Draoslowlynodded,tooonfusedtospeakproperly.

Whenheputthesuitinhiswardrobethatevening,hestaredatitforlongerthanwasprobablynormal.Butheouldn’thelpit.Notonlydidthatsuitlookompletelyoutofpe,tohisotherlothes,italsofeltoutofpe.Beausethatsuitseemedtobeholdingapromise;apromiseDraowasfairlysurePotterwouldn’tbeabletokeep.

Saturday,18January2003

“Ibroughtyousomething,”Pottersaidashesteppedoutofthefirepe.DraopeekedoverandsawhewasholdingabottleofOgden’sfi.

“Atleastyouhavethesensetoomebearinggifts,”hedrawled,notbtogetoutofhisarmhairandturninghisattentionbaktohisbook.

“Well,Ithoughtsineweemptiedthatfanybottleofwinetheothernight,I’dmakeupforit.”

“Fany,”Draosnorted.Potterreallyhadnoidea.“Thatwineosts190Galleons.”

Potterstaredathim.“What?Whywouldyoupay190Galleonsforabottleofwine?That’sinsane!”

Draopinhedthebridgeofnoseandshookhishead.“Ihaveafeelingyouwouldn’tuand,evenifIexpinedittoyou.”

“Aw,youknowhowmuhIlikeitwhenyou’rebeingallsnootyandouous,”Pottersniggered.HewalkedovertoDrao,swingingonelegontothearmrest.Draoinhedawayfromhim,eyeinghimseptially.

“Whatareyoudoing?”heasked.

“I’mwaitingforyoutogetusgsses,”Pottershrugged.

“Youknowwheretheyare,”Draoretorted.“Don’tatlikeyouhaven’tbeenherealmosteverydayforthestweek.Youprobablyknowthispebetterthanmebynow.”

Pottergrinnedandjumpedoffthearmrest.Draowantedtopointoutheouldhavejustsummonedthegsses,buthekepthismouthshutashiseyeswandereddowntoPotter’sbakside.Itwasashameheseemedtopreferlooselothing.Thenagain,itleftsomuhmoreroomforDrao’simagination,whih,onseondthought,wasn’tneessarilyagoodthing.DaydreamingaboutPotterwasprettymuhallhewasdoingthesedays.Spendingmoretimewithhim,itseemed,onlyamplifiedhisdesire.Andeventhoughitgothardertodealwithit,hethoughthewasdoingaprettygoodjobathidingit.

Well,hedefinitelyshouldhaveknownbetter.Threegssesin,Potterwasgettingemotionalagain.Apparently,hismother’sbirthdaywasomingup.Shewouldhaveturned43.Potterdidn’tneedtotellDraohowmuhhemissedhisparents.Heouldhearthesorrowandtheyearninginhisvoie,ineveryshudderingbreath.Draoouldn’thavefeltmoreunomfortableoronfused.AllhewantedtodowashisarmsaroundPotterandomforthim.Hesettledforaslightlytremblinghandonhisshoulder.

“I’msorry,”hemuttered,avoidinglookingatPotter.Hewasabsolutelysurehisheartwouldn’tbeabletotakewhathewouldfindinPotter’seyes.

“Metoo,”Pottersaidhoarsely.Andsuddenly,Draofeltawarmhandonhis.“WhatdoyouthinkourliveswouldbelikeifVoldemorthadneverexisted?”

Draowasn’tsureifitwassupposedtobearhetorialquestion.Probably,sinePotterontinuedtalkingwithoutwaitingforananswer.

“Youknow,aweekbeforethetrials,theygavemeyourfile.”

Draostoppedbreathing.Hehadn’tknownthat.OhMerlin!ThatprobablymeantPotterhadreadallthetransriptsofhisquestionings.HadtheyalsomadenotesabouthowDraohadbrokendownintears?HowhehadtriedtofighttheVeritaserum,sreaming,beausehedidn’twanttoreliveeveryhorribledetailofthestfewyearswhileabunhofstrangersweresrutinisinghim?

“Holy,Ihadtotakeafewbreaks.Iouldn’treaditallatone.”HesqueezedDrao’shand.“Ialwayssuspeteditmusthavebeenhorribleforyou,beingaDeathEater,but…Whattheydidtoyou—”

“Potter—”Draosnathedhishandaway,hisfaetwisting.Hereally,reallydidn’twanttotalkaboutthis.

“Sorry,”Pottermumbled.Draoouldfeelhiseyesonhim,thesympathythatwasprobablyshiningbrightlyinthem.“ButIthinkit’sremarkablehowyoumadeitthroughthatandbeamethepersonyouaretoday.”

Draoletoutahumourlessugh.“Yeah,apompousgitasyouliketoputit.”

“YouknowI’mjustteasing.Youseemo,that’swhatI’mtryingto—”

“Ihavenightmares,”Draoblurted.“NotasoftenasIusedtobut—”Assoonasthewordshadlefthislips,hewishedheouldtakethembak.Healwaystriedsohardtonotletanybodyseehowmuhhewasstillhurting,howdamagedhewas.Hedidn’tlikehowhisbrainseemedtoignorethatpartiurpreaution,seemedtobeompletelyshuttingdowninPotter’spresene.

“Igetthem,too,”Pottersaidquietly.“It’sreallynotfair,isit?Voldemortisgone,butthebattleisn’tover.”

Draosaidnothing,histhroatquiklylosingup.

“ButIguesswe’retrying,right?”DraofeltPottershiftbesidehimandsawhimgrabthefirewhiskeyoutoftheornerofhiseyes.“Anotherone?”

Wordlessly,DraohandedPotterhisgss.Hopefully,thealoholwouldmakethistalkeasier.Orbetteryet,itwouldleadtoadifferenttopientirely,ahappierone.Draoshouldhaveknownheshouldbearefulwhattowishfor.Halfofthatbottleter,theiroionhadturnedintoagerousbaningatforhim.

“HowinMerlin’snamewereyouabletokeepthataseret?”heshrieked,ed.Pottergiggled.Heatuallygiggled!

“Believeme,itwashardwork.Weneverwentoutinpublitogether,”Pottersaidwithasigh.“Ultimately,itwastoomuhpressure.Wewerebothunhappy,soweendedit.”

Draoshookhisheadandtookanothersip.“IannotbelieveyoudatedOliverWood!Foralmosttwoyears!Withoutanyoneknowing!”

“Well,tobefair,wedidn’tseeeahotherthatoften.Hewasalwaystravellingandtraininglikeamania.”

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