hinksthatnomatterwhatanyonesays,draomalfoyisundoubtedlyaverybraveman.

themanorisbeautifulinthem,withitspristinewhitewallsandmarblefloors.sunlightfiltersthroughthehallsandtheairisfreshandrisp.harrydefinitelybelievesthatthereissomemagiintheworkshere,butishelessgratefulforalleffortstoremovetheremnantsofvoldemort’sstay.

drao’sroomisnoexeption,andit’slikehiswholeroomisbathedinspring.itisrgeandspaious,withgreenwallsandabeigearpet.hisbed,withitsgreenandwhiteomforter,issituatedononeside,andthereisargeamountoffloorbeforeonereahestheothersideandarrivesatthebalony.

thegssdoorsandheavyurtainsarepushedaside,revealingatable,twohairs,andagarden.

theskyisblue,theairisrefreshinglyold,andinthemiddleofitallissoft,blondehairswayingwiththewind.

harryswallowshardatthesight.hedoesn’tknowiftheheavyfeelinginhisgutisbeauseofseeingmalfoyagainorbeauseofseeingthewheelhairthatmalfoyisin.

malfoyhashisbaktothem,anddoesn’tshowanysignthatheheardthementertheroom.harrythinksthatmaybehe’sasleep,butnarissastridestowardsthebalonyandharryfollowsmutely,andthenhesees—

draomalfoy.thin.cheekshollowed.ghostlypale.andeyesopen.

“malfoy,”harryroaksoutingreeting,butthereisnoresponse.

malfoydoesn’traisehisheadoreventurntolookathim.he’sstaringatthefloor,eyesvaant,withonlytheriseandfallofhishesttheindiationthathe’sstilive.

therevulsiontakesharrybysurpriseandhetakesastepbakbeforeheanstophimself.

thesmilethatnarissagiveshimissad.