stalkingtois…yourself.

Aselfthatishurlingabuse,apparently,asDracositsonthefloorandjusttakesit,likeallthefightgoesawaywhereHarryisconcernedandhewilltakewhatmaycomeflyingfromthisperson’smouthasgospel,andHarryfeelssickaboutit,andevenmoresowhenheremembersanothertimethathehadstaredataduplicateofhimselfinthishouse,andrealizedthatitwasaboggart.

Which,whenyouthinkaboutit,isevenworsethanadopplegangerthatrunsaroundhurlingvenomatthepeopleyoucareabout.

“Ijustdon’tunderstand,”Hesayslater,whenhehastakenashowerandgottendressedeventhoughitisonlyfiveinthemorningandcamebackoutofthebathroomtofindDracocurleduponthewindowseat,drawingpicturesinthefogcoveredglass,“howyoucouldhavethoughtthosehorriblethingsaboutthetwoofus.”