‘What is it about your aunt and uncle that’s so terrible?’
Potter starts. ‘Huh? Why would you ask about them?’
‘Because…’ Draco trails off, before taking a breath. ‘No, it’s stupid. We always just thought it was, hypocritical, I guess. How much you hated them, but acted so high and mighty when we…’
‘Called people mudbloods and supported the torture of muggles and muggleborns?’ Potter’s voice is as cold as the biting wind.
Draco runs a gloved hand over his face. ‘Mm. Forget I asked.’
‘No, no, heaven forbid you think I’m a hypocrite.’ Potter sounds genuinely angry now. ‘I’ll tell you why I hate them. Just like some wizards are fucking arseholes -’ (It’s pointed, and directed at Draco.) ‘- some muggles keep children in tiny cupboards for their entire childhood and lock them in rooms over summer holidays and install bars on their windows and feed them cold, tinned soup through a cat-flap installed in the door.’
‘I…’ Draco has nothing to say. ‘I… Is that why-’
‘Why I’m so short? Maybe.’
For a moment, a million apologies cluster and die on Draco’s tongue. He can’t get them past his teeth. They all sound like lies. Finally he asks, ‘Did Dumbledore know?’
It’s clearly not what Potter was expecting him to say. ‘Oh.’ He looks startled. ‘I, er, I guess maybe. Yes. I think so.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Draco manages. ‘You didn’t have to - prove that.’
‘I ‘spose one day I’ll authorize a biography and everyone will know.’
‘No, you won’t.’
Potter grimaces, almost a smile. ‘No, I won’t.’ Then he scrubs his hand over his face. ‘You do realise how stupid it was to think me a hypocrite because, because... right?’
‘Yes. I… realize that now.’
‘Good. Then, okay.’
They lapse into silence. Draco dances with the thought of apologising again. Potter still seems to be simmering.
But they've been mad at each other a million times, maybe this is a good natural state. It used to be a coping mechanism for Draco. Get Potter mad at him so that at least he was thinking about him. If he couldn't get his affection he could get his irritation and that was close enough.
Is it now?
