Chapter Text
1.
Dumbledore was dead. Just a week ago, he was with Harry in the Room of Requirement. The boy who lived wanted to convince him to desert the ranks of the Death Eaters and secure a place on the side of light.
But Draco was too afraid to do so. With his father in Azkaban, he had found something unusual in himself that allowed him to get close to Potter and have something very similar to a relationship for months. They found a way to contact each other through an enchanted quill, sneaking between abandoned classrooms, deserted hallways, and the Room of Requirement. They got to know each other a little better, talked about their fears, their mistakes, and their loves.
Two souls that everyone saw as different saw each other as equals. They went from hating each other in public to loving each other in private.
But none of that mattered anymore.
Draco had lost it. He felt the opportunity slipping through his fingers, his strength and courage abandoning him.
He couldn't leave the Death Eaters, not now, not when his father had been freed and had his gaze fixed firmly on him. Lately, he spent his free time before returning to school hiding in the corners of the mansion he had known since childhood, pretending not to hear the screams of those who were tortured or killed on Voldemort's whim. Luckily, his mother had ignored his father in recent months, allowing Draco to pretend he wasn't marked and not participate in anything he didn't want to.
Or anything related to Voldemort, because he couldn't escape his father when he delayed his entry into his final year at Hogwarts. He was supposed to take the train to the castle a day ago, but his father ordered, during one of the few normal dinners, almost like the ones before, which they had a week ago, that he accompany him to the Ministry of Magic where Lucius Malfoy would have a meeting with the new Minister of Magic, Pius Thicknesse, a spy for the Death Eaters, and to whom, on the orders of the Dark Lord, Lucius had to give important information for the early capture of Harry Potter, Mudbloods, and members of the Order of the Phoenix.
September 2, 1997
“Walk, Draco, this is an important meeting for our Lord's plans,” Lucius ordered through clenched teeth as he pulled hard on his only son's arm.
“Yes, Father.”
The Malfoys arrived at the agreed-upon location. Lucius entered the meeting room after threatening his son for his behavior and ordered him to wait outside so he could introduce him to another of the most influential men in the Ministry, who was also a Death Eater.
Draco waited, knowing what would happen if he disobeyed his father. He was standing by the wall when he heard footsteps approaching. An elderly but short man walked unsteadily down the lonely corridor. Draco knew him; it was Albert Runcorn, a senior official in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, known for his reputation as a hunter of Muggle-borns and a harsh enforcer. He had been at many dinners at the mansion, talking about life while escaping the eyes of his prey, of all those people.
But the man approaching was nothing like the horrible man he knew. Apart from his unsteadiness as he walked, he became completely nervous when he saw him in the distance.
“Mr. Runcorn, it's good to see you,” Draco greeted him. Although he knew something was wrong, he couldn't let his manners slip, especially with his father in the next room.
“Young Mr. Malfoy, the pleasure is mine,” Runcorn replied in a broken voice.
Draco looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and that's when he noticed the very subtle thread of magic around the supposed Runcorn. Having Severus as his godfather and being the one who watched over him for weeks last year, he taught him techniques for finding traps, wizards under control spells, memory loss or alteration, and impersonation.
“Verus,” Draco did not hesitate to raise his wand and point it at the impostor's face. The spell quickly deformed the impostor's face and revealed his true appearance for a few brief minutes. “Harry...”
Harry reacted immediately, grabbing Draco by the arm and disappearing into one of the empty side corridors. You could hear the footsteps of wizards and workers walking around the Ministry.
“Draco, I'm sorry, I can't let anyone know I was here,” Harry said, attempting to raise his wand and point it at the blond boy.
"No!” Draco managed to break free from Harry's grip and cast a protective spell on himself to avoid being enchanted. “I won't tell anyone, Harry. I didn't know it was Runcorn, because I had the misfortune of meeting him a few times. What are you doing here?”
Harry took a few minutes before sighing heavily and putting his wand away.
“I'm looking for Umbridge. She has something I need,” replied the bespectacled boy.
Draco nodded. He knew there was more to it, but if Harry wasn't saying anything, it meant that other people were involved, probably Weasley and Greanger.
“She's at the trials against Muggle-borns. I heard from my father that there are several scheduled for today. In fact, Runcorn is supposed to be there,” Draco informed him.
Harry's face (which was really Runcorn's) lit up at Draco's words.
“Thank you very much, Draco. Do you know what time they start? I have to find... other people. I'm sorry, I trust you, but this is something big.”
“I understand, Harry. I think there are still two hours left. It's the lowest floor. I recommend you hide before you run into someone else who knows Runcorn and get yourself into trouble before you reach Umbridge.”
“Okay, so what are you doing here?” Harry frowned at the thought forming in his mind. “Is it something to do with you-know-what?”
Draco pressed his lips into a thin line. “Father has a meeting with the new minister. I don't know what it's about. As you can see, I wasn't allowed in, but yes, I'm sure it's something you know about.”
Harry nodded and, on impulse, put his arms around Draco's shoulders in a hug, which the blond returned.
“I missed you so much,” Harry whispered close to his neck. “I hate that you have to stay there, with them, with him.”
“Harry, you know I can't, I'll hurt them.”
“That says everything about you, Draco. No one else would go through this just for someone they love. Sometimes I just wish... that we'd had more time. We spent so much time hating each other.”
“We still have some time,” Draco replied with a smile.
Harry returned the smile, understanding the hint. He took Draco's cheeks affectionately and pressed his lips to his. They used to sneak around abandoned rooms, deserted corridors, and the Room of Requirement. And now, in a random room in the damn Ministry of Magic.