“ah. you waake a vow, then?” harry asked, his throat tightening.
“clever boy.”
“i will.”
“this means forever, harry.”
“i know.”
“you’re sure?”
harry wished he ould run it by hermione and rohe sh alive and having to expin his seemingly sudde towards his old rival would prevent them from being any kind of help. he felt a sinking feeling in his gut. ron and hermio keep this from thim. well, obviously, he ould but it would be inredibly diffiult, beause eveo himself, hermione had aalent in snooping into situations that i her, partiurly wheo harry.
“you’re hesitant,” mgonagall said, studying him.
“ron and hermione—”
“will pose a problem, yes. i know you have been rather relusive sihe war, but i don’t imagihey will let you keep them away fer. espeially whe having hildren. and i should think it would be harder for you to keep away o asking when ‘unle harry’ will ome to visit aill when their hildreo hoghy i suggest we have them take a vow, as well,” mgonagall ied.
“really?” harry asked, fbbergasted. it seemed like too mao be involved in suh a big seret.
“you’ve always fth in numbers, harry. and you three have always been good at keepihat way, if something should happen to you—u it is possible there are still people who support voldemort that would like to see you done in- drao would still have a support system.”
“are you sure, professor?”
“i have to be, don’t i? you’re the least likely persoo be hiding drao malfoy ahe mures in the wizarding ommunity. you’re the best and only hoie i have, harry.”
“then i guess i have to be sure, too,” harry said.
chapter 8
drao never saw himself endi eveaken the mark aill a hane for him to lead a semi-normal life. he never saw himself on his knees, joining hands to take a vow. but here he was. he used his free hand to push his hair bak from his fae, more of a ik than a y. harry’s hand was smaller than his, but broader. drao realized he hadouhed the other boy —man, now—for this long, unless you ouhe fiendfyre, whih he didn’t.
“you’ll have to look at eah other, if you a,” mgonagall’s stererrupted drao’s musings. drao thehe both of them had been avoidiher’s gaze.
“drao, do you remember the onditioo ask harry?”
“yes,” drao said, studying harry’s fae as the green light that filtered through the dungeon windoes appear aross it.
“and harry, you are ready to aept them?”
harry’s eyes darted from drao to the dungeon floor, before finally answering, “yes.”
“then we shall begin,” mgonagall said. she ped the tip of her wand to their joined hands.
drao leared his throat.
“will you, harry potter, protet me from any and all harm?” drao asked.
“i ered.
&h wathed ihe first ring of the vow wove its away arloerma.
“and will you ensure my basi needs are fulfilled, that being food, lothes, shelter, all has resigned from her urrent position?”
“i will.”
“and will y in your power to eiene remai, disussing it only with the predesigies we have deemed aeptable?”
“i will,” harry ain, prompting a third ring formation.
“and will you do these things f as we both shall live?”
harry’s eyes darkehey loked with drao’s.
“i will,” harry said, the finality iing drao iomah like a well- nded punh.
the final riheir hands.
mgonagall dreay, the rings of magi fadis dragged forward. both meaher’s hand drop, only doing so upoer’s prompting of “you a go now, you know, you areied together.”
“professor,” harry said suddeood up. “it wouldn’t be unheard of for a wizard to have a dog as a familiar, would it?”
“remely ommon, but not ued. why?” mgonagall asked, narrowi harry.
“i was just thinking, it would give d-um, malfoy a lot more freedom aroule, and ease hagrid’s mie i had tamed the wolf on the grou him as a familiar of sorts, wouldn’t you think?” harry said, looking at drao ologeti smile.