you raise me up || harry potter

chapter 49

Draco's chest shuddered a little. "It doesn't matter what I want," he said quietly. "I'll graduate, and get a job at the Ministry, and step on everyone to get to the top, using my father's name. I'll marry a nice pureblood girl"—Draco's voice faltered for the briefest of moments, and Harry's stomach dropped at the same time—"and I'll have children to carry on the family legacy. And Merlin forbid I don't have a son, I'll probably be disowned."

"It doesn't have to be like that," Harry whispered.

Draco swallowed. "It's easy for you. You have filthy Muggle relatives with not even a vault to their name. You don't lose anything by leaving them and making a life for yourself. But I'll lose everything, Harry. I lose my title, my wealth, my home, my family, my mother"—his voice wobbled—"And then what will I have? Who would be left?"

Harry didn't move, didn't pull Draco in for a hug, didn't rub his shoulders. But he said quietly, firmly, "I will."

And even though Harry knew that Draco's path was already carved out in front of him in solid stone, even though Draco knew that too, Harry also knew that Draco believed him. 

And maybe for now, that was enough.

♢

Draco called Hermione a Mudblood.

Draco called Hermione a Mudblood.

Draco called Hermione a Mudblood?

Specifically, "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he had spat. 

Harry stared at him for a long while. It was difficult to turn his head to look at Hermione, because it felt as though someone had froze his spinal fluids, but when he did, she looked calm. He thought she was talking, saying something to Draco, but he couldn't be sure, because it felt like the inside of his ears had frozen over too.

Harry misheard. He had to have. But he had to defend Hermione.

Harry's eyes must have given something away, because suddenly someone was tugging at the folds of his sleeve.

"Don't be an idiot," Pansy murmured into his ear. When had she gotten here?

"That's my friend," Harry said numbly. "Hermione is my friend." 

"I know," Pansy said coolly. "Like I said. Don't be an idiot."

"Mudblood, and proud," Hermione was saying coldly. "What about you, Malfoy? What do you have to be proud of? Daddy's name and second-best grades?"

The Gryffindors whooped behind her. All around Harry, the Slytherins scowled. Draco looked furious; he drew his wand and aimed it at her.

Harry didn't think. He darted forward, and he could feel Pansy trying to hold him back, but his wand was already in hand as he ran in front of Hermione. "Expelli—" he began, bu Draco had already cast his spell. 

"Flipendo!"

Harry was suddenly knocked off his feet. The jinx was unusually strong—the Knockback Jinx was only supposed to flip someone onto their back, but Harry went sprawling backward. He hit his head, and for a moment, lost consciousness.

When he opened his eyes again, Hermione was looking down at him with panic, then relief. She whipped around to glare at Draco. "So you attack your own friends, do you?" 

Harry struggled to sit up. Draco was looking at him in horror. "I didn't—I didn't mean to—" he said weakly. 

Harry brought a hand up to the back of his head. No blood, it seemed, but his vision swam a little and his head throbbed. When he tried to stand, he stumbled a little. Draco reached out as though to help him, but Hermione stood in his way.