Dumbledore looked away, shame faced, and opened his mouth to speak, but Draco interrupted him, "I don’t want to hear what you have to say," he said fiercely, "There is  nothing you can say to me that will excuse you in my eyes. I don’t  care if you were acting as a general in a war, moving pieces about the board, sacrificing pawns where they needed sacrificing, all for the greater good," Dumbledore flinched, "I don’t care. The word could burn, and so long as Harry was happy and healthy, that is all that would matter to me. So, I don’t need your excuses and apologies... but I think that Harry  does," he shook his head, turning away from the tears he could see building in the headmaster’s eyes, "He needs to hear that he matters, from as many people as are willing to tell him so. And while I know that he secretly wants to forgive you, I need you to know that I? I  never will,"