Hold My Hand

Chapter Nine- Secret's Out

Hermione and Ron were allowed to skip their first class to be with Harry. They caught up to him after breakfast.

"Hey Harry!" Ron called cheerfully to his best friend. After a moment's hesitation, his smile turned to Malfoy. "Hey Malfoy."

"Hey Ron," Harry replied, just as cheerfully.

Malfoy seemed in shock that Ron would address him in such a friendly manner, but repeated the greeting.

"Harry, how are you holding up?" Hermione said, her eyes flickering to Harry and Malfoy's joined hands.

"Fine," Harry replied calmly.

"Are you sure?" she persisted.

"Why wouldn't he be?" Malfoy asked, laughing slightly. "I haven't tried to murder him...yet."

"Well," Hermione replied. "Harry kind of doesn't like people touching him."

Harry and Ron shot her a look, but she didn't seem to see it.

"Why not?" Malfoy laughed. "Your aunt and uncle not give you enough hugs?"

Harry squeezed his eyes shut.

"Filthy little freak!" Petunia's hand crashed across his cheek.
"Whatsamatter, Potter?" Dudley jeered before he threw another punch. His friends laughed.
"Now boy, remember the rules," Vernon growled, unbuckling his belt. Hot tears ran down Harry's face. "Stay quiet and it will hurt less."

"I'm sure you had an absolutely lavish lifestyle at home," Malfoy continued.

No one bothered to ask why there were bruises on his cheeks, his thighs, and his arms.
No one heard his screams of desperation into his pillow, his sobbing late at night.

Harry snorted at Malfoy's comment. Malfoy frowned.

"What? Wasn't your childhood perfect?"

"These dishes were supposed to be done!" Petunia shrieked, grabbing Harry's face and shoving it under the soapy water until he almost drowned.

Harry remained silent. He desperately didn't want Malfoy to know.

"Harry was beaten, raped, tortured and starved for ten years," Hermione answered calmly.

Harry and Ron whipped around, staring at her.

"Hermione!" Ron shouted.

"What?" She asked innocently. "He asked."

"That doesn't mean you have to tell him!" Harry screamed.

"But..." Hermione blinked. "He asked."

"NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOUR OBSESSIVE NEED TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION, YOU ABSOLUTE KNOW-IT-ALL!" Harry cried.

"You just gave away Harry's most closely guarded secret, the one he didn't want anyone to know, that he entrusted to us with the promise we wouldn't tell anyone, and gave it to his worst enemy!" Ron yelled.

Hermione shrugged. "Sorry. But if you ask me, it was a valid question, and if you weren't going to answer it, I had to."

Harry didn't really mean it. But in his whirlwind of emotions, rageful, upset, betrayed, the words just spilled out of his mouth. He just said the first thing that came to mind, which happened to be words Malfoy himself had said years before.

"No one asked you, you filthy little mudblood."

Malfoy gapes, Hermione squeaks, and Ron's eyebrows raise.

Harry tightens his grip on Malfoy's hand and drags him away.