A Day in His Memories (H/D, PG-13)
Title: A Day in His Memories
Author:
sesheta_66
Word Count: 100 (x 7 drabbles) - sorry, but the idea just kept growing
Rating: PG-13
Challenge: "Culture Shock" for
hd100 and #012 - "Unknown" for
100quills
Disclaimer: HP world belongs to JK Rowling. No money made by me - I am only playing.
"Oh, how bad could it have been?" Draco asked Hermione. "I mean, the Boy Who Lived a charmed life must have been sitting pretty with that Muggle family of his. Father ..."
"Stop right there, Draco. You have no idea what it was like for Harry."
"Well, of course I don't. I've never lived in a Muggle house. But really, when you are waited on hand and foot, what difference does it make if those waiting on you can perform magic?"
"Why don't you ask Harry yourself?"
"I'm sure I have a pretty good idea."
"A good idea of what?"
======================
Harry's voice echoed through the room.
"Draco thinks he has a pretty good idea of what a charmed life you had growing up. Apparently Lucius filled him in."
"Oh, did he?"
"Don't start trying to convince me you had a rough life. Everyone knows you were the Boy Who Lived, or whatever name they came up with to worship you. The only hardship you'd have had to endure, I suppose, would have been living with Muggles."
Reaching into his cupboard, Harry pulled out a Pensieve. "I won't have to say anything. Care to take a walk in my shoes, Malfoy?"
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Deciding that putting Malfoy in his place outweighed his desire to keep his childhood pain to himself, Harry pulled out a few choice memories and placed them into the Pensieve.
Satisfied that he had chosen the ones most likely to give a realistic view of his childhood, he pushed the Pensieve over to Draco. "Go ahead. Live a day in my life."
Draco walked over to the table haughtily and eyed the Pensieve.
"I can't change my memories, Malfoy. This is the real deal."
Draco made to lean over, when Harry added, "you might be in for a culture shock."
===========================
"Right, Potter. I'll keep that in mind." He leaned over, feeling himself pulled into Harry's past.
A little boy in a cupboard, with nothing to keep him company but spiders.
A boy tormented, teased, and beaten up by his cousin.
A boy with no friends, everyone ordered to stay away from him.
A boy forced to serve his family like a common house-elf.
A boy told he was useless, worthless, nothing.
A boy left hungry, forgotten, alone.
A boy discovering he was a wizard, discovering hope.
A boy discovering a godfather, then losing him.
A boy returning year after year.
==============================
Draco came out of the Pensieve shell-shocked, pale, silent.
Harry returned his memories, and placed the Pensieve back in the cupboard. Hermione was about to say something, but Harry stopped her. He left the house, taking her with him, saying nothing.
Hours later, Harry returned, and Draco was there when he did.
"I didn't know."
"How could you have?"
That day had done it. It began the breakdown of the walls between them. It started them down a path of understanding.
It was three weeks later when Draco returned the gesture, allowing Harry to have a look into his life.
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Harry hadn't known what to expect, but what he saw made him think.
A boy who wanted for nothing, yet desperately longed for love.
A boy whose mother meant everything, and whose father was just out of reach.
A boy who was expected to follow his father, follow the rules, follow, follow, follow.
A boy who had reached out and offered friendship, only to be turned down.
A boy whose hurt face Harry had never seen before.
A boy determined to right that wrong.
A boy walking down a dangerous path.
A boy turning away from all he had known.
=======================
That was two years ago, and every now and again they would pull out the Pensieve, and offer another look into the past. They had nothing to prove to one another now, though. It was all about trust, honesty and love.
They had come a long way since that day. The initial shock paved the way to understanding, and eventually respect. It opened up the lines of communication, and led to discovery.
It really was true. You don't really know a person until you've walked a mile in his shoes, or in this case, lived a day in his memories.