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Part Twenty
Dawn sighed and rested her cheek on her hands that were folded on top of her desk. She had a stack of paperwork sitting next to her that required her attention, but couldn’t seem to muster the energy to look at it. She only wished she knew what had caused Draco to turn against her. Hermione had said he was alive and healthy, but spent most of his time alone. Dawn wished she could be there to help him, but it appeared the PTB had other plans. It had amazed her how quickly she had grown close to him. Once she had made her way past the cool, aloof exterior, she had found him to be warm and caring. There was a passion that she was wholly unfamiliar with in their relationship and she had wanted to explore it. The brunette was so lost in her reminiscing that she didn’t hear a loud crack outside of her office, or the creaking of her doorframe. ********** Draco nervously ran his fingers through his hair before doing a final check in his mirror. The past several months had been a living hell for him since he had overheard Dawn’s conversation with Dumbledore at Hogwarts. He had been so hurt and angry that he didn’t want to have anything to do with her. Apparently his behavior was off enough for Dumbledore to call him into his office several weeks after Dawn had left. Draco had tried to remain silent during the meeting, but his temper got the better of him and he confronted the headmaster with what he had heard. The old man explained that he wanted Dawn to help remind him of his past beliefs, nothing more. Draco felt relieved knowing that she hadn’t been lying about her feelings for him. He had been so worried that she was only pretending to like him for whatever scheme Dumbledore had involved her in. He still wasn’t happy about the deception, but it could have been much, much worse. Then Dumbledore asked a favor of him and he couldn’t refuse. He spent the next several months listening to his housemates and reported any deatheater activities he heard about. Most of what he reported was just confirmation of things Dumbledore already knew, but he had provided a head’s up for the final battle. During that time he didn’t want to write to Dawn in case he had been found out. He didn’t want to place her in any more danger than what she was already in. Then he felt unclean after the final battle and resigned himself to life without her. Blaise, however, convinced him otherwise after her last letter. Draco had been moved by it, but was unsure what to do so he had shown it to his only close friend. Blaise had told him, in no uncertain terms, that he needed to apparate immediately to that girl and never let her go. It had taken several days for him to summon up his courage, but he was finally ready to see her. He drew in a deep breath and apparated to outside her office. Her door was open and he could see her at her desk. He stepped to just inside the door and leaned back on the doorframe. Draco couldn’t help but stare at her in silence for a moment. She was still as beautiful as he remembered and he felt his throat tighten slightly as he realized what she was focusing intently on. It was the jade dragon he had bought her for Christmas. He was faintly surprised she had it sitting on her desk. He thought she would have thrown it out or at least put it up in order to forget about him. Deciding he had been standing there long enough, he softly said, “Happy birthday, Dawn.” Dawn’s head shot up at the sound of his voice. She was so surprised to see him that she was rooted to her seat for several long seconds. Then she jumped up from her chair and ran over to him, pulling him into a huge hug. “Oh my god! I can’t believe you’re here!” She cried, her eyes filling with tears. He held her close and whispered, “Merlin, I’ve missed you.” She pulled back and slapped him on the arm. “What the hell has been your problem? You ignore me for five months and then suddenly show up at my office! You’d better have a good excuse, ferret-face.” Draco winced at her volume, but didn’t complain. “If you let me sit down, I can explain.” Dawn narrowed her eyes, but gestured to the couch. She shut the door and sat on the opposite end from him. She patiently listened as he told her of his eavesdropping and his later gig as a spy. She realized that she couldn’t fault him for his silence, she probably would have done the same if she had been in his shoes. But she could tell he was hiding something. “You can tell me everything,” she said gently. “I don’t want to change the way you think of me.” “It would take something major to do that. What don’t you take the chance?” He drew in a shaky breath and nodded. “My father died during the final battle.” “I know, Hermione told me.” Draco dropped his gaze, refusing to look at her. “But did she tell you that I was the one to kill him?” He felt the cushions shift as Dawn moved. He looked up in surprise when she took his hand. With eyes full of sympathy she asked, “What happened?” As caring and open as she looked, he couldn’t look her in the eye as he told her, so he dropped his gaze again. “There were curses flying everywhere and I saw my father about to throw one at me. I ducked and then charged him. I didn’t think about using my wand, all I did was punch him over and over again. All the pain and anger he had caused me over the years just came pouring out. The next thing I knew, he was dead and my hands were around his throat.” Dawn gently squeezed his hand. “Is that why you didn’t write afterwards?” “I thought you deserved better than a guy who killed his own father.” “But Draco, I understand. Things like that can happen. And besides, you were defending yourself.” “If you say so,” he said glumly. She stood and said, “I have something to show you.” When he looked up, she lifted the edge of her shirt just enough to expose the flat expanse of her belly. “Your scars,” he whispered as he saw the faint lines on her skin. “That’s the most recent one,” she said as he touched one that was about three inches long on one side. “And those?” He asked as he traced the two that criss-crossed. “A hellgod had bled me in order to open a portal.” Draco looked confused as he asked, “Why would he do that?” Dawn smiled and lowered her shirt. As she sat back down, she said, “I couldn’t tell you until Voldemort was dead. That way you didn’t have to worry about the information being tortured out of you. Plus, how do you tell someone I was once a ball of mystical energy known as the key?” “The key?” His jaw dropped ever so slightly as she explained. When she was done, he sank back into the couch and said, “I’d say you’re definitely not a muggle.” She couldn’t stop the smugness in her voice as she said, “Told you so.” They sat in silence for a few minutes as they mentally digested everything that they had divulged. Dawn finally asked, “So now what?” “Now, I stay here and learn to become a watcher. That way I can help prevent the parents, who do love their children, from losing them,” he answered lightly. “Are you serious?” “As serious as I’ve ever been about anything in my life.” Dawn squealed and threw her arms around him. “I’m so glad that you decided to join us!” Then she pressed her lips to his. He eagerly returned the kiss, thankful that she still wanted him. After a few minutes they broke apart and she snuggled into his arms. Draco rested his chin on top of her head and sighed in contentment. “You can have one of the apartments upstairs while you train,” she informed him. “I’m not staying in the muggle world.” “Why not?” “I’m not staying anywhere that requires me to do my own cleaning and cooking. I’ll stay at the manor where the house elves can take care of that.” Dawn sat up and glared at him. “You are such a spoiled little brat. You need to stay in L.A. in case of an emergency.” He rolled his eyes. “I can apparate here if I need to. I may not hate muggles, but that doesn’t mean I have to live like one.” “I doesn’t have to be permanent. Only until you complete your training.” “I’m not staying here, and that’s final,” he said, jumping to his feet. “Yes, you are,” she countered, also rising from the couch. “We need you here. I need you here.” His eyes softened at her declaration. “Fine. I’ll stay here!” “Good!” “Good!” “Fine!” Draco pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. “You won’t be able to win every argument you know,” he whispered hoarsely as the kiss ended. “Oh, yes I will,” she said with a smirk. “No, you won’t.” “Yes, I will.” ~finis~ Previous Part Across the Pond Menu |
