The Slytherin Spy

by Totallyashipper

Summary:

Sequel to The Re-Sorting Hat - Remastered edition!

Harry can't believe how he was being targeted right there whilst in Hogwarts! How many times could someone try to kill him? There must be someone on the inside but who? He just wanted to keep Draco safe, but with the prophecy wreaking havoc and fate tying his hands behind his back, he's not sure what else he can do.

It's up against the clock to find out who the spy is before anyone gets hurt...

Notes:

Hello!

This is the sequel to The Re-sorting Hat - Remastered edition! Please read that one first one. This one starts to go a little less off cannon in ways I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: Mother Knows Best

                                                         

 

The first step into Grimmauld place made Harry's heart lurch. The walls were bare, the floors were dusty and it was dark. It was dark and cold and damp and Harry hated it. Yes he had been there just at Christmas but it seemed to have sagged with the now lack of company and magic. With some light from his wand Harry creeped up the stairs, he opened the rusty gold painted door handle and it opened with a creek, inside he found a wooden frame of a bed and a box. Intrigued he folded back the cardboard flaps to find some plates and an ornate tea cup set. He would come back for that later. It seemed as if the house had decided to pack itself up and remove any sense of homeliness that Molly had breathed into the place not long ago. 

The next room he entered was stripped completely bare, even to the wallpaper and some of the dark oak floorboards. He only found one more room with a bed, all the others were empty as could be. Now he stood with his hand hovering at the door handle of Sirius Black's room, he pushed it open softly and then felt his heart drop. Everything here was gone. He had hoped he had something to remember him by, a jacket or hell anything but no it was all gone - as he had never existed at all. The floorboards groaned as he stepped further into the room. He took a deep breath and felt the dusty fog of the room enter his lungs, it smelt like a decaying corpse and Harry felt sick because that was the smell he had never wanted to associate with anyone. When the door clipped close behind him he finally let out  a breath, he didn't turn back around or move for a few moments. 

When he arrived back downstairs, with a box in hand, he saw Narcissa Swishing her wand and dust seeming to clear off the abandoned dirty surfaces. The kitchen was a mess, the memories of Sirius toasting to him sat like bile in his chest, he swallowed it away and put on his "I'm fine" face. 

"I found some plates and cups" Harry said heaving the box onto a chair.

"Thank you, Draco dear do you want to help unload that?"

Harry almost sniggered but couldn't find the heart to. He would be killed if he called Draco dear. Draco came close, probably closer than necessary and spoke quietly.

"Are you okay?"

Harry blinked, busying himself with fancy plates before a hand touched his arm gently. He stilled for a second before saying "I'm okay" with the most conviction as he could right now. He was always surprised that Draco could see through his facades and lies, it was refreshing but left him feeling a touch vulnerable. 

"We're going to get through this" He heard Draco say and then Harry found them both hugging. Hugging in front of his mother? What was she going to think?

There was a chuckle from across the room "You know I used to have to bribe Draco with sweets for a hug"

They broke apart and Draco rolled his eyes. But Narcissa had strolled across the room and enveloped her son in a hug.

"Mum!" A hotly and embarrassed Draco protested and Harry burst out laughing. A proper full belly laugh, it had been a while since he had laughed like that. 

"Oh don't think you're getting away" She teased and then somehow Harry found himself squashed between Draco and his mother. If you had told Harry this would happen two years ago he would have stared at you in disbelief. When she had released then Harry's face was flushed and so was Draco's. Well this was new. It turned out - over tea and some cheap biscuits - that she really was a nice person. She was funny, witty and well...loving.

"So boys how long?" She asked out of the blue with a twinkle in her eye.

"How long what?" Draco asked carefully.

"Oh don't try that with me dear. Mother knows best and trust me I know when you hug someone willingly then they must mean a lot to you"

Draco gave a quick glance at Harry before answering "Actually I'm not entirely sure, one or two months perhaps"

"And here I was thinking he would never find love. Well I'm happy for you both" Harry flushed darkly and smiled into himself, who would have thought?

"But for now we should sort out the accommodation"

Just as Draco left the room Harry was beaconed over by Narcissa, he approached her carefully. She was a tall, beautiful but dangerous looking woman, but her smile was like Draco's - bright and full-bodied. Her hair was long, blonde and almost glowing in the sunset azure coming in from the smudged window. 

"I haven't yet thanked you. I honestly wouldn't know where Draco and I would be if it weren't for you."

"Oh... Well it's my pleasure Mrs. Malfoy"

She smiled again "Call me Narcissa, Harry dear and I really do owe you"

"You don't owe me anything" Harry assured, "I'm happy I could help you and Draco"

Then Harry was pulled into another hug and it just seemed like that was where the fun was that night, though Harry couldn't complain, it was a nice hug - though anything apart from Hermione's occasional rib squeezer hugs were nice hugs. 

The next few days consisted of cleaning, eating and sleeping. Harry and Draco shared a room as other rooms were... well, in renovation. But that meant cuddles and Harry didn't mind cuddles in the cold house. He didn't like being alone in a room by himself, a sense of unease seemed to hold the house hostage. But by the end of the week Harry didn't feel right, there was a sort of unease that had filled his bones and he could just sense something was stirring deep within him. This was a different feeling of unease, this was something deeper. It was as if his very core was on edge, magic building up slowly and pressing heavily on his chest, it made his hand fly up to his sternum and try and soothe it. 

"Are you okay?" Draco had asked that afternoon, eyebrows furrowed. 

Harry frowned "I don't know...I think I just need an early night" He wasn't feeling right at all and even turned away dinner that night. He felt entirely too amped to sleep but lay down anyway. It was probably anxiety. 

When he woke up to sunlight streaming into the room his head felt fuzzy. It was almost like teetering on the edge of a fainting episode, he didn't dare open his eyes. It must just be tiredness. But When he moved his head, even a degree, shooting pains splintered his skull and it was all he could do not to cry out. But it was unlike a migraine or a quaffle to the head - this felt charged. Like he had just put his head into an outlet and someone turned on the switch. But his legs felt somehow charged as well, actually every cell in his body felt like electricity, like pins and needles but amped up by a thousand. 

He must have cried out at some point because there was someone rushing to his side. Vague, far away voices were speaking but Harry couldn't hear them, all he could hear was the sound of his heart thumping. There was glass shattering and frantic voices and chaos unfolding as blue chaotic waves of magic rippled off Harry and into the room, shattering glasses on the bed side table. But in a few minutes the neon blue waves slowed down and seemed to calm before turning more and more opaque until it was like they were never there. Instead lay Harry Potter, his head tilted to one side and breathing deeply. It was over but what had just happened?

Chapter 2: Poison, Weaken or Strengthen.

Summary:

He was about to ask why when Narcissa appeared in the doorway and Harry realized that Draco wasn't holding his hand, he was taking his pulse.

Harry rolled onto his back, stretching out his muscles and yawning loudly. He rubbed sleep from his eye and made a move to sit up only to find someone blond pop up from somewhere out of view. There was a brief lingering headache but he felt otherwise fine. 

"Harry!" The voice exclaimed with.... Was that worry or relief?

Harry reached for his glasses, and once they were settled on the bridge of his nose he smiled up at the familiar blond.

"Good morning Draco, umm why are looking at me like that?" Harry asked confused. Draco was staring at him, his brow creased slightly and he had his thinking face on. He stepped close, crouched and for some strange reason Harry couldn't comprehend took Harry's hand in his own. He was about to ask why when Narcissa appeared in the doorway and Harry realized that Draco wasn't holding his hand, he was taking his pulse.

"Um, what's going on?" Harry asked. But no one gave him an answer, instead he got an answer in the form of another question.

"How are you feeling honey?" Narcissa asked, and Harry felt himself go pink at the pet name.

"Fine? Great actually. Why, what happened?" Harry asked, now more confused than ever.

Narcissa took a seat beside Harry and then told him what had happened the night prior. He briefly recalled not feeling well, some sort of horrific headache and someone distantly shouting out. That would explain why they were worried. He really could not catch a break could he? 

"Oh," Harry said after she was done. 

She fixed him a thoughtful look "Has any magical item been in your bloodstream recently? That's the only explanation I could come up with, though it would have to be very powerful if it got this far."

Harry thought, well it wasn't like he would stick magical items into an open wound or anyth... Oh wait. The prophecy. The one he had crushed in his hand. Thinking back he had noticed a strange thrill of magic rush up his arm, but hadn't thought much about it. He had been a little bit occupied at the time. 

"Do you think a prophecy would do that? I broke one in my hand about a week ago."

Narcissa looked immediately focused. "Yes. Oh Harry I'm so glad you're all right," she said and Harry frowned in ever yet more confusion.

"What do you mean? It must happen to loads of people." 

She shook her head, lips pursed "It doesn't, and when it does, which is very rarely, one of three things happens: You get poisoned, you get weak or you get stronger. Though cases of survival are rare and-" She said but was interrupted.

"Wait. I could have died?" Harry asked disbelieving. In hindsight at lot of things he went thought did not happen to loads of people. Still he found himself surprised all the same. Draco still had a firm grip on his hand, still looking concerned. 

"Well you see a prophecy, especially an important prophecy, holds very powerful magic and when it enters the bloodstream of a witch or wizard it tries to bond with their magical signature. Sometimes their magic will repel so viciously that the person is poisoned or weakened to the point of all magic dissolving completely. But in special cases they join together and... well let's just say you're very powerful now. My suspicion is that your body is only able to harbor so much magic at once, if there is too much then it must find a way out"

Harry stared at her, he took a deep breath and tried to let what she had just said sink in.

"When you say more powerful what exactly do you mean?" He asked, amusing himself with the image of a magical ripped six pack.

"Well you can show us, here try and levitate this glass."

Harry made a move to get his wand but was stopped. "Without a wand."

Harry frowned, he had tried wandless magic before and failed abysmally. But nevertheless he brought out his hand and fixed his eyes on the glass sitting on the black bedside table. 'Wengardium leviosa' he thought as he imagined the magic coursing towards the glass and then...the glass glided gently into the air. He dropped his hand, startled, and the glass shattered onto the floor, the water spilling out onto the dusty floor.

He found out later that he did not have a magical ripped six pack much to his disappointment.

It turned out that a spell cast by his wand amplified the magic and well, let's just say that glass he was trying to repair shattered. And that made no sense whatsoever, so Harry had to make a mental note to tone down the strength of any spell, jinx or curse which was strange to say the least. Harry found himself casting all sorts of spells with ease and he didn't quite know if he liked being this powerful but this could give him a better chance when fighting Voldemort, though he still reckoned he needed all the luck he could get anyways.

By the end of that day a new room had been cleaned, dusted and livable but Harry didn't move room, he enjoyed having Draco warm against him and having soft breaths cascade his neck when he awoke. That night Draco held him a bit tighter than usual and Harry knew he was still awake because his breathing wasn't quite the same as it was when he fell asleep.

"Harry?" He heard Draco ask softly into his neck. Harry hummed in response.

He felt Draco shift, the old mattress springs creaking as he did so. Then Harry felt a leg shifting over his right hip and then the comfortable warm weight of Draco sitting on his stomach. Harry smiled up at him, through the gap in the curtain moonlight filtered though and made Draco's hair look more silver than Harry had ever seen. Then Draco was leaning down, his hand tugging though Harry's black curls, Harry could feel his warm breath ghost his lips, they stayed there for a second, hovering, and Harry could feel the intense right through to the tips of his toes. He almost couldn't breathe with how gentle Draco was, his hand now moving down to cup his jaw lightly and rub a thumb gently in circles on his cheek. But he didn't kiss Harry yet, instead he mummered "I'm so glad you're still alive, I don't know what I would do if you had died."

Harry sucked in a breath but he didn't have time to respond because now Draco was kissing him softly, the touch so light it took Harry's breath away. It was so slow, so gentle and heartfelt. Harry tilted his head deepening the kiss and Harry felt warm from his head to his toes and he never wanted Draco to leave because truth be told he wouldn't know what to do if Draco died. After what felt like a blissful eternity they parted and Draco rested his forehead against Harry's. Silence fell around them again but it was a calm silence, it was a silence where both of them didn't quite know how to put down how they felt at that moment into words.

"I wouldn't know what I would do without you Draco. I would die inside if anything happened to you," Harry managed to whisper. They fell asleep that night, with Draco sprawled out on top of Harry, his head tucked under Harry's chin and Harry's arms holding him close to his heartbeat.

That day after McGonagall visited, she was greeted at the door by Narcissa at the 'early' time of eleven. 

"Ah, Professor McGonagall, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked holding open the door and inviting her in with a smile. 

"I just came to check on the house, and to make sure Harry hasn't gotten into any trouble," McGonagall replied with a hint of a tease at the end.

"Oh well, best to have a cup of tea then I would get Harry down here but he and Draco are still sleeping," Narcissa said, pulling out some China tea cups with thin, delicate handles and setting the kettle up. 

"You see McGonagall, Harry had...I'm not sure how to say this. It was a magical fit I suppose, no don't worry he's fine, but it became known out that a prophecy had been broken, entered his bloodstream and joined his magic with the magic from the Prophecy"

McGonagall was quiet and after a few minutes she spoke. "So his magic had increased? What of the side effects?"

Narcissa poured tea into each teacup, with one sugar each and a slash of milk - making the dark liquid swirl turning a soft caramel colour. She carried them over to the old wooden table, setting one down neatly before McGonagall before picking her own cup up. 

She took a sip and continued "That's the issue, it is so rare for an incident like this to occur that no one really knows what happens or what side effects there are, if any at all. Biscuit?"

"Yes please" She said accepting a digestive dunking in into the tea and munching on it thoughtfully. "I expect you will keep me informed of these things and owl me of any changes," McGonagall said while sipping on her tea, she put it down slowly onto the orate saucer and looked at Narcissa carefully.

"I need you to take care of him, I can tell you care and he has said he trusts you...I know things are difficult but I want you to promise me that you will help us if you can."

Narcissa put down her own cup. She knew what this meant. It meant switching sides, it meant fighting for them. She didn't belong to anyone at present, running away from the Death Eaters meant she didn't belong there any more but did she ever want to be? She had been brought up to think it was good, her sister Bellatrix always talked about how proud it would make their parents but now her husband was dead and Draco and herself were in danger. Harry had surprised her with his trusting and good hearted nature - he seemed worthy of fighting for. 

"Can you provide Draco and I with protection?" She asked, her voice surprisingly steady even though her heart felt the opposite. 

McGonagall set a hand upon hers and squeezed it lightly. "We will protect you and your son" she stated simply and that was all Narcissa needed.

"Okay. I will stand by you and I will fight by you." 

McGonagall smiled warmly at her and released her hand.  "Thank you Narcissa, I really am sorry for your loss. We really need someone like you. Thank you for the tea and I hope to see you again soon," She said sincerely.

One thing was clear, Draco would be safe, and that's all Narcissa needed. She owed Harry for their current safety, she could provide him something in return also. 

Chapter 3: Caution in the wind.

Summary:

And now he was going to be going back but he could sense things were going to become Bleaker, there was an unease lying on the lining of his gut but it was nothing...it can't mean anything right? 

The summer seamed to fly by, with soft quiet nights with cups of tea and busy loud days with home decorating and furniture scraping. There of course were days when glasses broke and spells overpowered and made a few sparks but Harry's magic was now more or less stable. He was grateful, at least this wouldn't be an issue for school - as long as he remembered to dial down every spell by about half. 

So August 31st soon arrived and Harry, sitting amongst a pile of new school books and a new set of robes draped over a chair nearby, felt excitement bubble through him. Yes he felt comfortable here with the new decorations and the new dwellers but it wasn't his home. The house had warmed up to the presence of company and bright moods which Narcissa brought into conversations but it wasn't his home. It wasn't Hogwarts. 

Hogwarts was where he discovered everything and he had always thought of it in that sense, as a home. And now he was going to be going back but he could sense things were going to become Bleaker, there was an unease lying on the lining of his gut but it was nothing...it can't mean anything right?  Harry shook his head from his thoughts and decided to get an early night, he had just pulled off his shirt when he heard a wolf whistle behind him. He spun around, still clutching his shirt and saw Draco leaning against the door frame. Harry rolled his eyes and tossed the shirt at him which Draco caught smirking. Then Draco took three sure strides and placed his hands on Harry's waist, just on the hip bones.

"Your beautiful you know that right?" Draco murmured into his shoulder. 

Harry grinned and wrapped his arms around Draco's shoulders. "Says you Mr. perfect skin and perfect hair"

Draco raised an eyebrow "well one wouldn't want to waste good looks like this"

Harry scoffed "modest much"

"Oh shut up, you love it" Draco replied and kissed Harry sweetly on the mouth.

"You ready for tomorrow?" Asked Harry after they broke off, his hands resting on Draco's shoulders. He enjoyed all the physical touch over the holidays, they had called him touch starved, whatever that meant, but he didn't complain when he found small reasons to touch Harry innocently. A hand on his knee during meals, a hand on his back when passing by and gentle hand holding whenever Draco wasn't using his other hand to turn a page in his books. They had felt like a small family for a short time, Harry held that close to his protected heart. 

"I guess... I'm just not sure how safe it's going to be" He replied honestly, Harry could feel the muscles tensing under his calloused hands. Even he, stoney faced Draco felt an heir of caution in the wind. 

"Dumbledore is going to be there, he won't let anything happen to you. Besides I'll be there" Harry reassured, letting his fingers play with strands of blond hair. 

Draco snorted "Ah yes how could I forget my very own hero boyfriend." He knocked his shoulder gently. 

Harry looked at him with mock distain and then his eyes softened despite himself, he hated seeing worry float around in his eyes "It's going to be okay"

Draco held his gaze and then smiled weakly. "I hope so"

~

Steam rose up in to the air as the train whistled for departure, Harry and Draco sat in a compartment by themselves and truth be told there were a few things they would have liked to have done with those blinds shut but suddenly some bushy hair appeared in the corner of their window and three guesses as to who that was especially when the door was flung open and stood there, clutching books and uniform in perfection, was Hermione Granger. Next to her was none other than Ron Weasley who was considerably more scruffy than Hermione. To Draco's surprise they sat down opposite them, there was a moment of silence before Ron spoke.

"So....you two are you like....you know...." Then he whispered "dating?"

Hermione rolled her eyes "Ron it's not a bad word! Besides I think they are very cute together"

Harry scratched his neck. "I...we might be, I was going to tell you I just..."

"What Potter is trying to say is" Draco interrupted. "That we are dating and yes I know It's a big deal but Harry needs to tell you something else"

Harry shot a questioning look at Draco before realizing. Of course, Draco had tried in Ernest to get Harry to owl them about the situation but it never happened. They didn't need to worry, besides knowing Hermione she would go a bit mental. 

"It's not important" Harry pressed.

Draco raised his eyebrows "Not important? Harry it's very important"

"Did you just call him Harry?" Ron asked at the same time as Hermione asked "What happened?"

Harry sighed, glaring and pouting his lip at Draco before explaining what had happened over the summer. He still had a large scar on the palm of his hand, still pink but what was another scar really?

"Wow...wait so does that mean you can levitate the pumpkin juice without a wand? Mate that's cool"

Hermione turned her head sharply to Ron. "No Ron it is not "cool" this could be really dangerous, if Harry loses control or if he gets put under imperium then..."

"Yeah but that's not going to happen" Harry interjected, this is why he didn't want them to know in the first place. 

"Harry..." Hermione tried.

"No. Look you're just making it a huge deal anyways, I've got it under control" Harry retorted.

"We just don't want you getting hurt is all" Ron said.

Harry took in a deep breath, relaxing when Draco interlocked their fingers "Yeah I know, sorry I just feel a bit on edge you know... I'm not sure it just feels sort of...dark"

"It's probably just nerves, now you two should get dressed I think we're nearly there"

"Yeah" Ron chimed in standing up and then blurting out "Wait you're not changing together? Have you seen each other naked? Wait no I don't want to know"

"I'll have you know that Harry has a very nice..." Draco started and then the door slammed shut and Harry and Draco burst out laughing.

Harry, Draco and dozens others were walking to the great hall for the opening feast and it was just when Harry had turned around the corner that he felt an unease fill up from the bottom of his arm up to his chest. If felt like an ice cold silent shadow silently shifting up his veins and he shuddered and then all of a sudden it was gone. But it left behind a mark of danger. Danger, since when was Hogwarts ever not in danger?

Chapter 4: Perfect Potions and Messy Scribbles.

Summary:

Harry opened the old book and turned to page 56 to find black scribbled writing on. Oh typical. There was writing on the first page - The Half Blood Prince? Some idiots written all over this.

Notes:

Gifs from Dailypotter on Tumblr!

The uneasiness had followed Harry's stomach around like an anchor, on and off, on and off. But he had pushed that to the back of his mind, all he cared about was that he had to do even more potions this year, sure he had passed the exam last year and did well but apparently he needed to do this. He wasn't alone though, Ron had been forced back... Or as teachers put it - persuaded back. They had walked in late and found the new professor standing there. He was a plump little man who always stared a bit too much for Harry's liking.

"Ah boys you've joined us, get some books from the cupboard and stand over here"

They both moved over to the cupboard and found two textbooks, one old one and one new one. They made eye contact for a second and then both scrambled for the new one but Ron was faster and closer so Harry, while pouting at Ron, picked up the old book.

The teacher called Professor Slughorn ignored their pathetic squabble continued. "Today we're going to be making the ammonia potion or also known as the..?"

"Love potion Sir" Hermione piped in. Harry looked at her and then back at Ron in confusion. 

"Why is she doing this she got full marks in the exam" Harry hissed as Slughorn started to drone on about ingredients.

"Some sort of elective for extra marks"

"She's going to become the minister some day" Harry said rolling his eyes fondly. 

"Wouldn't be surprised mate" Ron replied looking back at her and smiling when she blew some stray curly hair off her forehead and it fell back down. Harry quirked an eyebrow at Ron who just shook it off at nothing.

"Turn to page 56 and start making your potion, the best potion will win the potion of luck"

 

                                                                       

 

Harry opened the old book and turned to page 56 to find black scribbled writing on. Oh typical. There was writing on the first page - The Half Blood Prince? Some idiots written all over this. He looked at the instructions 'cut three beetles using the knife' but beside it was the black ink that spelled out 'crush' which was underlined twice for emphasis. Harry brushed it off and tried to cut the beetle but it just slipped out from under his knife and under a table. He was reminded of how much he hated potions all of a sudden.  May as well try it. So he did. He used the side of his knife and squashed the poor beetle and long and behold the green icky juices came out. So Harry followed the rest of the instructions and somehow the potion was the exact colour it was supposed to be and it smelled....like vanilla and the overwhelming scent of a certain someone. 

"Ah perfect potion Mr. Potter! You really have excelled yourself. Twenty points to Slytherin and here is your prize...use it well"

"Hey Draco" Harry asked, looking at him from across the bed later on that evening after dinner. They were 'studying' or Draco was at least, Harry simply couldn't do it like him and Hermione did.  Draco didn't look up from his book but hummed vaguely in his direction in reply. He was lying propped up on the bed with his head stuck in some sort of ancient rune book. 

"I got a potion perfect today" He said smugly. 

Draco looked up and stared at him. "Like perfect perfect?"

"Yup" He replied popping the p.

Draco stared a bit more before saying. "I'm sure you're capable of it but it's just your concentration can sort of...not be one hundred percent"

Harry raised his eyebrows, at least he was trying to be nice. He shook his head in amusement "Yeah I know which is why it's weird. Do you think it could be the...?" Harry asked hinting at his heightened magic levels. 

"I would severely doubt that that would make you immediately fantastic at potions, did you get help with it?" He said sitting up. 

"Well the book had writing in it" Harry confessed.

He looked angry at that, Draco was the type to pay intense care to books treating them like a spoilt animal. "Someone dared to write inside a book? Oh my right well show me it" Harry pulled the book out of his bag and gave it to Draco. He flipped through it and then flipped back to the inside page and then back through the book.

"It says it belongs to the Half Blood Prince but I don't know this writing seems really familiar."

Harry frowned "Who's the Half Blood Prince?"

He rolled his eyes dramatically "Darling I might be a book expert but I don't know everything"

Harry flushed at the pet name. "More like a nerd" He said under his breath after he had recovered. 

Draco's head shot up from where he was studying the inked writing and he glared at Harry. "What did you say?"

Harry looked up and smiled innocently at Draco "Just said how amazing you are, you know so handsome and..."

"You're going down Potter" Draco threatened before discarding the book completely and crawling like a cat over to Harry. His eyes widened and he gulped but held his ground. He still got a trill when Draco put his full attention on him, with the threat of a mind melting snogging session. 

"This calls for drastic measures Potter....a tickle fight!" And then he pounced on Harry who started squirming back when he became aware he was not unfortunetly about to be snogged silly. Draco dug his fingers into Harry's side and Harry burst out laughing, trying in vain to wriggle free.

"Stop it! Dddraco please I didn't mean it!" Draco stopped and Harry stared up at him breathless.

His eye brow rose "Oh you didn't mean it, well then I suppose this won't bother you"

Harry tensed up for the attack and Draco went for his neck making Harry scrunch up his neck and use his hands to try to either protect himself or push Draco away.

"Sstop it Draco please noo not theere!"

"Apologize then no one calls Draco Malfoy a nerd without getting attacked for it" 

"Nooho never!!"

"Well what if I attacked you in that spot?"

"You wouldn't dare" Harry breathed. 

"Oh honey I don't think you know me" Draco sniped back before grabbing Harry's knee and tickling the underside of it. Harry squirmed even more and started laughing even more.

"Nooo ppllease I'm sohorry!"

Then Draco let him go and smirked at him. "That's also for following some random instructions from a book rather than the real ones" 

"You're so mean" Harry breathed still panting while lying on his back.

"Shush I'm a very good boyfriend" He replied stoutly, returning back to his original book, the potions book abandoned on the covers. 

"This is abuse" Harry said pouting. The word abuse sat uncomfortably on his chest, he pushed it back down to where he kept his uncomfortable memories caged up. He made a mental reminded to not say that again. 

"I bought you chocolate the other day"

It was true, they were posh ones too. Harry had never had something so delicious. "You are half of it yourself!"

"I did say you could eat me out but I distinctly remember you going very red...really was a generous offer" Draco said with a measured tilt of his head. 

"Draco!" Harry yelped hiding his face.

"What?" Draco asked pretending innocence but there a faint whisper of a smirk on his lips. 

"We're not even legal yet you can't say things like that!" Harry said through his fingers, his cheeks like fire. 

Draco rolled his eyes and continued reading, studying the writing in the book and muttering to himself. He looked cute when he was focused Harry thought, not for the first time. 

"You know what Malfoy I think you're the one going down" Harry said suddenly. And that's what caused a breathless Malfoy to plead for mercy and ''promise'' to not say things like that again. As if.

 

                                                 

 

But far away from the giggling teenagers was a lone figure standing  alone in the room of requirement in front of a large dark oak closet muttering the words Harmonia Nectere Passus. They stood with their back tall and their eyes shut as they concentrated. Then when they opened their eyes they stepped forward pulled open the door and looked at the bottom of the closet. The apple placed there moments ago had now vanished, leaving onto an empty expanse of dark cold oak wood. 

 

                                                 

Chapter 5: Hogsmeade

Summary:

When they had finished their drinks they started to put on their coats and scarves, and someone walked up to their booth in the corner. Harry vaguely recognized her but didn't know her name. She must have been in a similar year at least.

"Oh hi Katie" Hermione said and smiled at the brown haired girl standing there. The girl didn't smile back and she started gripping a black box she was holding.

Notes:

Gif from remusjohnslupin on Tumblr.

The sun was shining down on the castle as students pranced out onto the courtyard with smiles on their faces. It was the first Hogsmeade outing this year and even the sky seemed excited for this. The air itself was chilly which is why Harry stood with Draco's scarf forcefully wound around his neck. It was early October now but because of the high altitude it got chilly far too quickly. 

Ron and Hermione were joining Harry and Draco on an unspoken double date but of course Harry and Draco didn't want to draw attention to themselves for security purposes, because if word got out to Voldemort about this then they both would be vulnerable and more importantly in danger. Pushing that to the back of his mind the four of them went about their day joking, laughing and eating a hell of a lot of chocolate. Or at least Ron and Draco did and then they had a full discussion on what type of chocolate was best. Now they were in the three broomsticks and Hermione had just ordered them four butterbeers.

"So Draco have you done that reading for Arithmancy" Hermione asked.

Draco's eyes lit up and Harry groaned. "Don't get him started Hermione he sat and talked for hours about it last night"

Draco shot Harry a glare before speaking For himself "I did actually. And no Harry I didn't spend hours it was only a few minutes you're just being a drama queen"

"Pfft you're the drama queen" Harry sniped back with a grin.

"As I was saying before someone interrupted me, was that I found it fascinating how..."

"It's like having two Hermione's" Ron said with amusement in his voice. Ron then yelped as Hermione smacked him hard around the head. He resigned himself to his butterbeer instead. 

Draco laughed "I like you Hermione"

"Only because you're like her" Harry added quietly. 

"Thank you for the compliment darling" Harry flushed and went back to his butterbeer like Ron. They were in a quiet section of the pub and thankfully there wasn't too many people milling about. Harry was glad for the privacy. 

"Hermione is probably going to be the next minister so I guess it is a compliment" Ron added, looking at her admiration. Harry and Draco shared a knowing look. Are they flirting? Harry had asked with his eyebrow raise. The roll of Draco's eyes meant Yes you dollophead. 

"Oh shush" Hermione said a blush rising on her cheeks.

When they had finished their drinks they started to put on their coats and scarves, and someone walked up to their booth in the corner. Harry vaguely recognized her but didn't know her name. She must have been in a similar year at least. 

"Oh hi Katie" Hermione said and smiled at the brown haired girl standing there. The girl didn't smile back and she started gripping a black box she was holding.

"Katie for goodness sake come on we have to go!" Said another girl loudly and grabbed Katie's elbow and tried to drag her away, giving Hermione a confused shrug. But Katie resisted and stuck out the box towards Draco. He frowned and eyed the box, Harry instinctively reached for his wand, something about this felt wrong all of a sudden. 

"Katie snap out of it" the other girl exclaimed and forcefully pulled Katie away. When they had left Draco gave a confused look to Hermione and then the group headed on their way still a bit uneasy. 

When they had headed around the corner of the small narrow road that lead back up to Hogwarts, with their boots crunching the white snow, they saw the two girls they had seen earlier fighting over the box. The lid slipped off and Katie bent down and picked up the content of the box but then suddenly she started rising spectacularly into the snowy sky with her arms spread out and head tilted back. Then there was a scream. A loud high pitched noise like a vulture and Draco put his hands over his ears and found chills washing over his entire body. 

 

                                                             

Then all of a sudden the screaming stopped and she dropped dead onto the ground, her small body crumpling into a limp heap.  The silence following was deafening and no one moved for a second. Then Harry took a few steps forward and when he was near enough he crouched down and looked at the scene.

The girl lay in a crumpled heap on the ground with her skin deathly pale and eyes closed. She was breathing but unevenly, he looked around to try and find out what had happened and saw a red ruby necklace laying close to the girls curled up fingers. Harry could feel the unease rise when he looked at the necklace and could feel the dark magic flowing out of it. He could sense magic better than he used to, darker magic seemed to almost sing out to him in a way. 

Then Hermione, who at some point had ran off to get a teacher, arrived back with Professor McGonagall.

"Oh dear...what happened?" She asked crouching down near the girl careful not to touch her. 

"We saw her rise into the air and scream before she dropped down like this. I think the necklace she was holding is cursed" Harry supplied, backing away. 

McGonagall pursed her lips and safety put away the necklace with her wand and levitated the girl up towards the castle quickly. The others followed behind her quickly, footsteps crunching on the snowy and icy ground. 

"Do you think Katie was trying to give me that necklace earlier?" Draco asked later that evening, he was sitting on Harry's bed with an abandoned book in front of him. It wasn't like him to struggle to get invested into a book. He had been a bit off since the incident, not as talkative as before it had clearly been eating away at him. 

"I don't know, I really hope not" Harry sighed, it was definitely suspicious and he was on high alert.  "I'm glad it didn't though apparently she's still in the hospital" He had heard she was moved to St. Mungo's for curse damage. 

"You don't think" Draco asked quietly "...maybe someone wanted to hurt me" 

"I would never let them" Harry said, reaching over and squeezing Draco's hands. It was a risk they had decided to take, anyone who was close to Harry was at high danger - to be used against him. It made Harry feel guilty but Draco had insisted that the risk was worth it. Harry was determined however to minimize the risk as much as possible, he would protect him with his life. 

But someone did aim to harm him, they had seen Harry and Draco walk into the entrance hall totally unharmed and turned and walked away, stomped back to the room of requirement and smiled sinisterly when a new plan formed in their mind. They were going to get Draco.  

Chapter 6: Poison and Professor Snape

Summary:

"Breathe, don't die you idiot boy" Snape snapped.

Harry was sitting cross-legged on his bed reading through the potions book,  he was reading instructions on how to make a healing draught when he saw something else scribbled on the page. Sectum sempre - for enemies. Wait that wasn't a spell Harry had heard before. He could already hear Hermione telling him to not use a spell he didn't know the effects of but maybe it was a harmless jinx. Yawning, Harry closed the old book and cast a quick Tempus to check the time. 7pm. Well he guessed he had time to complete a potions essay.

Speaking of potions Slughorn had said earlier that he wanted to see him at some point. Well curfew was in a few hours so Harry decided to ditch the homework and go see him. Getting up from his bed Harry stretched and then tugged on some old trainers. It was a quick walk from the dungeons to his office and Harry walked through the corridors with the familiar unease that seemed to stalk him nowadays. Pushing it aside, he reached Slughorn's door and knocked loudly on it. 

The Professor's round and smiling yet confused face appeared in a tiny window in the door after Harry knocked and then the door was pulled open.

"Ah Harry my boy, what brings you here at this time of night?" He asked after inviting Harry in through a gesture.

"You said you wanted to talk to me sir" Harry said carefully, he had noticed the man was not the best in the memory department. 

"Oh yes! Almost forgot myself, well I wanted to congratulate on your improvement in potions. It's really quite incredible" 

Harry flushed, this was not his praise to receive "Oh thank you sir, but it's really not that.." 

"You're very much like your mother, very humble." Slughorn interrupted 'She gave me a fishbowl once, and there was a flower in it. A lily of all things, and overnight it transformed into the most beautiful fish. She had great talent that way but always was so humble about it." He regarded Harry and then continued. "The fish lived for years until one night when it disappeared all together" The man took a deep breath and stared at the same spot for a few seconds without blinking.

"One of my favorites students" Then he blinked and gave a pained smile to Harry.

He cleared his throat awkwardly "anyway I have a little something to celebrate, funny I had been saving this for another occasion but I suppose now is as good a time!"

Slughorn pulled out a dusty looking wine bottle. He pulled out the stopper and poured some of the liquid into two brandy glasses. Harry wasn't sure he allowed to drink but he was a teacher after all. It wouldn't hurt. 

He held one out to Harry who took it carefully. "To your mother"

Harry smiled sadly and clinked glasses repeating  in a voice too small for his liking. "To my mother" He had seen photos of her at school, she resembled Ginny slightly but not enough. He wondered what else Slughorn knew about his mum. Adults never really said much about them, only that he had his mothers eyes. 

Harry then took a sip of the liquid as the teacher finally exclaimed "oh I completely forgot Harry I have a potions book you may be interested in...Harry?"

Then there was a thud. Slughorn froze. Harry potter was on the floor, wine and glass on the carpet. He gasped a wheezy breath, eyes shut and suddenly started to shake violently. He then started to choke as white foam started frothing up in his mouth, body jerking wildly as whatever he had ingested wreaked havoc in him. The sound was terrifying, a combination of gurgling and choking as his lips took a startling blue tinge to them. Slughorn dropped his glass, staring wide-eyed at the boy seizing on the floor in front of him.

"Professor Slughorn!" Another voice called out from behind the slightly agape door. The man was still staring and Harry's lips were starting to turn a touch purple, body still seizing and head knocking off the ground with the force of it. 

"Professor someone has been stealing the potions ingredients..." Snape trialed off. He observed the boy with wide eyes and then blinking once he then rushed over to the potion ingredient boxes and started shifting through them quickly. 

"Slughorn! Snap out of it and do something the boy is dying!"

Then when he found what he was looking for Snape rushed over to Harry, dropping down on his knees and stuffing an ingredient into Harry's mouth and tilting the head to the side to allow the foam to dribble out. He quickly ripped the glasses off his face and grabbed a pillow from one of the nearby seats - resting it under the his head. The boy continued seizing, odd noises coming out of his chest and lips turning a deeper shade of purple as his muscles tensed in his chest, not allowing for breath. 

"Breathe, don't die you idiot boy" Snape snapped.

Then Harry breathed in harshly it sounded more like a snore than anything but he was breathing now at least. Snape quickly moved the boy onto his side, remembering his first aid training. Harry was limp and unmoving but upon inspection his lips were now starting to fade back to a healthy colour. His breathing rapid and noisy but still there. 

"That boy almost choked to death and you didn't even move! At least Help me get him to the hospital wing" Snape said sharply.

But Slughorn just sat down heavily onto an armchair in shock, moving his eyes between Harry and his own discarded wine glass. Snape sent a threatening death glare to him and went about getting Harry to the infirmary. 

Chapter 7: Slip of a tongue

Summary:

She linked her arm in his "Let's go to breakfast your boyfriend's been fretting"

"More like ferreting!" Ron said, appearing from out of nowhere.

Harry cracked open his eyes and then squinted them shut again. Ugh why is it so bright. But it shouldn't be bright in the dungeons. And the bed sheets shouldn't feel so crinkly. Squinting his eyes open again he saw blurry white walls with large windows and, Harry sighed, he was in the infirmary. His entire body hurt and his head was positively aching. Harry sat up slowly despite his screaming muscles and reached out blindly for his glasses when he felt a cough coming up.

It felt like there was mucus in his throat so he coughed it up and immediately winced as pain flared up in his throat. Although the pain was bad the urge to cough overwhelmed it and he coughed again only to finally cough up what was stuck in his throat but it made the pain worse.

"Mr. Potter drink this, it will soothe your throat" Harry heard a familiar voice say. It was Madame Pomfery. 

A glass was pressed up to his lips and Harry took a sip of it and almost sighed in relief. It felt like cold water putting out a flame. 

"Gave Professor Snape a scare you did, the drink was likely poisoned. You suffered a seizure due to this, I have a potion for your sore muscles. It is unlikely you will have another but come back if you feel unwell" She gave him a reassuring smile. "Drink the rest of this and then you're free to go."

Harry simply stared, poisoned. Seizure? Well that was a new one at least. How did Snape get involved anyway? 

"Uh Madame Pomfery" He said voice gravely "What do you mean Professor Snape?" 

"He found you in Slughorn's office, he was the one who saved your life. At least some teachers pay attention to the training I provide them" She huffed and walked away. 

Finishing the glass full of whatever potion it was that helped soothe his throat and small vial which immediacy relieved his muscles. Looking down he saw himself in the hospital Pajamas and shook his head. He wondered how long he had been down here. Why does this always happen to me? He thought for a second about how he had gotten changed out of his clothes and then decided to not think too much about that. He didn't make it five steps before his friends found him. 

"Harry!" A voice called out and Harry turned to the voice who belonged to Hermione.

Harry smiled and all of a sudden she was running towards him with arms outstretched. Harry braced himself. With an ompf Harry wrapped his arms around her and scrunched up his face as bushy hair pushed up against his face. He was grateful for that last potion he had given, a hug with that force would have been painful. 

"Hi" Harry said into the face full of hair.

"Oh I'm so glad you're okay!" Hermione said, relief clear as crystal in her voice.

"Yeah I'm okay" Harry reassured smiling. 

She linked her arm in his "Let's go to breakfast your boyfriend's been fretting"

"More like ferreting!" Ron said, appearing from out of nowhere.

"Ron!" Hermione exasperated and tried to frown but a small smile started to spread before all of them burst out laughing.

And as all three of them laughed the next evil plan was being conjured, from a brilliant mind in the great hall itself. Little did Harry know Draco was going to be the next target and little did anyone know what was in store for the wizarding world. 

He couldn't find Draco in the great hall, not to mention he felt watching in ways he couldn't quite shake so parted ways with Hermione and Ron and went to go find him.  He looked up and immediately smiled because it was who he was looking for. Without even speaking he found himself with a armful of Draco Malfoy, wrapped now in a massive bear hug. 

"Oh hiya" Harry managed while grinning like an idiot.

"Thank merlin you didn't die" he heard Draco mutter quietly into his shoulder.

"I never die. I'm Harry potter" Harry said cheekily, suddenly aware that the rest of the room was staring at them.

Draco pulled back and raised an eyebrow, then his eyes softened and Harry almost couldn't breathe. Draco's eyes were so full of warmth, care and...Love. It was such a tender look that Harry had never experienced before and he couldn't quite tear his eyes away from it. He felt an overwhelming sense of something warm and tingly rise in his chest and all he wanted to do was hug Draco. But he was acutely aware of the eyes that were watching them curiously. So he grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him up the stairs while rolling his eyes after he heard Blaise shout "Use Protection!"

"So Slughorn's drink had poison in it? I'm glad I forgot to see him yesterday, Who did he say gave it to him?" Draco asked, sitting cross legged on his bed opposite Harry. He was munching on some chocolate for his breakfast, Harry sneaking a few into his mouth every now and again. He didn't feel particularly hungry just yet. 

"He didn't actually say, but it's weird" Harry replied and then shrugged. "Guess it's not the worst thing to happen really."

Harry felt Draco's gaze on him. After a pregnant pause Draco asked quietly "What's happened to you that's worse than being poisoned? apart from y'know.. the obvious"

Harry stilled, he wasn't planning on telling anyone this much detail, usually people would just laugh it off and move on. Immediately lots of things sprung to mind, and Harry didn't know if he should feel concerned that so many had made themselves aware. I mean Voldemort, giant snake, Voldemort again, Dementors, the Triwizard tournament, Cedric dying, Sirius dying, Voldemort again. Not to mention all the obvious stuff about his parents or lack thereof. Bloody hell.  He could really do with a holiday he thought absentmindedly. 

'Being tortured I don't know" Harry settled for remembering the grave yard. He could still feel his face being studied.

"There's something you're not telling me, Harry you can trust me" Draco was always so good at reading him. 

Harry ducked his head and leaned against the headboard while tucking his legs into himself. He didn't say anything because he had never told anyone and suddenly found it difficult to even begin to phrase it. There was one thing worse than the rest of all that stuff. His aunt and uncle. He still struggled with confined spaces and probably would have long lasting food issues. Not to mention all the hitting, smacking and punching. At least he was pretty good at dodging punches now. The mattress dipped slightly and Draco had moved to sit beside Harry and lightly put his hand on Harry's knee. He had been lost in thought for a moment. 

"I...Umm.. well I guess not being...Loved?" Harry managed in a coarse whisper after a long silence. When Harry didn't continue Draco squeezed his knee gently and waited quietly.

"Um..I used to live with my uncle and aunt...They don't really treat me that...great I guess"

"What did they do to you" Draco asked gently.

Harry shook his head silently, completely closing off.  Gently, quietly and lovingly Draco wrapped an arm around Harry and rocked him a little.

Harry tucked his head into Draco's shoulder and barely whispered. "Sometimes they wouldn't feed me. They'd make me do chores for them and if I didn't do them right then...well. they're just not very nice to me"

Draco just held him tighter. "Did they ever hurt you"

Harry gave a tiny nod and tried his best to hide into Draco's shoulder. That attempt of pushing his feelings down into one crumpled pile had clearly not worked. He understood now why the word abused was so jarring to him, weather he wanted to admit it or not. 

Draco breathed in through his teeth, if Harry was looking at him he would see the anger held for them "They were so so wrong to do that to you. I can't even imagine what that would be like. You are worth more than any of that hurt, okay? I won't ever let them get near you again" Draco promised into Harry's hair. They stayed like that for a while longer, just holding each other until Harry moved so he was directly facing Draco.

"Thank you, I've never told anyone"

Draco smiled at him "Well I'm really glad you told me"

Draco moved his hand up to Harry's cheek and gently stoked him there, to which Harry nuzzled into the pressure. Harry smiled and then looked at Draco in the eyes and saw that same look from earlier and it made those funny feelings bounce around again. It made him want to kiss him. Leaning forward and tilting his head to the left, he began to close the distance between them, his eyes flickering down to Draco's pale pink lips. It was such a gentle pressure, and they moved slowly together, as if time didn't exist at all. Then Draco's taste and scent infiltrated every inch of Harry's mind. He increased the pressure and subconsciously moved his hands up from Draco's chest up to his neck where he twisted his fingers in the nape of his neck. When he tugged slightly he heard a sharp intake of breath. 

They broke apart and Harry gazed at Draco who's eyes were a few shades darker than before and somehow blurted out. "I love you". His jaw dropped "Shit, that was unexpected"

Then Draco's eyes lit up and his genuine smile broke out alongside an adorable giggle. "I love you too"

Blaise entered the room after classes had finished for the day, Draco and Harry had still not emerged "Hey guys can we go to dinne...Oh wow okay keep it pg" Blaise said and then awkwardly coughed.

Draco and Harry looked up from their position, with Draco pinning Harry down to the mattress, one hand holding Harry's wrists above his head. They immediately broke apart and Harry rushed to explain. "It's not what it looks like!"

"Looks like some real kinky stuff there potter" Blaise said cheekily and then moved away from the doorframe and walked off, he had seen enough. 

"I am never letting you tickle me again" Harry huffed as he got pulled up off the bed by Draco.

He just laughed in response "It was revenge, besides I like seeing you smile"

"Stop saying cute things" Harry muttered, his cheeks warming. 

He moved even closer, with a hand around Harry's waist - dangerously close to his bum. He had that flirtatious dance in his eyes again "What would you rather me say, dirty things?" Draco suggested huskily and winking. 

"I...Um.." Harry cleared his throat and continued with face red "let's go down to dinner"

Draco simply raised his eyebrows and smirked.

Chapter 8: Dangerous Distractions

Summary:

"You okay?" Draco asked beside him, noticing his shoulders tensing.

"Yeah..." He said distractedly, looking around for danger. 

"So then Daphnie had the nerve to tell me that my limited edition lip gloss was disgusting. Well miss my lip stick is holographic, let me tell you that my lip gloss changes colour" Pansy ranted.

"You're giving me a headache Pansy, I think your lip gloss is great" Blaise said fondly. Their voices echoed down the corridor and she looked back to see Harry and Draco at the end of the corridor. 

"Thank you Blaise at least someone round here has common sense" Pansy huffed. "Wait, I forgot my perfume, I'll meet you down there!" He shrugged and continued as she turned on her heel and seemed to vanish. 

Harry breathed out a laugh at Draco's joke but couldn't help noticing an uneasy feeling starting to climb in his stomach again. His heart started to pump a little harder as they walked through the large, stony corridor.

"You okay?" Draco asked beside him, noticing his shoulders tensing. 

"Yeah..." He said distractedly, looking around for danger. 

But the feeling wasn't leaving and as they walked under a stone archway Harry knew something was going to go wrong.  He knew because all of a sudden he felt like a knot had been tied in his stomach. Suddenly the stone arch above them crumbled and as if in slow motion the slabs fell one by one plummeting further and further down. Closer and closer towards everybody who was walking through the archway. Including Harry, Draco, Blaise and some other students Harry didn't know the names of. Adrenaline rushed through Harry and he grabbed Draco and sharply tugged him backwards in just enough time for the large old stone to skim Draco's head and crash to the ground. 

There was an almighty crash and splintering sound and the stones broke into pieces. Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. First poison and then this, someone must be out for him. Draco clutched tightly into Harrys robes, staring up at him with curiosity. It turns out the splintering sounds were some unfortunate students who were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. But Madam Pomfery managed to fix them in no time, while muttering about student safety in Hogwarts.

It wasn't long after that that Harry was pulled into Dumbledore's office. "Harry, we have reason to believe that you are in grave danger. All these incidents and this note all suggest that you require protection immediately" Dumbledore told Harry after offering some lemon sweets.

"What note?" Harry asked, not wanting to go near any of those sweets. 

Dumbledore showed him a crumpled piece of parchment that simply said "kill Harry Potter" Strangely Harry didn't feel surprised that someone wanted him dead, he already had a sure guess as to who wanted him dead.

"But sir who would be doing these things? Surely someone inside the school must be responsible" Harry said, a thoughtful look on his face.

"That is what we are trying to find out my dear Harry, it must be a student who is responsible, in the meantime a teacher must accompany you to every class and I'm afraid a curfew must be put into place"

While Harry was in the office Draco was on his way down to the library from his last study area on the forth floor when he noticed the set of stairs ahead quiver slightly. Stopping for a second and shaking his head he dismissed it. The stairs moved all the time it wasn't a big deal. When he continued, he felt the stairs shift. But before he could step off the stairs the entire stairs swing dangerously to the right, Draco lurched and immediately went to grab for the cracked banisters. Then the stairs lurched quickly to the left and Draco's foot slipped. His body slid to the left, grabbing desperately for anything to keep him steady. His wand slipping from his hand and landing on a step. He managed to grab onto the banister when the stairs lurched again, he screamed  as he felt his body flying up in the air and finding himself on the outside of the stairs. He tried to scream again as gravity took hold and dragged Draco downwards, the only thing stopping him from plummeting down multiple stories were his arms that were clinging on helplessly onto the banister. 

He pulled himself up, trembling as he did so, and tried to scurry further up on the banister to climb up an dover but the stairs twisted again, somehow more forceful this time and he found himself clinging on for dear life. 

Then there was a cracking sound, one so very much like the archway earlier, he looked up in horror to where his knuckles were white from gripping and saw the old wood begin to crack. The stairs were still swinging and there was no chance to jump off to safety. He was on the seventh floor and without magic he would surely... Then as fear started to prickle into his veins and heart, the wood started to break and splinter under his sweating fingers...

And as the stairs swung, Draco fell forward, barely catching himself by his fingertips on the edge of a step. 

 

                                                     

 

Chapter 9: The Mystery Of The Potter Save

Summary:

Every time Harry was in danger Draco was involved. Ice cold dread filtered through his stomach, what if it's Draco they're after?  Harry stood up suddenly, his chair rocketing backwards and crashing to the ground. All eyes in the room were on him.

Notes:

Note: TW for needles/Syringes!

Draco was slipping, the sweat on his fingertips was releasing Draco further and further closer to the gigantic drop far below his dangling feet. His breath came in short panicked bursts, he didn't know how much longer he could hang on for. His arms were burning like fire and his arm sockets felt like they were being wrenched violently out of position. He looked up, swallowing hard as he could feel his fingers slipping even further, he couldn't hold on much longer. He could see his wand laying deserted on two steps above, he needed to get to his wand as a last hope.  Looking around panicking, he tried to see something else he could grip but there wasn't anything, if he moved now he would fall, if he stayed he would fall. There was nothing he could do. There was no point shouting, no one was around to hear it. 

Using what little energy he had left he tried to pull himself up to grip a banister but there just wasn't enough grip or energy left. His arms shook and the muscles were too cramped to pull him up enough. Suddenly his right hand slipped completely off the ledge and he was left clinging on for dear life with one hand, his whole body almost convulsed and his shoulder was tugged even more sharply in its socket. Tears started welling up in his eyes as he felt his fingers finally slip and he began to fall...

~

Harry sat at Dumbledore's desk as multiple teachers streamed in and started to talk to him while shooting worried glances at Harry who was currently pulling at lose strands on his robe. He couldn't quite help but think something else was going on, and he really wanted to make sure Draco was okay. He didn't get hurt thankfully at the stone arch falling earlier, or the girl who got possessed. And he had said before that he was glad he didn't go to Slughorn's.... Wait a second.

Every time Harry was in danger Draco was involved. Ice cold dread filtered through his stomach, what if it's Draco they're after?  Harry stood up suddenly, his chair rocketing backwards and crashing to the ground. All eyes in the room were on him.

"Harry my boy are you alright?" Dumbledore had asked. 

All thoughts went to Draco. He had to find him. He had to find Draco.

Out of nowhere a blinding flash of white clouded Harry's vision, he stumbled to a nearby wall for stability before he was sucked into the vision. He could see a blurry outline of someone slipping on an old staircase, the vision focused in and he could see Draco. Draco who was now trying to grip onto banisters and then the banisters cracking. He saw the panicked look on Draco's eyes as he knew what was about to happen. He saw the stairs swinging around and Draco slipping off the edge, wand lying on a step too far a reach away. He saw Draco clinging onto the ledge of the staircase with breath gasping. He was holding on for dear life.

"Harry what happened?" Dumbledore asked, suddenly crouched down beside Harry who had somehow fallen on the floor. Harry stood up quickly, his heart beating fast as adrenaline pumped like a machine in his body. He started to rush out of the office with only one goal in mind. Save him.

"You need to stay here, it's not safe!" A teacher called.

Harry was nearly at the door when Snape stood in his path, without thinking Harry gestured a pushing motion and used a surge of wand-less magic to push him backwards leaving the Professor to slam against the wall, then he ran down the spiraling staircase, his heart pumping so fast it could have pumped right out of his body. Harry sprinted down the corridor as fast as he could, turning the corner he nearly bumped into Pansy.

"Hey watch it Potter"

Harry ignored her and went on, then he came to the staircases and then he saw him. Draco who was a level up from Harry, hanging on with one hand. Fingertips slipping. With his heart pumping ice cold blood all around his body he could only watch and he saw Draco begin to with a terrifying scream.... Harry's heart stopped, the world seemed to whirl into slow motion and he saw Draco, his beloved Draco, falling. Gravity wrenching his body ruthlessly down at an alarming speed.  A burst of energy pushed Harry closer to the stairs and he was just at the banisters when he knew he wasn't going to make it in time.

He had to do something. He had to catch Draco. But how? He felt for his wand but felt dread course though him when he didn't find it. What now? Without thinking, Harry shoot his hand out between the banister gaps and thought one thing over and over and over.

Catch Draco. Catch Draco. Please Catch Draco.

Blue energy weaved out of his hand and traveled down quickly to where Draco was still falling far too fast. Then the blue particles of magic caught Draco. Harry felt a surge of energy leave his body, like a sudden pull, but he gripped the banister tightly with his free hand and pushed on. Draco had stopped falling all of a sudden, with a renowned concentration he pulled Draco closer to him with all his might. He stared up at him with fear and surprise, reaching up towards him, mouth still open as if still about to scream, or as if the force of his last one had rendered his jaw useless. 

His energy was depleting at alarming levels and his hand was beginning to shake now, he didn't know how much longer he could keep going. He held on, and Draco got pulled even closer but still out of reach, Harry's vision began to get white around the edges, and his body was beginning to spasm, he was using far more magic than he had ever used before, and it was using up every ounce of it faster than his body could reproduce it. 

Just as Draco was within reach the magic was weakening to the point where none would release, so Harry immediately dropped down and used both hands to catch Draco's sweaty wrists. Harrys grip was punishingly strong and secured him despite the slippery palms of Draco. He was looking up at him, his expression full of wonder and terror. He grabbed on to Harry's hands and felt the magic tingling leave his body all together. 

Harry's arms felt like they were being torn out of their own sockets, but he tried in earnest to pull Draco up, but now his vision was turning blurry and the white haze was closing in. He managed with a final spurt of energy to pull Draco up to where his hands could grip the banister securely. Then his eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out completely onto the steps. 

Draco by then had managed pulled himself up over the banister with shaking limbs, wincing as his left shoulder sparked with red hot pain, and made his way to Harry, who had collapsed into a heap.

"Harry?" Draco asked, his voice wavering, he wanted to get off these stairs but Harry wasn't responding.

Getting closer Draco could see Harry's face, and Harry was pale, sickly pale. And his breathing was shallow and shaky.

"Harry!" Draco yelled, feeling for Harry's pulse with shaky hands. He couldn't feel anything so wiped his hands on his trousers and tried again taking a calming breath "Dammit Harry don't do this. Be okay. Please be okay" Draco felt  a faint and tacky pulse.

"Someone help!" Draco called out, and just as he called out Snape came rushing around the corner.

~

"What has Mr Potter gotten himself into this time?" Madame Pomfery exclaimed when she saw Snape rush in levitating Harry and with a paler than usual Draco Malfoy clutching his shoulder. When Harry had been put down on the bed, she looked at him with concern. The boy was pale, breathing lightly and entirely unconscious. She removed his glasses and got to work. After muttering some spells she looked up to Draco and Snape with a confused look.

"It seems he has been completed drained of magic, how did this happen Mr. Malfoy?" She asked.

"Someone tried to make me fall off the stairs and he caught me with magic" Draco managed, his voice was shaky. 

Her brows furrowed, casting more spells. "Hmm he is a powerful wizard that shouldn't have drained him"

Madam Pomfery stared at Snape for a second and then at Harry. "Well...I will get some magic replenishments to help him regenerate his magic....Strange for that too happen. Oh and Mr. Malfoy take a seat and I will tend to your arm"

When Madame Pomfery has left to get supplies, Snape turned to  Draco with a curious expression.

"When Potter was in Dumbledore's Office he seemed to have a vision of some sort and during that time, his wand fell out of his pocket. So tell me Draco, how on earth did he manage that?"

"Um... It's a long story.." Draco started but then got cut off as Madame Pomfery walked briskly back into the room. 

"Draco dear come take a seat on this bed while I get Harry patched up, Professor Snape I need to tend to my patients" She said dismissing him with a wave of her hand. Draco did as he was told, finding his arm starting to burn with pain now that she had mentioned it and the adrenaline had started to wear off. He sat down shell shocked, eyes still on Harry's moving chest as he tried to remember how to breathe himself. 

"I need to talk to Draco.." Snape started.

"No need right now, he is clearly in shock" She said, ignoring him as she carefully splicing the fabric around his lax arm and found his shoulder joint. She walked over to her cupboard with supplies, pulling out a fairly large Syringe now filled with a bright blue solution.  

"But it's an important matter" Snape tried as was back by Harry's side. She shook her head, feeling for Harry's shoulder joint and plunging the needle into his arm. Maybe it was a good thing Harry was unconscious Draco thought queasily, he had always hated needles. 

Madame Pomfery gave him a stern look after discarding it "Not as important as his health, so if you could excuse us, I have patients to attend to"

Snape looked mildly offended and puzzled as he left the Hospital wing. How on earth did Potter do that? Snape was going to find out. Until then he made his way back to Dumbledore's office to inform the rest of the staff about this strange saving incident. He passed an abandoned alcove not noticing the student lurking within its shadows. They were angry, it had been a fool-proof plan.

Beaten again, by that dammed Potter, he always makes sure my plans are foiled. Now to call for reinforcements...Draco will not survive another attempt.

Chapter 10: Undertones of ambiguity

Summary:

"Draco?" He called.

He sat up straight immediately, hoping for good news "Yeah? What is it?"

"Madam Pomfery sent me, Your boyfriend is awake" Nott said smiling.

"He should really be awake by now, his magic levels are at normal for him" Madam Pomfery said concerned, she was gazing at Harry with a thoughtful expression.

"Perhaps his magic levels have increased beyond normal?" Dumbledore suggested.

She pondered it for a minute "Perhaps...however for a boy his age he is already over the average magic potential"

"He is a very powerful wizard, even for his age" Dumbledore imputed.

There was a pause where Madam Pomfery looked very deep in thought. "Hmm...well I shall run some more tests to see if there is an underlining cause. Oh maybe we can see his magic undertone lines" She exclaimed, looking proud of herself for the breakthrough.

"Would you mind if we watched...I would be quite fascinated to see" Dumbledore said, his eyes lighting up behind his half moon spectacles.

"Oh, well certainly, though I'm not used to visitors overseeing but I suppose why not" she said excitedly.

She cleared her throat and muttered a spell, swishing her wand. A spiral of lilac spiraled down over Harry and seemed to form specs that drifted into Harry skin and then seemed to disappear. After a minute Harry's body started to emit a weak yellow glow and vein like streams of blue and purple magic began to weave into Harry's limbs and cluster back to his heart where it glowed the brightest. The blue and purple was pumped out to his veins with the steady beat of his heart.

Madam Pomfery furrowed her brow. "Hmm how very bizarre, normally the blue undertones do not shine through this strong" She looked at professor Dumbledore and took a deep breath in. "He is a very powerful wizard indeed, far more powerful than we had thought"

~

"When can I see him?" Draco asked impatiently to Madam Pomfery a little later on, now sitting on a bed after being force fed some more potions to reduce the pain and swelling of his shoulders. Apparently he had sprained it badly but not enough to warrant a sling. He had been forced to lay down for an hour to recover from his 'shock' and to be fair he felt a bit better. But still it was infuriating, he just wanted to see him again. The curtains were pulled around his bed for privacy, Draco had strained an ear to hear the conversation with Dumbledore but could only catch a few words here and there. 

"Soon my dear, when he wakes up" She replied patiently.

Draco let out a frustrated breath and felt his fingers tap nervously onto his thighs. He heard Madame Pomfery silently walk away and tend to other patients, one with a suspicious wound that looked like a giant plant bite on their hand. He just wanted to make sure Harry was okay, after all Harry had saved him, saved him from a near death experience that left him literally clinging on to life.

He was anxious, because whoever timed and performed the deed had set up the other incidents as well, and he didn't know who it was. He wanted to find out and make them pay, he had a crawling uneasiness fill up his veins every minute that passed him by all to slowly. Something bad is going to happen. And he had an awful chilling feeling in his bones that Harry was going to get thrown into the storm and Draco didn't know what he could do. Restless, Draco stood and paced, hands in his pockets as he thought furiously.

Who could it be? They must be either a student or a teacher. Maybe a student, it makes sense, who else would know how to sneak around the school and know who and where to hit. So then what house? What year group? If only it was that simple. If only I knew who it was.

Draco's maddening thoughts halted suddenly as a calm, familiar hand still his uninjured shoulder. "Draco dear, are you alright, you seem restless" Madam Pomfery asked kindly.

"I..." He broke off and rubbed his eyes tiredly "Can I just see him, please?"

She looked at him with understanding glowing in her eyes, it helped to warm Draco's cold, scared emotions jumbled up in his chest, ones that caused his heart to beat louder, loud enough he could feel it in his chest. She smiled and gave in. "Yes dear, right this way"

~

The darkness that enveloped Harry's mind slowly began to shine brighter, becoming more and more light. He could feel a tired ache behind his eyes and his shoulder was throbbing painfully, except for some strange reason he couldn't move his left arm, it was seemingly stuck to his chest. He was probably back in the Infirmary again but couldn't recall why. He felt so drained, so exhausted he just wanted to sleep forever. 

"He should be waking up very soon" Harry heard a familiar voice say kindly.

"Thank you" Harry's heart lurched, it was Draco.

"Come get me if anything happens" 

"Yes ma'm" Draco said back warmly.

Harry couldn't open his eyes yet, they felt heavy, like iron weights dragging down his eyelids. His whole body ached. He just wanted sleep. And then he felt a familiar warm hand grasp his, gripping firmly. Shortly after this he felt soft warm lips gently kiss his forehead and Harry's distorted reality was colliding with memories of Draco. Something about a staircase? Someone falling? It was a bit too hard to grasp the memories right now.  Turning his head to the side with tremendous effort, he found himself emitting a low sound of pain and frustration. He wanted to wake up but he simply didn't have the energy.

"Madam Pomfery!" Was all he heard before he fell back into a dark dreamless sleep.

~

It had been two whole days. Two miserable days and Draco was suffering desperately. He wanted Harry to be okay, he had started briefly coming around just to fall asleep just as quickly. It had been difficult trying to focus on anything else despite his effort. In fact it had been almost impossible, which is why he was sitting in the common room with Pansy in an attempt to distract himself. He felt responsible for the accident that happened, to be honest he was still apprehensive of going on any stairs since unless he had his wand gripped tight in his hand and a friend to accompany him. 

"And so clearly when he said my answer was wrong it merely meant that it wasn't exactly the correct wording he had used in the first example!" Pansy ranted.

"Yeah" Draco replied, not paying attention, his mind ticking relentlessly.

"And then he has the audacity to come up to me after class and..." Pansy trailed off realizing Draco not paying attention.

"Sounds good" Draco said, looking at this hands.

"I'm pregnant" Pansy stated, staring at Draco.

"Uh-huh"

"It's your child"

"Yeah go for it" Draco replied absentmindedly.

"I'm marrying your third cousin"

"I agree" 

Pansy sighed, and bit her lip. "Draco, are you even listening to me?" She asked.

Draco looked up, then blinked a few times before finally seeming in the moment. "Oh right sorry I was... thinking"

Pansy forced a small smile. "I know you're worried about him but he'll be fine"

"Yeah" Draco replied weakly. The door to the common room burst open and Theo walked in, looking around for someone.

"Draco?" He called.

He sat up straight immediately, hoping for good news "Yeah? What is it?"

"Madam Pomfery sent me, Your boyfriend is awake" Nott said smiling.

Immediately a smile plastered itself on Draco's face, he got up quickly and walked rushed out the door. He all but ran down to the infirmary to see him awake at long last.  Pansy swallowed thickly still seated on a plump sofa, the back of her throat stung and tears were fighting to fall down her face.

"You okay pansy?" Theo asked worried.

"Yeah fine. I'm going on a walk" She said hoarsely, striding out of the room too as fast as her legs could take her. The last plan must be put into action. I need to prepare.

~

"We need to protect Harry Potter" Dumbledore said that evening, sitting in front of his desk facing McGonagall. 

"I believe also that Draco Malfoy is in danger as well, shouldn't we protect both of them?" McGonagall asked, worrying over a custard cream.

"I believe Draco Malfoy was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time" Dumbledore stated.

She fixed him a look, discarding the biscuit all together "Three times attacks occurred with both Potter and Malfoy present, don't tell me that's a coincidence. Someone is trying to attack one or both of the boys"

Dumbledore pondered this for a minute before looking uncertain. "I will make special arrangements for Harry, I believe he is in grave danger. Meanwhile I will increase security around the grounds"

She stood up, concern washing over her face. "Dumbledore, I really think you need to protect Draco..."

"It's fine he will be safe in the school grounds" He said firmly walking out of room. McGonagall frowned, entirely unconvinced. There was something about this that was distinctly off - like a lumpy yogurt past its use by date. It was sour and unpleasant, she decided then to protect Draco herself. 

~

"You failed me, yet again. If you are to fail your final task then you will know the consequences" The figure standing in front of Voldemort shrunk slightly into themselves. They bowed their head and spoke with a slight tremor.

"I apologize my lord, it will not happen again" Voldemort's red snake like eyes stared unblinking right into the figure's eyes.

"The school will surely aim to protect Harry Potter, if we lure him out then I will get the sweetness of killing him, and watching him wither and scream till he is no more. Until he begs for death" He smiled eerily, his red eyes seemingly lighting up as a fire would. "Attack the Malfoy child again, lure Potter out and then we will take both of them and force them to watch each other die"

"Yes my lord it will be my pleasure" The figure dressed in a long draping black cloak said before bowing and leaving the room.

Chapter 11: Burn Holes In My Heart, Cry Puddles Into My Sheets.

Summary:

"Oh really, you have the nerve to come back to me after what you did?!" Harry almost shouted. He couldn't bear to see him right now, he couldn't believe he had told him he loved him and this was how he repaid him. Used him like so many others before him. 

Notes:

Oh how the turn tables!

"Pansy! For flips sake stop running away from me!" Theo yelled, out of breath. He had followed quickly after she bolted from the common room. 

"Fuck off, please" Pansy exasperated, running her fingers through her loose hair and tugging sharply at the strands.

"What's going on? Stop pushing everyone away!" Theo said, bending over from a stitch.

Pansy tried to get away, walking fast away. But Theo was faster on account of longer legs and grabbed her wrist tightly and stopped her getting away.

"Tell me what's wrong please I'm worried" He begged, looking into her eyes.

"I can't! I can't! You don't understand" She said frustrated, eyes glassy. 

Theo was quiet for a second before saying "Then help me understand"

Pansy shook her head and swallowed hard. "I can't. I can't." She said so soft he could barely hear her.

"You can tell me anything. Anything."

She shook her head again and dropped her head almost in shame. "Not this"

"Is this to do with you know who?" Theo asked hesitantly, looking around to make sure they were truly alone. Immediately after he asked her shoulders tensed and her jaw tightened. After a defending silence she looked up. She finally broke.

"They're going to kill my family if I don't, you don't understand! I don't have a choice. They're going to kill my  family! Do you think I want this!" She said, terror flashing in her eyes. Her voice was shaking as were her hands. 

~

Harry opened his eyes, then winced as bright sunlight glared in through a window straight into his eyes. Squinting he sat up and felt around for his glasses, then frowned when he found one arm was in a sling.  He was in the infirmary again. I should really start looking at booking himself a permanent bed here he thought. Apart from his arm he felt otherwise fine, he didn't have time to really think about why he was here in the first place before she appeared. 

"Here, I've got your glasses" She said now suddenly beside him.

Harry looked over and could see a faint outline of Madame Pomfery. Even blurry, he knew what she looked like - he had spent way too much time in her care really. Before he knew it the familiar weight of his glasses was settled on his face again.

"Thank you" He said hastily. 

"How are you feeling?" Madame Pomfery asked, looking relieved.

"Um good, great actually"

Then all of a sudden the memories flooded back. "Is-" He began, suddenly panicking.

"Yes Draco's fine, don't worry I healed him all up. A moderate sprain otherwise untouched"

"You talking about me?" Said a familiar voice that just appeared around the corner, leaning on the doorway with a smirk and soft gaze. 

Harry grinned and felt relief wash through him as he saw Draco. "Thank fu.. I mean thank our father merlin you're okay" Harry said, after Madam Pomfery gave him a death glare before silently walking off.

Draco laughed, short and sweet, oh how Harry loved that laugh. "Are you okay?" Draco asked, walking closer.

He felt a slight discomfort when sitting up and moving his immobilized shoulder but otherwise no other pain jutted out to him "Yeah, I think so, are you?" 

"Shoulders a bit sore, but I'm alive thanks to you" Said Draco, smiling at Harry.

"Hey you know me saviour of the world and all" Harry said sarcastically. 

Draco laughed and then sat down in the chair beside Harry's bed, reaching out to hold Harry free hand. Harry's mouth twitched into a smile, he looked down at their hands, then back up and said "you know that's pretty gay"

He smiled "Jokes on you I am pretty gay"

"Wait really? I didn't notice" Harry sassed.

"You should know you're pretty gay yourself" Draco said, grinning fully now. 

Harry looked at Draco for a second then shrugged one shoulder. "Yeah can't deny that"

It was an hour later that Harry and Draco walked out of the hospital wing, Harry's arm still in a sling. He was glad it was a weekend, at least he had time to investigate or ask Hermione about it at least. When they had walked down to the dungeons Theodore Nott ran headfirst into Draco, knocking them both to the ground, Harry falling with a yelp. 

"Ah sorry, I didn't mean to...wait Draco..." He looked around panicked, in great need of privacy "I need to talk to you" He then whispered harshly.

Draco quirked an eyebrow "is everything okay?"

Theo looked around once more, stood up and brushed himself off. He shook his head and then whispered again. "Need to talk now. Please"

Draco looked concerned and nodded his head.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, watching the strange interaction from the floor. Draco offered him a hand and once Harry was settled back on his feet did he speak again. 

"I've got to go, I'll be back for dinner" Then he walked forward and gave a sweet peck on Harry's cheek before giving his attention to Theo, who was nervously fiddling with his tie.

"Okay stay safe!" Harry called after them before walking into the common room. It was surprisingly empty for a Sunday and he was glad for it, he could use a nap to be honest. There were about four students in the room in total, Pansy was alone in the corner of the room her eyes now fixed on Harry. 

"Oh hey Harry, so you're okay after all?" Pansy asked, lounging on a sofa and painting her nails.

"Apparently so, well can't really move my arm but who needs arms anyways" 

"Well I'm sure Draco would disagree if you didn't have both hands" Pansy said hinting. She got up and walked nearly past Harry before adding. "And I for one would like both your hands too, you know what for golden boy"

Harry frowned, what was she implying.

"Anyways I've got to go, be back later, if you want to test that out" she said, winking then strutting out.

Harry rubbed his neck, was pansy hitting on him?

~

5:15 pm. Harry was sitting on his bed, catching up on work when the dormitory door opened. It wasn't long till dinner now and he was getting bored anyway. He looked up and felt his heart warm to the sight, Draco. He had gotten back from a checkup from Madame Pomfery after classes and he had both his arms free, even if a bit sore. 

"Oh hi, I thought you would be longer" Harry said, pushing his books away.

"Oh...um turns out otherwise" Draco replied a little unsure.

Draco stood a bit awkwardly, as if contemplating that he should sit down.  "Come sit down, honestly you've never been scared to sit down before, are you okay?"

With an unsure walk Draco sat hesitantly beside Harry. "I..uh..we need to talk"

Harry Immediately tensed. "Has this got to do with what Theo wanted to talk to you about?" He asked, now serious.

Draco blinked twice and looked confused but there was also a glint of anger. "Um...yeah, look I think we should break up" Draco said suddenly.

Harry stopped breathing for a second. "But..what? why? We were fine I don't understand" Harry said, desperation creeping into his voice.

"It's just not going to work out" Draco stated, looking directly at Harry as if to gauge his reaction.

Harry could feel his eyes begin to water, that warm happy feeling he got every time he saw Draco seemed to heat up to the point where it was burning holes in his heart. He couldn't believe he let himself hand over his heart like he had only to find it being crumpled underneath the others hands. Why now? After everything? It didn't make sense. 

"I don't understand. What happened? What did I do wrong?" Harry pleaded.

"I never liked you anyways." Draco stated harshly, looking down at his watch, before getting up and walking out. Just as he was outside the doorway, he looked back with face hardened and said "I only used you for the fame"

Then Harry broke, and hot tears were streaming down his face. Draco's words resounded in his head getting louder and louder, until they were all he could hear. Harry pulled his curtains closed and cried, hating the way he could still smell Draco's scent on the pillow he was crying into. Some part of him didn't want to believe it but why would he say it if he didn't mean it? This was all so confusing. He crawled underneath the covers and hugged the plush lion he had received at Christmas while he continued to cry. It felt like so long ago. 

"Harry?" A familiar, back stabbing voice called out after what must have been a few hours. It was well past dinner now but Harry had refused to move from his bed, with curtains drawn and messy sheets. 

Harry felt anger bubble through him, how dare he. How fucking dare he come back just like that? 

"Harry are you in there?" Draco called out again.

"Go. Away."

There was a silence and footsteps closer to the bed "Are you okay? Listen there's something I need to tell you, it's really important"

"Oh really, you have the nerve to come back to me after what you did?!" Harry almost shouted. He couldn't bear to see him right now, he couldn't believe he had told him he loved him and this was how he repaid him. Used him like so many others before him. 

"....wait what? I don't understand" At least he had the acting skills to sound genuinely confused. 

Harry yanked open his curtains, got to his feet and then slapped Draco hard across the cheek. The violence was unlike him and reminded him of Vernon all of a sudden. He was too angry right now to care about that right now.  "That's for everything you did, now don't talk to me ever again"

Draco held his cheek in shock more than pain. "Wait Harry I don't..."

"Don't play that game with me!" Harry yelled, tears streaming down his face again.

"...I..." Draco looked extremely confused, eyes glassy. 

"GET OUT!" Harry yelled.

Draco's eyes flashed hurt but he slowly backed away, shoulders drooped and head low. Let's just say he wasn't in the mood to even attempt to leave his bed again. Harry made his way back to his bed, pulled the curtains over and found himself sobbing all over again. Draco stood stiff and confused on the other side of the door. 

~

When Theo finally returned from dinner looking a little bit out of it, Draco pulled him by the wrist and dragged him to a corner - checking both ways to make sure alone. 

"We need to tell Harry about what you told me but he won't talk to me." He rushed out, he had no clue what happened  with Harry but he had to know what was going on. 

Theo looked confused, and tilted his head. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"What you told me today? ...about Pansy??" Draco tried, anxiety building. 

"What about Pansy? Honestly I have no idea what you're talking about sorry" 

Chapter 12: Captured Heart, Captured Body.

Summary:

Draco shoved her backwards in retaliation and Pansy fell back, hitting the table with some dishes spilling and a plate breaking into pieces. Both of their voices were getting increasingly​ louder and on edge. Now McGonagall was standing over them both with the look of death set firm on her face. They broke apart glaring daggers at each other and Draco all but fled the hall. 

Harry didn't quite know when he would leave his dorm, he just wanted to sleep; but sleeping in itself brought back sad memories and soon he would wake up with a jolt...again. He scrubbed a hand over his face and collapsed on the bed again. He felt vaguely sick but it was probably from the lack of two meals, still he couldn't bring himself to show his face just yet.  He quickly checked the time then cursed, he was already late for breakfast and would be late for potions soon if he wasn't careful, and Harry didn't know how much more golden boy talk he could handle, much less having class with.... Draco. 

But after struggling to sit up, with his head pounding and heart hammering in his throat, he decided he was going to be "sick". Take that potions. Every thing seemed to be too overwhelming right now, first all these near death incidents and then Draco breaking up with him. He knew he should get up and go to class anyway. But there was so much homework to be done that was sitting abandoned at the foot of the bed, there was too much going on, it was almost too much to cope. And Harry just wanted to disappear from it all, go on a six month holiday without a stupid Voldy chasing him around.

Although, Harry thought, even if it hadn't been that Voldemort was going to kill him, he would probably be that crazy uncle who turns up and glares at him all the time. Not that Voldemort is my uncle Harrys mind went on. Now THAT would be weird. Harry sobered up from his strain of thought and sighed deeply. 

Why is it all so messed up. I honestly didn't think Draco was unhappy...maybe I just didn't know him properly? I don't know what to do. And Pansy's flirting like all hell with me but that's gross. 
Harry's face grimaced thinking about what dating Pansy would be like, he could imagine endless talks about holographic lip stick and what not. Ugh no thank you. Not to mention she was a girl. 

"Harry?" Blaise asked from the doorway.

Harry stayed silent in the hopes of Blaise discarding the idea he was even here.

"Come out Harry, you can't hide forever, you know that right" Blaise said softly, but Harry heard as clear as day.

"That sounds like a challenge" Harry replied weakly.

Blaise laughed at that and then Harry could hear him walk closer. "Can I open these curtains or are you naked or something?"

Harry hid his face under the covers and muttered "If I say I am will you go away?"

"Honey you can't get rid of me if you tried" and with that Blaise opened the curtains and sat down lightly at the edge of Harry's messy bed. Peeking out from the scrunched up duvet Harry made out a blurry image of Blaise.

"Now I want to know everything, and I mean everything" Blaise stated.

~

"Where's Harry I haven't seen him recently" Hermione asked during breakfast. Ron grunted in reply at that but continued to eat.

She looked around the hall and only saw Pansy sitting at the Slytherin table, then the entrance door opened and Draco stormed in. Hermione took a double take at this, Draco looked exhausted and positively angry. Her brow furrowed as she watched Draco march up to Pansy and drag her up off her seat by her collar, with great force, and he seemed to be hissing at her through clenched teeth. Pansy at this point was trying to scramble free but had an equally sour face beginning to show, then she slapped Draco across the cheek. Hard. The noise rang across the hall and instantly developed the room into pure silence.

Draco shoved her backwards in retaliation and Pansy fell back, hitting the table with some dishes spilling and a plate breaking into pieces. Both of their voices were getting increasingly​ louder and on edge. Now McGonagall was standing over them both with the look of death set firm on her face. They broke apart glaring daggers at each other and Draco all but fled the hall. 

Hermione at this point was extremely confused and worried, and where on earth was Harry? What just happened? Did this have to do with the recent attacks?

~

By the time Harry had a heart to heart with Blaise it was just after lunch, and Harry didn't know if he felt any better. Now he was more confused than ever as Blaise told him that Draco wasn't the type of person to do this. But Harry wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. He felt like his heart was put into a blender and was seriously struggling to beat, and every time it did, the blood that poured out felt like acid - burning the place he had once held Draco. Still, Harry couldn't complain, turns out Blaise gave very nice hugs. And very good advice, and well somehow he ended up walking to class. It had taken a lot of pushing but fueled with some truffles and pumpkin juice Blaise had force-fed him he was feeling at least a little bit better at least Physically. 'You're going to need to face the music eventually, go on Harry'. 

He passed an alcove when he found himself being dragged in, to which Harry pulled out his wand and pressed it into the neck of the assailant. When Harry focused and found himself starting at Draco his grip slackened and be felt his heart start to rise to his throat. He was conflicted now, his Draco would never have acted that way towards him but it was so bloody convincing. 

"Listen I know you hate me and I have no idea why, so please listen to me for three seconds." Harry looked at him and felt tears pooling but nodded almost numbly. It was Draco's soft and desperate voice that he didn't run off there and then.

"Pansy is up to something, she obliviated Theo who got told by her she's going to kill us… I don't know what I did but I don't think it was me Harry" By now Draco's voice was barely a whisper.

"That's the most farfetched idea I've heard, why would she want to kill us" Harry asked skeptically. Well apart form her being a flirt he really doubted the harm she could do. 

Draco looked around panicky, then continued "She's working for you know who, if she doesn't do this then her family dies."

"Well then she can kill me I don't give a damn" Harry said before walking off.

"Harry!" Draco called and followed, he grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled him back.

Harry shook his off and stepped back, desperately needing space. "Let go of me Malfoy I don't want to talk to you"

"What did Pansy do? What happened? Why are you so angry at me?" Draco asked, pleadingly.

"Really? Yeah sure just blame this on Pansy, wasn't your fault you came up and told me all you wanted me for was the fame. It totally wasn't your fault you fucking broke up with me" Harry spat.

"Wait... what" Draco managed weakly. "I...I didn't do that, I swear on my life Harry I never said that"

Harry looked at Draco and wanted so much to believe him.

"Please Harry you have to believe me, it was Pansy, and we're both in danger" He wanted to but was conflicted. Of course he cared about him and didn't want him to be in danger. Clearly the threat of danger was enough to scare even Draco away. He shook his head for lack of a better response.

Then Harry noticed something moving in the corridor, but thought little of it as he walked off tears blurring his vision, his mind spinning. He needed some fresh air and some time to process this. He didn't look back and didn't see when Draco was suddenly grabbed by two men with death eater masks on.

Chapter 13: No Hope. No Saviour

Summary:

"Fuck...you" he managed.

"Oh now that's not very nice, I'm sure our little spy won't appreciate this" the voice mocked again.

"I don't want to talk to you Malfoy" The voice resounded in his head, echoing in the cracks of his brain. He suddenly jerked awake in a completely unfamiliar environment.

It was dark and stuffy. It took him a few minutes for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the cold room. Sitting up slowly, with a pounding head, he noted he was in a cold, rough concrete room. Draco felt a prickle of fear trickling up his veins when he couldn't find his wand, and he suddenly felt all alone. He vaguely remembered arguing with Harry before darkness seemed to swallow him whole and somehow he was here. He felt tears prickle his eyes as he became more desperate and confused. He stood up and ran his hands along the jagged walls of the room he was trapped in. His fingers ran along the three walls then he felt an urge of panic as he found the forth wall. But there was no door. No escape.

Tears started to stream silently down his face as he slid down the wall. He had never felt so alone and scared. No one would come looking for him, the only hope he had was Harry and Blaise but it would only be a matter of time before Pansy got to them first then there would be no hope for any of them. Wiping his face with his shaking hands he suddenly looked up as a door appeared before him, a low light showing the room with more detail. Standing in front of him were masked death eaters holding their wands directly at Draco. 

"The Dark Lord will see you now"

He was shoved into another room, wrists secured to a cold, damp wall with rusty iron shackles. They didn't even bother interrogating him, just immediately hit him with Crucio spells, laughing as if the sound of him screaming was a funny afternoons entertainment.  Draco would have screamed again but he was in so much pain he couldn't make a sound but instead feel every nerve ending in his body igniting time and time again, so intensely he could barely breathe.

"The quicker your disgusting 'boyfriend' comes to 'rescue' you, the quicker you get out of here" the hooded mask said, mocking almost every word with bitterness.

Draco gasped for breath, his lungs burning like it was full of liquid acid. He had collapsed on the floor right at the start, he had no concept of time by now it could have been hours by now. All he knew was the pain was unbearable. 

"Fuck...you" he managed.

"Oh now that's not very nice, I'm sure our little spy won't appreciate this" the voice mocked again.

"Spy?" Draco asked struggling against the chains. His brain was fussy from all the spells. 

"Why don't you say hello to them" The Death Eater was rocking on his heels, wand twirling in his fingers. "Be a good sport yeah?" 

"I'd rather no..." He cut off due to another bout of excruciating pain, he whimpered and tried to curl up. The tears on his cheek burnt against his sensitive skin. Another person walked into the room, shorter than the others by a margin. Probably a female he thought. Well it wasn't exactly surprising who it could be. Theo had told him but part of him didn't really want to believe it. They had been friends since they had been young. 

"Why hello Draco, fancy seeing you here"

Draco looked up with difficulty and swallowed hard, of course it was her. Pansy bloody pansy. After everything they've been through, there she was standing tall and proud. She looked small and out of place wearing their costume.  Draco could barely say anything before she stood over him with her wand pointing right at his head.

"I'll take it from here, if you don't mind" The others nodded and left the room quickly, the door shutting with a thud. 

"Pansy please!" Draco begged. Wishing that he could go back to last week where everything was better than this. If only he could get turn back time. What a way to die was the last thought that ran through his head before Draco passed out as the pain overtook him once again. 

~ 

Harry moped around that day until he was rudely interrupted from his moping by none other than Dumbledore.

"Ah Harry, can I have a word with you in my office" Dumbledore asked.

"Uh sure" Harry replied, upset he interrupted from his very important brooding.

After a slightly uncomfortable silent walk to the big spindly staircase as Harry liked to call it, they reached Dumbledore's office. But Harry could tell this wasn't going to be a fun 'word with Dumbledore'. To be honest no talk with him has really gone all that well but what can you do.

"This has been something I've been meaning to talk to you about for a long time"

Harry took a deep breath and prepared himself, well here goes nothing.

Chapter 14: Mrs. save the day

Summary:

The door burst open. Pansy seemed to freeze in shock, Draco couldn't tell why he was struggling to keep his eyes open. He was so tired and just wanted to sleep. His nerves still buzzing under his skin as kind reminder of the past however long amount of time he had been kidnapped for. There was some sort of rumbling happening on the ground but he wasn't sure if it was real or just his arms shaking. 

So....I'm a part of Voldemort's horcruxes. Harry thought, while walking numbly out of Dumbledore's office. It made the Prophecy at least make some more sense. After the week he had he was surprised that he didn't destroy his office again, if anything his lack of emotion seemed to startle Dumbledore. He just felt a bit numb to be honest but what else was new? He was always aware of the prospect that death would come quicker to him than others but there was always a hope within that. Now that it was entirely non-optional, well it left a cold feeling down his shoulders. 

I just need to kill all the  horcruxes  and apparently myself in the process. How fun.

Harry breathed out heavily, but then cleared his head. If I'm dying soon it means I don't need to get a job and do adult stuff.  Then his thoughts rested on Draco again. But it would break my heart leaving him. I suppose I should go talk to him. If it's all going to end I may as well try and fight for him.

He walked purposefully to the dorm, rehearsing his speech and being prepared to stay put instead of running off and being melodramatic. Maybe Draco was right about Pansy, after-all she had been trying to get them to go to Hogsmeade this weekend, winking and flirting in the process. It wasn't like her Harry hadn't seen Draco, seeing as Harry had been hiding in the library and other various locations the past few days. No one seemed to mention Draco either so he must be moping as well. He walked past a classroom and saw Blaise in it. Perfect.

"Blaise!" Harry called.

Blaise turned around, looking confused. "Have you seen Draco anywhere I need to talk to him"

Blaise scrunched up his forehead and rubbed the side of his head. "Sorry....who? Are they in our year?"

Harry felt his heart beat rise. "Uh Draco Malfoy. Your best friend" Harry stated.

"Pansy's my best friend. Pansy is amazing. If I wasn't kind of gay for Neville then I'd marry her".

There was an awkward pause. Oh that son of a.....Draco was right.

Harry turned without another word and sprinted to the Slytherin common room and searched frantically for any sign of Draco. His room was empty. No one knew who he was. Harry started to panic. I can't go to Dumbledore he doesn't seem to care. McGonagall. I'll go to her. Who knows if she's had her memory wiped. Just as Harry was about to go on a frantic search for her, the door opened and there she was.

"Come with me Potter, I believe Draco is in danger and we are the only two who seem to give a damn."

"Thank fu...everyone's had their memories wiped by Pansy she's going to kill him!"

"Not if I can help it" she said, cracking her knuckles. "Right follow me, I have been looking for the whereabouts of Draco since yesterday after he didn't turn up to my class, and after asking all the other teachers none seem to remember him."

By now they had now walked down to the forbidden forest, looking over their shoulders along the way. She was reiterating the story of how she came to the conclusion. "Then the amazing miss Granger came to me and we figured out what was happening. Ron helped too...by eating the biscuits."

"Hey! I gave important details about fights and stuff" Ron said from the shadows of a tree.

Harry smiled, and ran up to his best friends. With everything happening they barely had time to talk about things properly. "Thanks for looking out for me Ron"

"Anytime mate"

"You're welcome as well, if it wasn't for me you'd be running around like a headless chicken right now." Hermione said smiling. Harry hadn't noticed her there. 

Harry grinned. "But Hermione....when am I not running around like a headless chicken?" 

Hermione laughed and gave him a fond look. 

"As cute as this reunion is, I think we have a job to do. Isn't that right Severus?" Harry looked up surprised. Snape appeared out of the shadows with some bottles and papers in his hands.

"Indeed. I don't think I need to say just how dangerous this is for you or me. So in the event of being captured drink these and your memory of the past twenty-four hours will be temporarily blocked. Here is the address where he is being kept and here's the best way to get in unnoticed. You three are currently in detention with me if anyone asks" Snape said, then turned on his heel and left. Leaving them with four bottles of potions.

"Take my arm you three, let's go rescue Draco" 

~

"Why are you doing this?" Draco asked, grinding his teeth in pain. He was still on the same floor as before, blood pooled by his head where she had broken his nose. 

"Oh shut up, be quiet until he gets here" Pansy spat.

"Who?" Draco breathed against the stone. 

Pansy's rolled her eyes. "Potter. I'm counting on it. He'll come and then he'll replace you. Screaming on the ground at the Dark Lords mercy."

Draco's chest tightened. "Why are you doing this? Please Pansy I've known you since I was five. What's happening to make you do this?" He asked desperately. He wished he could really understand her motives. Sure he heard her parents were in danger but was that enough to justify her actions? He was too tired to think about all that right now. 

Pansy turned away, her hands shaking. She shook her head to push away the tears. If only he knew I didn't have a choice. I'm so sorry I never wanted to do this. It's the only option.

There was a crash and some yelling. "Doesn't matter. He's here" She readied her wand, and took a defensive position.

The door burst open. Pansy seemed to freeze in shock, Draco couldn't tell why he was struggling to keep his eyes open. He was so tired and just wanted to sleep. His nerves still buzzing under his skin as kind reminder of the past however long amount of time he had been kidnapped for. There was some sort of rumbling happening on the ground but he wasn't sure if it was real or just his arms shaking. 

"Professor?" She asked in shock. 

"Detention." McGonagall stated firmly then stunned her.

"Jeez she's scary sometimes" Ron muttered, to which McGonagall gave a sharp look backwards. 

Draco's eyes finally slipped shut and he entered into a heavy darkness and out of consciousness altogether. He had been freed and bundled up in McGonagall's arms and with head tilting back limply he was dutifully unaware of being apparated to the safe point before the building started exploding.

Chapter 15: Redemption

Summary:

"You know, they say muggles are stupid. But as for their weapons...I quite like feeling of sawing someone in half" the voice growled, dripping in blood lust. "But sometimes it's most satisfying just clawing at their throats while they scream"

Notes:

TW: Lots of mentions of blood.

Harry let McGonagall, Hermione and Ron to get Draco while he checked out the other rooms in the dimly lit worn down house. He stepped cautiously on the creaky stained wooden floorboards. He wasn't sure he would be able to control himself if he found Draco himself. Most of the Death Eaters had scattered when they broke down the front door. With his wand in his hand he continued forward. He had heard someone scuttling up down the narrow corridor. 

After checking two rooms he made his way to the last room at the end of a corridor. He took a step then stopped. Something on the floor made his scruffy trainers sticky. He lowered his wand and cast a Lumos the light reflected off something red, thick and sticky on the floor. Blood. Harry's heart thudded loudly in his nervous chest. Time felt like forever walking into that room. Creaking the door open slowly, Harry held his breath then felt his heart sink. He felt suddenly quite sick to his stomach.

Two people sprawled across the floor, thick blood in a puddle. Their hands reaching out towards each other but not quite touching. Harry rushed to their side hoping they were alive. With shaky fingertips pressed lightly against their neck he gulped and moved to stand up again, they were dead. He felt eerily alone until a voice spoke from the shadows.

"You know, they say muggles are stupid. But as for their weapons...I quite like feeling of sawing someone in half" the voice growled, dripping in blood lust. "But sometimes it's most satisfying just clawing at their throats while they scream"

Harry felt bile rising up his throat, he raised his wand and pointed it at the shadows. The door slammed shut behind him and he startled but never let the large looming figure out of his sight. It was a man who looked to be six foot tall at least, big and bulky, clearly a werewolf. 

"You're sick" Harry spat.

The voice gave an eerie laugh. "Young boy, you really didn't think the dark lord was going to keep the idiot parents alive? Now....I'm sure the dark lord would love to get a piece of you. Dead or alive..."

Harry's heart started to speed up. He gripped his wand tighter in his now sweaty palms. Before anything happened the door was swung open and a figure stood shocked in the doorway for a moment. Dim light blinded Harry and he couldn't see who it was, but it was definitely a female. The figure in the shadow lashed out with his claws whilst he was momentarily distracted and Harry cried out in pain. His forearm was cut deeply with claws, and his wand cluttered to the ground.

The girl in the doorway made a dry choking noise and rushed forward to the bodies.

"Mum.....dad" Pansy whispered, shaking the bodies in a heart breaking attempt to wake them up.

"Wake up. Please mum wake up." She begged. She let out a sharp sob, tears running down her face.

"Please...mum...dad...i...i..love you please I....need....WAKE UP!" She clutched the bodies and pulled them close, blood smearing onto her clothes and body.

Harry started to get angry. How could someone be so cruel. To rip apart a young person's life just like that. To use somebody so heartlessly the murder the very people that brought Pansy up? Harry had a flash, remembering Pansy talking fondly about a planned holiday to France in a few months. No matter what this poor girl did, she did not deserve to see her parents like this. He briefly wondered if his parents had tried to hold hands in their last moments also. He returned his attention to the werewolf. 

Harry grabbed his wand again and made a move to the door, widening his stance and moving in front of Pansy to protect her.

"Pansy get up" Harry said, while shooting stunning spells at the tall man with the evil smile.

But the stunning spells weren't doing anything. Damn werewolves. 

"Get up!" Harry shouted, the man was getting closer.

He started to panic. The thoughts of those dead parents infiltrating his head. The anger from the past few days and now this was seeping into his ones. The ground underneath him rumbled slightly. Then Harry noticed his veins starting to glow. His head was starting to get noisy, his thoughts amplifying by a thousand. Thoughts of pain and anguish swirling around a thousand times a second.

Harry fell to the ground, clutching his head, pain beginning to overwhelm him.

"Pansy go!" Harry yelled. And Pansy didn't move.

"Harry?" Hermione asked nervously, having just appeared.

"Take Pansy and go, I think something bad is going to happen" He gasped out, the werewolf had stumbled back with the rumbling. 

Then Harry screamed out in pain and the floor begun to shake. The pain came from deep inside and shot out through all his limbs, it was hard to focus on anything now. The creature in the room with him attempted to sprint out of the room, Hermione's well placed and very strong stun rendered him large and useless on the ground. Hermione grabbed Pansy's hand and dragged her out of the building. Pansy whimpering the whole time, trying to go back to her dead parents. They had just gotten out before the building started collapsing inwards, ducked just as debris started falling, away in the distance Muggle ambulance sirens were going, rushing to the scene and the unconscious Harry Potter lying under the rubble.

~

Draco Malfoy squinted his eyes open and ground the bright light was burning his eyes. He squinted them close again. He recognized the dampish smell and late fashioned wallpaper. He was in Grimmauld place. How did he get here? What even was happening? Where was Harry? 

"Draco?" He heard a voice call. "It's professor McGonagall, can you open your eyes for me?"

Draco opened his eyes and turned on his side. "Where's Harry?" He croaked, then started coughing.

McGonagall handed him a cup of water. He drank it down greedily and took note that he was in the room he had stayed in over the summer. It felt lonely all of a sudden. Hermione and Ron were standing behind McGonagall shared an anxious look.

"Um...we're working on that" Ron supplied. 

Draco gave a confused look and sat up. "What happened?" 

McGonagall pulled a chair up and sat down. "This might take a while..." She said and began her retelling of the story. 

Chapter 16: Drugged up Drarry

Summary:

Harry awoke to the sound of constant, annoying, high pitched beeping. He groaned and tried to block out the sound. His arm was surrounded by something plastic and tight and he could hear people rushing around, barking orders and talking loudly.

"He's waking up" A voice said beside him.

Notes:

GIf from dailywhizardwheezes on Tumblr

Harry awoke to the sound of constant, annoying, high pitched beeping. He groaned and tried to block out the sound. His arm was surrounded by something plastic and tight and he could hear people rushing around, barking orders and talking loudly. 

"He's waking up" A voice said beside him.

Wait where am I? Harry opened his eyes only to see some blurry person in white with white walls behind them. It smelt of antiseptic. He must be in a hospital, although, he thought, healers wear green uniforms not white ones. He must be in a muggle hospital. That means they probably called the Dursleys...

"Hi, my name's Joan and I'm a nurse here at Woodlands general hospital. How are you feeling?"

Harry felt dazed and his brain felt a bit fuzzy. He wasn't sure what protocol was for this situation. "I'm fine I think...when can I go? Do you have my glasses?"

"Oh...you didn't come in with any glasses, I'm assuming they got crushed when the building imploded… I can't let you go just yet, the police want to talk to you"

Harry must have looked very panicked because she quickly said "Oh it's nothing bad don't worry! They just want to know if you saw anything, anyways can you help me fill out this form please?"

He sat up in the bed, feeling at least unscathed but tired. "Uh sure"

She pulled up a seat and sat beside his bed. "So what's your name?"

I should use a fake name, can't let them get the  Dursleys  out here.

"Dogbert Smith" Harry said, trying to keep his face as straight as possible. "My parents loved the cartoon" he added quickly.

Her face remained smooth "Okay....your parents names? Any family names"

"They're all dead." Harry said, now realizing that was quite a dark answer for his fake friend Dogbert.

"Do you have anyone I can call?" She asked politely.

Harry was about to answer when a blurry figure appeared wearing a brightly coloured floral dress.

"Hello nephew, It is I Aunt Agatha"

 

                                                                   

Harry held in his laughter like the world depended on it, that was Snape. Professor Snape in a dress. "Oh hi Aunt, good to see you again."

"Can I talk to him alone please it's a very private matter" Snape said in that high voice again. 

The nurse looked confused but nodded, fussing around Harry undoing the Velcro around his arm and detaching some leads Harry hadn't noticed were there. When he looked down at his wrist he saw a plastic band. John Doe. Ah that's why she was asking all those questions. The beeping stopped and Harry was glad his head was aching. 

"There's a cafeteria down a floor and the second right." She said when she was finished "Although you might want to put something on, did you bring any clothes for Dogbert?" She asked Snape.

"He can wear my coat for now, be back in fifteen minutes or so" Snape said before taking Harry's hand and walking him out of the ward.

Harry was embarrassed to be wearing a hospital gown and a pair of grippy socks. He was even more embarrassed to be holding hands with Snape, this day couldn't get any weirder. Although he was kind of glad he was being at least stabilized, he felt a little bit loopy and giggly. He hadn't a clue where they were going as everything was all blurry and shapeless. So he was surprised when Snape pulled him into a disabled bathroom with him releasing his hand and digging in his pockets. 

"Here's your glasses" Snape said gruffly, guiding Harry's hand to them.

Harry gratefully put them on lips quirked in a smile "So Aunt Agatha, I'm guessing when you said fifteen minutes or so it meant we'd definitely be more than fifteen minutes"

Snape glared at him when Harry called him aunt Agatha. He couldn't help but giggle. Wow these drugs he must have been given were incredible. 

"Well Dogbert, This is a very humiliating rescue plan and I plan to get us back to base as soon as, so if you wish to take my arm we can apparate"
Harry grinned, feeling more than bit high on the whatever was in his system, and took Snape's frilly arm.

~

Draco was pacing up and down the room. Narcissa was watching with a frown. She hated seeing him so riled up, especially after his ordeal. He was still very twitching and irrate. 

"He'll be okay Draco dear" She reminded him again gently. 

"I know. I just feel so responsible" Draco said, slumping into a chair.

"Nonsense dear. What happened wasn't your fault and you know it"

Draco took in a breath and looked at the door wistfully. The grandfather clock in the background counted the seconds of agonizing waiting he still had to do. After ten minutes or so the door opened.
He stood up in a flash and rushed to corridor and saw him. He looked fine, a bit strange still wearing whatever he was wearing. An ugly gown with bright red socks. His knees looked especially knobby right now. But it was his Harry. And he was alive. 

"Harry" he let out quietly.

Snape was still in that terrible disguise but he was looking annoyed at Harry who was clutched onto his arm petting the frills there. 

"Moldy Voldy is my favorite one I think. Because he looks like"

He sighed heavily and shoved Harry off him "Yes Potter now be quiet and go see your boyfriend"

Harry stilled and stared at Draco. Snape strode past them into a vacant room and slammed the door. Harry wasn't sure how he should approach this. The speech he had rehearsed not too long ago was long gone. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't I...are you okay?" Harry stuttered, his brain was still foggy. 

Draco looked guilty which confused Harry "Are you okay? I didn't want you to get dragged into this" 

"I should have known. I feel awful. I should have listened to you" Harry said, moving toward Draco.

They hugged tightly for a long time, not wanted to let go. Harry hoped he knew how sorry he really felt, his hand clutching Draco's shirt tightly. This had been an awful few days but at least they were back, hopefully, on the same page. He was going to fight for Draco now. If he was truly a Horcrux then surely he should be allowed this, a little bit of love in all the suffering. 

"Thank the heavens you're okay Harry" Draco whispered into Harry's hair, taking in his scent again despite the lingering antiseptic. Harry sighed into Draco and held him tighter still. 

Chapter 17: Numb as a pillar

Summary:

Draco turned to glare at Harry "Well maybe next time just leave me there to die, no one likes a self proclaimed saviour"

"I'm really sorry for not believing you" Harry whispered into Draco's neck. Harry could feel Draco's body shake, and he let out a long sigh.

Then Hermione burst her way through the now small crowd in the hallway, her eyes a bit red as if she'd been crying. 

"Oh Harry I'm so glad you're okay" She breathed.

Harry gave a weak smile and let go of Draco to give her a tight hug. After a moment of hugging Snape cleared his throat, now dressed in his normal clothes. "As sweet as this reunion is, we have bigger issues to deal with. Come with me Potter, Weasley and Granger. Draco go get some rest"

Draco frowned "I think I have a say in this matter too Severus"

Harry reached out and put a hand on Draco's arm to try and comfort him, but this only made him flinch with pain.

"You're injured, it's best you rest. Take more of that potion I gave you" Snape said.

Draco jut his chin out "Harry's injured as well and it seems fine to let him into that meeting of yours. Do I need to remind you he's also the one who saved her? How is that going to be a fair judging if he's all soft on her"

Harry grit his teeth. "For the record I saved your life so I think you'd be a bit more grateful" He snapped, feeling his head thumping in the background. He really shouldn't snap at Draco right now but he couldn't help himself. At least he grimaced after, he really didn't mean that at all. 

Draco turned to glare at Harry "Well maybe next time just leave me there to die, no one likes a self proclaimed saviour"

That stung. Harry winced at the words and watched helplessly as Draco stormed up the stairs and slammed one of the many bedroom doors shut behind him loudly. No one said anything for a minute. It seemed the last fight was still on both of their minds. 

"Long exposure to the Cruciatus curse can cause pain and irritability, I have made a potion to help with it. Do not blame yourself for his behavior. Follow me to the meeting room." Snape said and walked down the corridor, black robes billowing behind him.

So they clued him in on the inner workings of the Order, Harry was surprised to find Snape was a double agents as such and Harry had a newfound appreciation for him all of a sudden. It turns out they had taken Pansy in and wanted his input as to what to do. As much as Draco's words were sharp they were true. He felt sympathy, no compassion for her. Maybe it was the fact that their circumstances although different had some similar routes, he struggled to find a neutral medium. Ron suggested they turn her into the ministry but it felt too harsh, she was only sixteen for fucks sake! Then Snape of all people suggested something. 

"She is close to the Dark Lord, if perhaps Hermione could persuade her then she could spy on their inner workers. It would provide useful evidence for the eventual trial once this is all over" 

Somehow they all agreed, if she decided to work for them instead then they could offer support and some redemption. If not, well then she would be sent straight to Aurors and they would deal with her there. Harry left the meeting feeling conflicted and at least now dressed in regular clothing.  Harry trudged up the stairs, not sure weather to try and find Draco or just go and feel miserable somewhere else. Eventually he found himself standing outside his door staring at the doorknob as if it was poison.

Knock knock. "Draco?" There was no answer.

"Draco it's me, can we talk?"

There was some faint shuffling noises. "I'm not really in the mood to talk Potter"

Harry let out a shallow breath. They were back to last names again. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then" He wasn't about to fight a loosing battle, especially today. 

He turned, admitting defeat but respecting his wishes regardless. The door squeaked open and Harry turned right back around to see Draco at the doorway wearing his jumper. My jumper. Maybe this means he's not all mad at me?

Draco glanced at Harry briefly then fixed his eyes on the ground. "I'm still mad at you but I'm really glad you're okay"

Harry gave a half hearted smile, they needed a proper discussion about everything but he was too tired to get into it right now. 

"I don't want you to leave, can you sleep with me tonight" Draco asked, his voice quivering.

"Yeah of course" Harry said softly, closing the door gently behind him. 

They slept wrapped around each other as they did the first day on the summer holidays, both too tired to talk anymore but relieved that they were both relatively unharmed. Maybe things were going to be okay after all. Or were they? Because deep down in Potter's magical core there was a crack forming, his magic was becoming unstable. And that night he dreamt about a locket and he had a feeling it was nearby. He could just about make out a name in the whispering of the night, Regulus.

~

Pansy couldn't see anything, all she knew was she had been taken to this building and that Draco had been rescued. She felt numb, tears couldn't quite make her feel alive anymore she felt more like a pillar. Because inside she was just as cold and dead as one. Her heart felt like it had been plunged into deep cold water and she didn't particularly care if it were to stop beating.

Now my parents are.....there's nothing to live for. If you know who finds out I'm going to be killed anyways. Everything I did to save them has failed, and I've only managed to hurt everybody else in the process.

She curled up on the floor, covered her face with her hands and felt the magical bonds holding the blindfold on. Closing her eyes she wished herself into a dark cold abyss.

Chapter 18: Fixing bonds

Summary:

As soon as he said that he saw Snape sitting up straighter and placing the cup of tea on the saucer. "And what pray tell was in your dream?" He inquired.

Harry shifted in his seat, aware that now everyone in the room was looking at him. So much for small talk. He gulped down a hot sip of his tea and winced. Too hot.

Things were very tense in the kitchen the next day, and while Harry was poking at his toast he noticed the uncomfortable glances Snape was giving him. It was beyond weird to have him here and sharing breakfast with him of all things. Things had really taken a strange turn recently but at least Narcissa was the same as always, fussing about Harry in a way a mother would.

"How did you sleep Harry?" Hermione asked breaking the silence that had settled in the room.

"Fine yeah, just had a weird dream"

As soon as he said that he saw Snape sitting up straighter and placing the cup of tea on the saucer. "And what pray tell was in your dream?" He inquired.

Harry shifted in his seat, aware that now everyone in the room was looking at him. So much for small talk. He gulped down a hot sip of his tea and winced. Too hot.

"Uh it was nothing honestly" he stammered.

"Potter..." Severus warned.

"And why you need to know?" Harry burst out in a threatening tone.

Snape sighed, pushing his tea away. "It's important Potter. you know what happened last time you had a terrible dream"

Harry looked down at the wood table, his muscles tensing. "That was completely different, I don't understand why a dream about a random fucking Regulus locket has to do with anything!"

Snape stood up, fast, looking kind of confused. "Did you say Regulus?"

"Yeah why?" Snapped Harry now in a bad mood. Snape cleared his throat and without any other words left the room like a cold breeze.

"Well that was awkward" Ron said, clearly trying to cut the tension. Draco awkwardly glanced between Harry and his lap.

"I need to do some research I'll see you boys later" Hermione said hurriedly and rushed out of the room.

Things were becoming too overwhelming for Harry, with everything that happened the past week, it was just too much to cope with. So he got up and stormed out of the room as well, running up the creaky old stairs and going to an abandoned room. With the door shut behind him he slid to the floor and felt the tears begin to fall. He tilted his head back and felt his hair fall into his eyes as he breathed in the dusty air. Breathe. Just breathe. He scrubbed the tears away and sighed a deep breath. After a few minutes he took in the room in it's compete mess. Did no one ever clean in here? Now that his brain had calmed down a bit he stood up, dusted off his jeans and investigated the room, walking over to the window he nearly tripped on the floorboards.

"Fuck sake" Harry muttered to no one in particular.

He kicked at the board in annoyance and noticed that in fact it was slightly raised on one side. He lifted it up and found an old looking steel box. Taking a look inside he saw a golden locket. Wait this is what I dreamed about? It must have something to do with Voldemort. But a locket? What does this even mean. Upon further inspection he noticed a note inside. The old note said 'Possession of Regulus black' Well fuck.

He had found a Horcrux, and from what Dumbledore had alluded to it was up to Harry himself to find all of these himself and destroy them. He paced back and forth as he thought about what to do. If he could find them, destroy them and then...well himself then Voldemort would be gone forever. He could protect his friends, Hogwarts and Draco. I mean with his new magic he could mange, he could nick some of Hermione's spell books, she had taught him a spell to enlarge a bookbag to fit more and he was not half bad at defensive spells. He could buy one of those tents that Ron's dad had, a quick disillusion spell would let him into shops and that. It would be dangerous. But at least it was a plan. He wasn't seventeen yet though so he would be under the radar of the Ministry but it wasn't too long until he would be free. Hermione had mentioned wandless magic did not trigger the Ministry so he could just do that. It was a terrible plan but one he at least had some sort of control over. At least he could protect his friends. With a new found determination he started discreetly putting things together. 

~

"Okay so we're going to go ahead with the plan, I have a feeling he's going to run away soon. So everyone knows what to do so let's sit tight. He's taken those books I had left out and Draco mentioned seeing him gathering some other supplies"

"Just to say I'm not happy with this plan" Ron said.

"Well tough you kind of brought this on yourself" Hermione replied. "The potion will be ready soon"

Chapter 19: The Price Of Love

Summary:

Before he could go he had to do something he would hate himself forever for doing. But he had no choice. With his heart hammering in his chest he tiptoed to Draco's room and quietly pushed the door open.

Harry waited until all the noises in the old dusty house had stopped, only wooden creaking of old stairs remained. He had packed everything he needed, his first plan was to go to muggle London and buy camping supplies, venturing into anywhere magical was too risky and then find his way to an old forest near a small village. He needed to be out of sight and mind.  He was too dangerous to be around others. He could feel his magic surge around him, almost like a flame reaching out to lick everything in it's way. Five jugs and ten plates this week had been mistakenly broken. The others pretended not to notice to his relief. 

Draco still wasn't really talking to him and Harry's heart crushed at the thought of what he was about to do.

Find the horcruxes and kill Voldemort.

Of course Harry himself knew he was a bit of an idiot, he could never figure this whole thing out by himself and Dumbledore was not patricianly helpful. Fortunately for him Hermione had a secret journal where she wrote down her ideas about what they could be. And with this increased power Harry knew he could try and penetrate Voldemort's mind. He had packed various spell, ward and other books. He had stayed up late every night studying the spells and the methods of surviving using magic. He had never apparated but he knew what to do and what else did he have to loose? Apparating would be last option though, he didn't need a splinch.

Before he could go he had to do something he would hate himself forever for doing. But he had no choice. With his heart hammering in his chest he tiptoed to Draco's room and quietly pushed the door open.

~

"Okay positions, go" Hermione whispered and then the plan went ahead.

Ron gagged "this stuff is rank"

"Oh shut it Ron go get in the bed"

~

"Draco?" Harry called out in a soft voice. There was a movement in the bed and he saw Draco sitting up with his hair messy.

"Harry? What are you doing here?"

"Uh.." Harry started then heavily sat down on the bed, rubbing his neck anxiously. "I'm going to hate myself every day of my life if I do this. But I need you to know I'm doing this for your safety. I'm dangerous Draco. I can feel my magic trying to surge out, trying to reach out and burn everything and everyone I love."

"Wait what are you talking about?" Draco asked looking concerned.

Harry sat and faced Draco, holding his hands in his own.

"I Love you. Okay I love you so fucking much and I would give the world for you right? You're in so much danger because of me and I am going to give myself up so you can be safe. I don't give a shit if I die I just want you to have the best life possible. You deserve more than me. I love you Draco Malfoy and in another world I would marry you and have a life together"

"Harry you're scaring me.. I "

And then Harry kissed him, cheeks wet with tears. Draco didn't kiss back, seeming reserved. 

"I love you too and if that's a fucked up marriage proposal I'd be tempted"

Harry laughed bitterly. "I'm going to miss you so much my Draco" And then without warning Harry lifted his wand, pressed it at Draco's temple and muttered "Obliviate" with his eyes streaming and feeling his heart break into a thousand pieces. 

Chapter 20: As Dense as Plum Pudding

Summary:

"You're a fucking idiot Potter" Draco said.

Harry had just slowly and painfully closed the front door and after breathing out heavily he turned around and jumped out of his skin. "...what?" Harry said to no one in particular, mostly to himself.

"You're a fucking idiot Potter" Draco said, his arms crossed. He was standing by the fence gate with a satchel and a coat on and even though it was dark outside Harry could see a deep scowl on his face and anger in his eyes.

"What? But I..." Harry stammered.

"I knew you'd do this okay. You're not nearly as sneaky as you think you are" Draco sounded hurt and annoyed.

"But I don't understand?"

"You moron, that was Ron with Polyjuice. And before you say anything yes I'm mad. I'm so angry at you. And if you weren't so dumb I would say yes to marrying you but you're an idiot so I'll wait till you grow some brain cells. But I am NOT Letting you go alone. I don't care if I strangle you nearly to death I don't give a fuck. But I am coming with you because as stupid and annoying as you are, you are still the most selfless and humble idiot I know. And I am not letting you go do this alone"

Harry's jaw was slacked, he blinked a few times to clear the confusion. It was a bit scary that he continued to always see through him despite Harry's best efforts. He was also a bit scared because Draco rarely raised his voice.

"But I'm dangerous Draco I don't want you to die" He said softly. Tears started falling and he looked at the ground.

Draco stepped closer and pulled Harry into an embrace. He stroked up and down his back, still showing a soft spot for him. And showing he still loved him even though he was still and rightly so, pissed off. "You idiot. I don't want you to die either. Honestly you're as dense as a plum pudding"

Harry laughed weakly at that and rested his head on his shoulder, melting into the hug.

"Don't get me wrong I'm still very angry with you. But I'm coming with you end of discussion"

Harry pulled back and opened his mouth to argue. Draco gave him the look and crossed his arms. After a silent stand off Harry sighed.

"But" He tried again. 

Draco raised an eyebrow and glared at Harry. Harry gulped, realizing he didn't have an option.

"Fine" Harry said quietly, not meeting his eyes.

"Right let's go then, I've got brooms to fly on"

Harry paused shuddering "Wait... What about Ron. I kissed him...ew"

Draco laughed and shook his head. "We knew you'd do that so we saved his memories and yes ew, strange that's what your most worried about"

Harry smiled weakly at that, thank god Ron was okay. Still didn't make him feel any less guilty. With a heavy heart and guilt stringing along behind him he followed Draco high into the starry night sky until they were out of sight from any living creature. Just two lovers on their way to save the world and to save each other.

Chapter 21: Happy Campers

Summary:

"You do know all of your plans are stupid right?" He said gently "That's why I'm here. I'm the anti-stupid"

Harry glanced quickly at Draco's stormy face, reading his tense shoulders and clenched jaw.

They were walking towards a nearby forest, lamps lighting the path. The crickets were making more noise than the stuffy silence suffocating the two of them and sticking to the back of their throats.For some reason swallowing didn't help the lump in his throat dissolve instead built up the pressure of tears behind his eyes, threatening to spill.

"So uh, can either of us actually apparate?" Draco asked quietly.

Harry opened his mouth to reply then shut it again. He wasn't sure if that would be noticed by the Ministry. Besides despite his magic potential he would likely teleport to across France somewhere. 

"That might be an issue then" Draco said bitterly.

Harry stopped abruptly and grabbed Draco's wrist pulling him to a stop. "Listen...uh this is a dumb idea and I don't want you to get hurt"

Draco looked directly into Harry's eyes to which Harry immediately hung his head.

"Harry" Draco murmured softly while gently placing his hands under Harry's chin, gently fanning his fingers to brush against Harry's cheeks.

"You do know all of your plans are stupid right?" He said gently "That's why I'm here. I'm the anti-stupid"

"Yeah"

"Okay so tell me your plan and we'll work through it together yeah?"

Harry nodded, finally looking up into his eyes. "Okay". He told him the research he had done, the resources and discussing how to prop up a muggle tent. He explained his plan to use wandless magic where possible and to stay undercover. Draco seemed at least a bit at ease with the preparation Harry had done. With hands linked together they both worked out the plan.

~

"So what am I supposed to do now?" Pansy asked irritated.

"You-Know-Who thinks you're still on his side, probably thinks you're dead or kidnapped. We might be able to do something with that"

Pansy's eyes were glossy and hazy. "He killed... my parents"

Hermione's face softened and she crouched down to her level. "I know I'm really sorry that happened I can't even begin to know how you're feeling"

Pansy looked up at her and then collapsed into her shoulders sobbing.

"You're okay you're safe here with me" Hermione said softly. "Listen he's a horrible evil creature. I know how much he's taken from you and how much pain he's caused. But you have a chance here to do something good. I wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't a big deal"

Pansy took a Shaky breath in and pulled back her eyes red and puffy but her eyes showed strong emotions. Emotions of anger, pain and remorse.

"I trust you Granger, tell me what I can do"

Hermione took a shallow breath in and held it. "There is going to be an attack on Hogwarts, I need you to be there to act as if you're with them but protect anyone you can"

"When is the attack meant to happen?" Pansy asked voice trembling.

"In three months from now according to our sources" 

Pansy's eyes bore into hers, questioning "Do you have someone else on the inside? I don't understand how you know this" Pansy questioned

Hermione shook her head "I can't say who it is, all I heard was that Snape told me that and got the information from someone else"

Pansy was quiet for a few minutes before looking Hermione in the eyes and speaking firmly. "I'll do it."

Hermione smiled and pulled Pansy into a hug. "Thank you. The others couldn't see the good in you but I know it's there"

Pansy scoffed "I'm not a good person Granger you've got me wrong"

"Well I believe there's more good in you than you know" Hermione replied with a blush on her cheeks.

Notes:

I wonder if people will feel compassion for Pansy the same way they would for Draco? What really makes someone a good person after all?

Chapter 22: Running from Harm

Summary:

He stared at the ceiling and listened to the crickets outside and the voices speaking from a distance away. He sat up suddenly, rousing Draco. Voices. He heard voices out in the forest. Fuck. They had been found.

Pansy was sitting on her bed in Hogwarts, not particularly feeling happy to be there. It was 10:00 am, everyone else was in class but she had just arrived. She had been gone for about a week and merlin knows how much work she had missed. She twisted her fingers in her lap and felt her heart beat strongly behind her ribcage, reminding her of her task. A meeting had been called for next week for the death eaters, they were under the impression she was simply at Hogwarts and if any questions were asked she would say "I've been owling my parents but they haven't replied, maybe they went on holiday". It was bullshit but they had to buy that she didn't know. They would probably tell her they were in hiding but alive and well. The thought of those lies made anger rage inside.

Breathing out shakily she closed her eyes trying to find her happy place, but all she could see were two dark stone memorial tiles with her mum and dad laying soaked in blood. She could see every detail, every rip in muscle, every deep tear in flesh proving a window to see rotting and weeping internal organs. The sky here was a dull grey with cold rain spitting at Pansy's face as if mocking her.

Pansy opened her eyes and held back tears. She hunched over feeling sick, she could still smell the heavy metal of blood in the air and it left a metallic taste at the back of her throat. All I want to do is cry. I just want my parents. What I wouldn't give to see them one more time. I just want my mum and dad Pansy thought before breaking down into tears.

~

"It feels weird without Harry here" Ron said.

"I know, I'm worried about him. Wish there was a way to know if he's okay" Hermione replied, busying herself with rearranging books on the shelf in the library.

"What are we going to say when people ask where he is?"

Hermione paused "I think we agreed on family issues"

Ron frowned watching her frantically rearrange books, this was the third shelf she had done in an hour, before this she had rearranged everything in her dorm and then the common room. He can be thick but he knew she did this when she was stressed.

"Hey, do you want to take a break? Go on a walk or something?"

Hermione shot him a dangerous look "I'm busy Ron"

Ron squared his shoulders "No you're not, were going on a walk and talking because you do this when you need to talk about it"

"But I...I'm fine" Hermione stated with the confidence of a naked mole rat.

Ron smiled encouraging "You will be, you always are but let's go on a walk and talk"

~

Harry was lying awake, Draco curled up on his side with a dead arm slung across Harry's chest, breathing lightly. They had been on the run for about a month at this point, and had managed to acquire a magical tent. Although they were no closer to finding out how to destroy the locket.  They had another fight last night because of the horcrux. It was vital it was kept safe but long term exposure made either one of them dangerous and snappish. Draco suggested putting it in a special magical container but the spell was tricky. So in the meantime the locket was kept around his neck, alternating every so often. 

Harry couldn't sleep with the darkness starting to swirl through his mind, causing bitter thoughts and unhappy memories of which he had plenty to choose from. He stared at the ceiling and listened to the crickets outside and the voices speaking from a distance away. He sat up suddenly, rousing Draco. Voices. He heard voices out in the forest. Fuck. They had been found.

He checked the wards wandlessly, they were in place but there was definitely voices. It sounded like men, at least three and they were getting closer and closer. Shit. 

"Draco I think we've been found" Harry whispered, eyes wide and hand gripping his tightly.

Draco looked at Harry with fear in his eyes and swallowed hard. "Okay let's get ready to run"

Chapter 23: Stumbling Capture

Summary:

"I'm sorry about this, but I doubt you'll feel it now" Draco whispered before punching Harry's nose, hard.

Harry's legs were burning but the adrenaline going through his veins kept them running. Branches snapped close behind him as the intruders closed in on him. He looked briefly to his right and saw Draco trip and fall, tumbling harshly onto the rough forest ground. Harry turned on his heel and stopped, shoving a palm at the men and wandlessly stunning them. Harry grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him back to his feet roughly, only for him to fall again and hiss in pain. The sound of more shouting voices spiked his attention and he looked around frantically finding the source. There were four more men coming right at them.

"I can't run anymore" Draco gasped, his brow furrowed in pain and dripping in sweat.

Harry was still gasping for breath trying to come up with a solution, his palms were sweaty and his grip on his wand faltering. He wasn't going to leave Draco here. The men were too close now, the only option was to fight. He straightened his posture, rolled his shoulder back and lifted his hand again.

"Harry there's too many of them, just go" Draco pleaded.

Harry glanced over and scoffed. "I'm not leaving you and that's final"

"There they are!" An unfamiliar voice called out.

Harry took a deep breath, focusing on his deep well of magic within him and drawing it up to spark at the end of his fingers. These bastards were going to hurt for this.

"Reducto!" And there was a loud bang from where it hit in the trees, bark flying off at the impact and pushing the log into the air and landing with a large thud on the men.

Harry's breath was fast and panicked in his chest and his hands were shaking and he could feel his magic begin to loose control. He fell on his knees, branches and dead leaves crunching under him and his wand dropped to the ground beside him when he clutched his head. Everything was spinning, his veins were burning and started to glow blue. More men had appeared and we're running closer but Harry couldn't see them with his eyes screwed shut. When it became just too much to bear he shot his arms in front of him to face the oncoming enemies and screamed.

All of the magic that had been building up painfully released itself in a powerful blast of wind and fire. As his vision went black and his hearing dulled he couldn't hear the yelling of Draco or see more men who had appeared. Harry collapsed heavily on the ground leaving a scorched clearing and tarred bodies lying awkwardly on the fried grass. Draco was shaking him and shouting but it was no use, Harry was out cold. There was still men coming, Draco couldn't run there was nothing he could do. Only thing he could do was make Harry unrecognizable. He took Harry's glasses off and shoved it in a pocket.

"I'm sorry about this, but I doubt you'll feel it now" Draco whispered before punching Harry's nose, hard.

Draco watched the nose swell up and disguise Harry's features when the men approached yelling and pointing their wands. And as Draco felt the world black out he was only thinking one thing. There was no escape now.

Chapter 24: Pain in the Passing

Summary:

Draco yelped and spoke in a strangled voice "No! No we didn't see anyone. We were just lost and got scared that's all" The wand on Harry's neck vanished, the sound of skin hitting skin and scuffling on the floor followed.

There was a pounding in his head, behind his eyes and shooting electric shocks running down his temples all the way down to his bound hands. It all felt like a blurry dream, the pain making everything go out of focus and the shouting voices fade out and come back alongside jarring pain. It was difficult to feel anything in his body just a close but distanced feeling of overwhelming dread and danger.

"Harry? Harry are you okay? Oh merlin I hope you're okay...shit what do I do...Harry!" The shouting paired with some frantic shoulder shoving at least made Harry let out a groan.

"Draco? Wha...Ow Jesus"

Harry peered open his eyes just to find it blurry and just as disorienting as if he hadn't opened them at all. There was a grey colour on the floor and walls, and some small areas of light but otherwise it was impossible to make out the details.

"Let me help you up, c'mon"

Harry's world tilted yet again, this time the right way up and it made the bile gurgle up his throat dangerously. He tried to swallow the discomfort away but his mouth was dry and his tongue felt cracked and sore. A comforting warm hand rubbed his sore back and helped him rediscover the laws of gravity.

"I got you some water, here just sip you probably have a concussion" His voice was gentle but stressed.

Harry looked up despite the pain in his neck, there he was, his Draco, battered, bruised and bleeding but alive and smiling. His cracked lip re-opened as he couldn't help but grin in relief.

"You're hurt" Harry rasped out before accepting a sip of water. Harry wasn't sure if prison water was supposed to taste nice but it was the best thing he'd ever tasted in his life.

Draco puffed out a laugh "You should see yourself"

"Hard to see anything right now to be fair, what's going on? Last I remember was the forest and the...the guys who chased us?"

Draco tensed up, he looked tired and terrified "They called for backup and you passed out after taking those other guys on, there were too many to fight off. I...I had to protect you and … I'm sorry about your nose but it's the only thing I could think of. Long story short...we're in a prison and...look they've already  tried to get information from me.."

"What did they do to you?" Harry demanded, his wrists flexing from their position behind his back. It was difficult to see any details without his glasses but he could make out a large purple bruise on his cheekbone and blood running down his lip. There was dried blood stuck to his temple and he was holding his arm.

"It's not important, look what you need to know"

"They touched you? hurt you? It's important, you're important to me, Draco I -"

"I know, I know!" Draco interrupted "Just, right now you need to understand this. Your name is Brian Smith. You go to Hogwarts and we were in the forest together because we were looking for our parents. We were camping. We're neighbors and in the same class. We're young and stupid and didn't know any better than to run."

"What?"

Draco continued, absentmindedly rubbing at his arm "My name is Drum Melroy, we've known each other for years. I already told them all of this earlier but they're probably going to ask again and I can't risk you getting hurt again"

Harry was about to respond when heavy footsteps thud down the stairs, steadily approaching and casting a shadow on the wall.
And with screeching hinges the barred doors swung open.

"Hello boys, you're needed upstairs"

Harry was yanked onto his feet by the tug of the wires around his wrists, it was so difficult coordinating his legs he almost didn't feel the warm trickle of blood run down his fingertips. And just before he was getting the hang of using his legs he was shoved knee first onto cold hard stone.

"Tell me your name" the girl demanded, wand pressing hard into his jugular, he could feel his fast pulse ripple against the smooth wood.

"Uh..I'm uh"

"Tell me!" She shouted, the volume sending shrieking right through his head.

"Brain! I'm Brian Smith!" He yelped out. He recognized that voice.

"And why...Brian...were you in the Forrest in a time like this? Only an IDIOT would be out in times like these"

"Camping. I mean uh my family was camping and lost, I mean they got lost, was trying to find them that's all!" Harry wasn't even sure he believed himself right now.

The pressure of his neck lessened slightly but still made it known that it was there.

"You! Have you seen Harry Potter? We spotted him near you" She shouted across the room.

Draco yelped and spoke in a strangled voice "No! No we didn't see anyone. We were just lost and got scared that's all" The wand on Harry's neck vanished, the sound of skin hitting skin and scuffling on the floor followed.

"Didn't ask about your stupid feelings did I? Next time I'll crucio you and see how that feels huh?"

Rough hands pulled Harry's face up  and shoved his hair back, Harry was gasping in short shallow breaths, the fear of Draco being injured and not being able to help made him feel helpless. He felt the ropes on his wrists break free suddenly and slip to the floor.

The girl came in close to his ear and whispered quickly "I know it's you Harry, I'm really sorry about this. Prepare to run"

It was Pansy. That's the voice that was so familiar but unusual, her voice was wobbly and scared, tone harsh and cruel where it was usually charming and sarcastic. The smell of her signature perfume was faintly there on the cusp of her sleeve. Dragon-blood Cut-throat, only sold in the east of France. Her hands were soft and moisturized. The next few seconds were chaos, amidst everything Draco was passed his wand by Pansy before she stumbled back, before he could aim it the three other armed wizards in the room had begun shouting their spells.  Draco prepared to be hit and was surprised when their wands were thrown out of this hand. A familiar hand pulled Draco to his left, he didn't need to look to know it was Harry's, and it was only then he noticed a portal appeared and a familiar elf standing there. The men scrambled for their wands, one instead heading for a metal pole to arm himself with.

"Harry Potter, I have come to rescue you, like you rescued me"

With no other reason to stay Draco grabbed Harry's hand tightly, his bag with his other and ran for their life through the portal not breathing until their feet sunk into the sand.

Chapter 25: Sea beaches and Swords

Summary:

"Great! That's amazing! So all we have to do is....oh bollocks" Hopes immediately dashed, chopped and murdered into small tiny portions.

Luna gazed at Harry in a dreamy state "Meditation is a useful tool you know, it often reveals the strangest of things to me"

Sand filled Harry's open mouth as he stumbled face first into the stuff, he coughed and spluttered the dry particles attaching themselves to any nook and carney they could possibly find. His heart was racing, for a minute there he actually thought... But Pansy had refused to let on that it was him and despite her promise to remain on their side he couldn't help but feel relief that she had stuck to her word. He felt for his wand but with a lurch he found it missing.

Two large elf shaped feet came into view from where he was keening his neck up to try and make out his surroundings, proving to be entirely useless as anything not directly in front of his face was blurry and out of focus. The whipping icy cold wind tugged at his hair pulling it up, down and sideways. His eyes watered at the sting on the salty sea air and grains of sand that had snuck in beside his tear ducts.

"Harry Potter. Dobby is most pleased to see you again"

Harry struggled to his feet, losing his balance when the wind surged around him again. The warmth of a palm steadying him made itself known through the torn shirt on Harry's back.

"Not as pleased as I am, thank you Dobby" Draco said, now standing beside Harry.

"I owe you my life, again. We really should stop meeting like this" Harry said grinning, then frowning as more sand grit in between his teeth. "Speaking of, where are we exactly?"

They were on a yellow sanded beach, narrow but it went as far as the eye could see and surrounded by half dead shrubs and giant rock piles. It was no-where Harry had ever been, not that he had been to many beaches before.

"Wales sir, I was asked to bring you here to meet a friend" He said bowing, grinning ear to ear - clearly excited to be around Harry again. "If you follow me sir"

Draco and Harry looked at each other, or more like Harry tried his best to look over and pretend he could see. Draco shoved his hands in his blood stained trousers and pulled out a pair of glasses, slightly bent and scratched but better than his natural given talented eyes. He put them on wincing as his nose reminded him of being heavily punched and misshapen. When his eyes finally took in Draco's appearance did he gasp. The purple bruise on his cheekbone was practically black, and he was housing an impressive black eye. His lip had fresh blood on it and he looked entirely bone tired. There was smudged blood leaking through his shoulder, Harry made a mental note to check it out later.

"Come on let's go" Draco said, tugging Harry along and up the sandy path where Dobby was waiting for him. "I hope this friend is good at healing spells"

If this had been on a holiday then Harry would have said "what a lovely nice walk!" But this was not a holiday, they had been caught and were no closer to finding Horcruxes or any way to destroy them. But at least his friends were at least a little bit safer. They made their way to a campervan and Harry didn't need to be told who was living there, florescent banners spanned across one of the windows and a pair of trainers tried to the side mirrors. He knew immediately this belonged to Luna. 

"You made it! Come in for some tea? Oh Harry you look awful. Perhaps you want to chat about warckspruts, you're practically infested!"

Thankfully Luna was more than adept at healing spells, fixing Harry's nose and Draco's split lip with a strong Episkey. She provided a jar of home made Dittany cream which at least made them look halfway presentable.

"It's your birthday today Harry, I collected this for you" Luna said, passing him a handmade paper bag filled with what smelt like herbs.

"Bloody hell I forgot. It's been a hell of a...I was going to say day or week but I don't even know. Thank you Luna, I wasn't expecting anything"

"It's my favorite tea, it will help you connect to the divination within your storm. Do you like earl grey Draco?" She said as he got to her feet, covered in mismatched glittery socks, ready to attend to the kettle.

Divination within my storm? A shrug from Draco signaled he also had not a clue. After a pack of biscuits which the boys practically inhaled, god he hasn't realized how hungry he had gotten over the past while, it has been difficult to get food at times. Once Harry had to steal a loaf of bread from a shop whilst under the invisibility cloak. They explained the situation, looking for Horcruxes and feeling completely and utterly lost.

"I wonder, say Harry when you destroyed that book in the chamber of secrets what did you use?" Luna asked.

Harry frowned "I used the Basilisk fang"

Draco sat up straight "wait, I remember hearing about this, you had the sword of Gryffindor and used it to kill the snake. The fang worked because it had the blood of the snake on it!"

"Well yeah, I stabbed the snake with it. Wait. Do you think?"

Luna smiled brightly "Oh yes! And remember when Dumbledore had his hand bandaged? I heard Snape mentioning the sword! He must have used to destroy that nasty ring he was wearing. It had terrible vibes"

"Great! That's amazing! So all we have to do is....oh bollocks" Hopes immediately dashed, chopped and murdered into small tiny portions.

Luna gazed at Harry in a dreamy state "Meditation is a useful tool you know, it often reveals the strangest of things to me"

Draco and Dobby sat sipping their tea looking almost as confused as Harry felt.

"Yeah, I mean no offence Luna but I don't think I have time for spirituality right now"

Luna laughed breezily "Don't be ridiculous, meditation and a nice cup of tea can do wonders. Did you know my spirit animal is actually a naked mole rat?"

Dobby sneezed into his cup, his long nose dripping with what Harry hoped was the tea. Luna continued.

"Speaking of, you both are free to use the shower. Dad is coming back soon and we'll be moving up the coast, we have to keep moving every so often, the house was being watched by Death Eaters. I'll pack you some sandwiches for your travel. Showers are over there"

The shower felt amazing, despite it being outside and lukewarm at least it was cleansing. Draco had refused to shower together, or even undress in front of him which was alarming Harry. He caught him by his other arm after he was redressed.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked quietly.

Draco couldn't meet his eyes, he simply pulled his shirt down to where his upper shoulder met the bone and Harry saw it. A deep flesh carving of a ward branding him, the word ugly within itself when used like this. Uncle Vernon used to use this word about some men on television that dressed up a bit or wore makeup. 

"Shit. That's what you meant by...oh love" He offered his arms open, there were no words to help with this. Draco's eyes were glassy and miserable and he allowed himself to relax for the first time that whole long dreary day.

~

"So what's the plan?" Harry asked, more to himself than anything. They had been given a pile of jam sandwiches, a mindfulness book and some other random bits and pieces. She had called back just as her father Xenophilius had started driving off - don't forget to have the tea and use the book. They were alone now on the sandy bank, with Dobby nearby waiting for the boys to finish talking.

"I thought you had a plan!" Draco yelled abruptly, Harry has taken the locket off him within the last five minutes but the effects were long lasting "We've spent all this time running, searching and for what? Did Dumbledore tell you anything?"

Harry almost growled in frustration and the tick tick tick, pulses of anger and irritability that knocked against his collarbone was not helping. "He never really told me anything! I'm frustrated too but I think if we can just find the sword of Gryffindor then we can destroy the rest"

Draco huffed "You don't even know where the rest are! Why don't we ask some people who are actually able to deal with this!"

Harry laughed bitterly "you don't understand Draco, I...he told me that this was my destiny...that he couldn't do anything...."

Draco bored his eyes into his, head tilted and hands clashing around his biceps "You're not telling me something. We're supposed to trust each other"

Harry stilled, it wasn't something he had been keen on remembering. Every time he remembered he felt the surge of panic and hopelessness. He could practically feel the Horcurx inside his soul squeeze against his heart as if to remind him of how easily it could be stilled, never to beat again. But Draco was right, he had to be truthful, he owed him to that at least.

After a shuddering breath he met his eyes before tearing his gaze away to look at the gravel "Draco. I....I don't know how to say this. I guess.. I'm...I'm a horcrux too"

Draco stared, increasing concern flowering in the crinkles of his eyes. The silence was loud, only deterred by the clinking of the locket and his footsteps clinking against gravel as he took a measured step back.

"You mean...but you didn't tell me before! You told me for you-know-who to die that all the Horcruxes needed to be destroyed" he shouted, voice sharp and rightfully so.

Harry swallowed thickly, afraid to say the truth, to say what his destiny truly held in store for him. An early grave. A half life with no real purpose or reasoning apart from being raised for one singular purpose. A sacrifice.

"I know. Dumbledore told me not long ago, I hadn't had the courage to tell you" his voice unable to hold any emotion but a hollow whisper of pain and desperation.

Draco looked furious now, eyes narrowed and ablaze throwing his arms in the air "That's bullshit. Dumbledore knew this whole time! So what he just raised you, knew this whole time just to do nothing about it?? He's an extremely powerful wizard i don't understand!"

Harry could only nod miserably. He's been trying to avoid thinking about his imminent death to be honest.

"He raised you like a pig for the slaughter and you're okay with this?" His tone was outraged, disgusted even. "You're just going to let him? He's a fucking prick, some self righteous man he is!!"

"Of course I'm not okay with it!! Don't you understand? I don't have a...I don't want too but I" he sighed heavily, his cheeks suddenly wet, he didn't remember starting to cry, he wiped his face clear of them quickly.

Draco looked around as if trying to find the audacity for this whole situation. As if the ocean waves could say that his whole thing is a joke, or if there was some secret prank happening behind that hill over there.

"No. There must be another way. There will be another way. I mean, you've got your increased power maybe that will...right?" He twisted his fingers in a nervous tell, Harry remembered seeing him do this right before exams and he used to think it was strangely endearing, up until right now when it left his chest feeling oozed and sticky in guilt as if he was an ocean presented with an oil spill, heart muddied, blackened and heavy with the duty he was burdened with. It left a bitter taste on his tongue.

Draco looked up at him, grey eyes sparkling with a small glimmer of something small but powerful. A small spark of hope, that's all that was left between the two of them. And that hope was living in every witch and wizard hiding from the pain and terror cast by the ravaging death eaters. Hope was the only thing he was able to provide to anyone now. He could at least offer that to Draco.

"Right" he said unconvincingly, he wasn't sure either of them believed it. He looked up at the  deep purple skyline in an attempt to stop more tears threatening to break free. Draco could only blink back tears as the wind played with his now overgrown wet hair.

He didn't believe Harry.

Chapter 26: Destination, Determination, Drowning

Summary:

Harry shrugged "Could very well be" If the person had been killed near to the objects then it was most likely a Horcrux.

Dobby smiled up at Harry "I told you it was important information sir. I'll make you some tea, the girl insisted you were to have some" 

Dobby apparated them into a cold frost bitten forest shortly after that. Harry was grateful for the help, he really should learn how to apparate - he had a book on how to do it. It was worth learning now he was seventeen and his magic wouldn't be tracked, at least he could use a wand. Draco set up the tent with ease, still not speaking to him. He had every right to be upset but still it stung. By the time Harry had set up wards around the tent it was dark and he was beyond hungry. 

The three of them sat at the kitchen table with chewing being the only company for this dinner which consisted of jam sandwiches. Dobby had picked up on the boy's agitation and kept tugging at Harry's sleeve like a confused toddler. Harry sighed heavily, deciding to push past the silence. They had tried listening to the radio but it only dampened the mood further. Further death eater reports, lists of missing people and the wizarding order struggling to fight back. 'Everyone is asking the same thing, where is Harry Potter? Reports suggest....' Harry had clicked it off after this frowning. He cast his attention to the house elf who looked positively elated to be there with him. 

"Dobby, I never asked but how did Luna tell you about us?"

His ears perked up, he had jam on the tip of his nose "It was not planned Harry Potter. There is some important information that you need to know. The girl was writing to Harry Potter when I went to Grimmauld place. The lady Malfoy said you were not there, she seemed sad."

Harry cringed, he felt awful about getting up and leaving but in his defense there was absolutely nothing anyone could do to stop him when he made up his mind.  Draco himself looked close to tears all of a sudden, Harry had tried to imagine missing a mother like that, but he found he couldn't quite relate. 

Dobby continued "You see sir, I came across stories about one of my distant family members. She served the Smith family in 1956. Hocky she was called. She was put to death after her master was found dead. Hocky said that she saw a goblet, made of gold with a H on the front before her head was taken off"

Harry looked over at Draco in confusion. According to the timeline he was currently working with the locket was turned into a horcrux in a similar year. Draco's eyes widened. 

"The Hufflepuff Cup! It's been missing since...well forever!" His eyes found Harry's "You don't think..."

Harry shrugged "Could very well be" If the person had been killed near to the objects then it was most likely a Horcrux.

Dobby smiled up at Harry "I told you it was important information sir. I'll make you some tea, the girl insisted you were to have some" 

Harry just smiled, it was cold and a hot cup of tea would be very welcome. The tea it turned out was disgusting, he almost refused to drink it but Dobby had looked so pleased with himself so he grit his teeth and finished it with a hard swallow. They hadn't gotten any closer to finding out where this cup could be but at least it was a clue. He got to his feet and picked up the book she had gotten him from his tattered bag, as ill-timed as it was it was a welcome distraction. 

Draco stopped  him before he left the tent for the first watch. Ever since being caught Harry now insisted on taking turns watching outside in case the wards failed. His touch was careful and gentle on Harry's arm. He found himself looking up with kind eyes despite the lingering anger.

"I'm sorry about blowing up at you earlier...I was just oh I don't know. Angry? I still am, it's not fair." He looked up at Harry with glassy eyes "You don't deserve this kind of pressure, you've already been through so much" 

Harry swallowed back his emotions "It's alright, believe it or not I'm not exactly thrilled about it either." He couldn't find it in himself to make eye contact anymore "It's my prophecy, nothing to do but get on with it" 

Draco made a noise of discontent "You're seventeen, the prophecy is bullshit" 

Harry looked up at his with rueful eyes , he wished he could reassure him but couldn't bring himself to lie "I'll take the first watch" He said instead, going out into the cold air. 

The book was actually a good distraction, he was surprised to find Luna's cursive writing on a few key pages. After a perimeter check he sat, back against a tree and did one of the activities suggested. Gentle meditation it was called. With eyes shut he took in a deep breath through his nose and let it through his mouth slowly and repeated that a few times. Then the book had said to focus on the movement of his chest and sounds around him. With a lot of effort and many distractions he found himself listening carefully to the forest sounds. Leaves rustling. Birds chirping. Fabric rustling. Wind whistled past his ears. The locket clicking. The water splashing. The water was rippling heavily. The water splashed heavily again. Was someone or something there?

Harry's eyes ripped open, breathing hard. He had the strangest urge to go towards the half frozen pond. He found himself following his feet towards the pond despite himself, peering down into the water and gasping. There it was! The sword of Gryffindor! It was shining at the bottom of the pond, Harry leaned forward and realized it was an awful lot deeper than he had thought.  He reached for Draco's wand and tried to accio it but to no avail. The wand worked well enough for him but he sorely missed his own. With little to no choice  he stripped off his clothes and glasses and dove into the icy water. He probably should have gotten Draco by now but hindsight was useless right now, he just wanted to get the sword now.

The water was so cold it almost made him gasp, he swam down deeper than he thought a pond should go and wrapped his fingers along the hilt of the sword. That was when the locket on his neck spasmed, tugging him harshly down as he tried to resurface. With a panic he tried kicking harder, even pushing off the muddy ground but the locket was pulling him in all directions wildly and he lost his sense of direction immediately. His lungs were burning now and he came to a startling conclusion that he was going to drown. Then suddenly out of nowhere he felt strong hands gripping him from his underarms and pulling him somewhere, hopefully up. He couldn't help but gasp in a mouthful of water and was pulled out of the water a second later. He was pushed onto a rocky beach and he  twisted onto his stomach and coughed up water, gasping greedily at air with his throat aching. 

"You bloody idiot!" It was Draco, of course it was. "You could have died! What in Merlin's name were you even doi...." 

Harry pushed the sword further up the stones in an answer, still busy coughing up water deep from his lungs. 

"Holy shit" He breathed "what? How?" 

Harry turned on his back now breathing heavily "I meditated". He was shivering now, and Draco had moved to help him stand. He accepted the help and stumbled to his feet, Draco had looked him up and down and seemed content that he was otherwise uninjured.

"We can break the locket now! You're really something Harry! But please don't try and drown yourself again" 

Harry leaned heavily against him as they with sword in hand stumbled back to the tent. "Two times is enough for me thanks" He said through shivering teeth. He was grateful to find the fire still roaring as he was taken out of his wet clothes and dressed in dry and warm ones. Draco wrapped him up tightly in multiple blankets and took watch instead, Harry had of course tried to complain but found himself drifting off instead.

"I hope this works" Harry said the next morning, the locket was on a large rock secured with a sticking charm, he was grasping the sword.

With a moment to collect his bravery, he lifted the sword, hands over the hilt and soared it in an arc hitting the locket square on. It broke open, screaming in the process a horrible high pitched squeal. A black smoke emerged from the locket and swirled around Harry like a tornado.

Then all of a sudden he saw two figures within the black smoke. Draco, he recognized first, lying on the ground covered in blood with eyes closed, obviously dead. Harry swallowed as he noticed another one, with longer blonde hair leaned over the body. Narcissa.

"You killed my son!" She wailed. "I have nothing left!"

She stood up, a dark looming presence and looked at Harry straight on with large black eyes. "This is all your fault. The Death and destruction. How selfish of you to survive and force everyone else around you to die instead. You really thought you were something special? The only thing special about you came from your dead parents!"

Harry dropped the sword, he didn't mean to but he felt suddenly numb.

She stepped forwards, the voice unnatural and shivery "You are nothing but a pawn to sacrifice to the queen. You are but an omen of death, cursed are those who touch you destined to die just like you are! Your mother would be so disappoint...."

Suddenly the black smoke screamed again, this time a low groan and Harry looked through his wet lashes to see Draco was standing, sword in hand with the blade through his fake mother. As the smoke finally cleared Harry felt his tears drop, Draco rushing to pull him into a hug. They both stayed like that for a while.

"What a bitch" Draco said after a while, lighting the mood.

Harry laughed "Yeah your mum is way nicer than that"

Draco looked at Harry straight on, a hand on his jaw and pulled him into a gentle kiss. When they pulled apart his eyes were sparkling with something he was sure Sirius had shown right before he had died. Proud. Draco was proud of him. Harry smiled, now they had the sword they could go looking for the other Horcruxes. Starting with the Hogwarts cup.

Chapter 27: Simply a Façade, Only an Old Man

Summary:

He was simply a weapon: kept, polished and sharpened until the time of use. All those near death experiences were simply a whet-stone preparing him for the moment younger him never knew would be set in his near future. That sort of man knew he had to sacrifice a child for all of wizard kind and did it in a manipulating, kind way that made Harry feel vaguely sick. He bloody deserved more than that. He was a teenager for gods sake. 

Harry felt put out, he had no clue where to find this cup but it had most certainly not been found in Hogwarts since it's disappearance. It was still midday but there was little else to think about so he there he was back against an old tree, feeling the bark dig into his back and wracking his brains about what to do next. He took a breath and closed his eyes, the weight of this mission with just the two of them was pressing down on him all of a sudden, it felt almost impossible. 

"Harry?" Draco called, the edge to his voice hinted something uneasy. 

He found himself on his feet before he knew it, rushing back into the tent, as soon as the fabric of the tent gently slapped his shoulder did he hear it. The radio. And Draco standing beside it looking like he had saw a ghost, or something equally as horrifying. 

"Just listen..."

The news reporter continued - Unfortunately it had been confirmed that at 6pm last night Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was murdered within Hogwarts grounds. Eye witness accounts described this incident occurring in the Astronomy Tower.  It is unknow who was responsible just yet. In a few moments we will..

But Harry had stopped listening. Dumbledore was dead. Really fucking dead. 

His feelings scrambled amongst themselves as a wave of grief hit him square on in the chest. He found himself feeling a pang of loss despite his recent new found opinions about the man. Yes he was an incredibly powerful and wise man who had done a lot of good in his life. He had been there for Harry throughout his life, however now, he knew the caring façade was simply that. A façade. A means to an end. 

Dumbledore was a smart man, he knew more than Harry ever could about himself, still it didn't make his actions any less morally grey despite the knowledge. 

Dumbledore knew about his living situation and despite speaking to him multiple times he had been forced to stay for 'blood wards'. He knew Harry was in the chamber of secrets and did little to help despite the old sorting hat and Fawkes. The multitude of dodgy teachers not nearly vetted enough was also an enormous red flag. He had turned a blind eye when Hermione, Ron and himself used the time turner to save Buckbeak and Sirius. Speaking of said time turner - now there was no reason to allow Hermione to be allowed to do that many subjects. Also the whole Triwizard tournament thing, he had simply allowed Harry to do it despite him being underage and breaking the law. 

He had been morally grey for a long time but Harry had been blind sighted by his admiration for the old man, for once when he was young boy he had seemed trusting and genuine - like an adult he could rely on. 

He hadn't felt that way in over a year he realized with a pang, even with the whole Umbridge dealings he hadn't felt that he would be heard out or that any action would be taken at all. But Harry was older and a bit wiser now although not by much, but being told you're going to die after years of near death experiences made his head screw on quickly. 

Still he had protected Harry from Voldemort that night Sirius died and that was confusing then. But the fact was, that Harry was simply not meant to die that night. Dumbledore was keeping him alive for just the right moment, he was after all in the business of finding and destroying Horcruxes in the right moment. 

"Every day, every hour, this very minute, perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls... But in the end, their greatest weapon... is you" He remembered him saying once. 

Harry could now understand the quote he had said. He was simply a weapon: kept, polished and sharpened until the time of use. All those near death experiences were simply a whet-stone preparing him for the moment younger him never knew would be set in his near future. That sort of man knew he had to sacrifice a child for all of wizard kind and did it in a manipulating, kind way that made Harry feel vaguely sick. He bloody deserved more than that. He was a teenager for gods sake. 

"Are you okay?" Draco asked pulling him out of his thoughts. 

He looked up, his mind and feelings made up. "Uh...You know what, he wasn't the man I thought he was after all this time. He doesn't deserve my grief" 

Draco switched the radio off, the tent silent with only the sound of heavy breathing filling the air and space around them. 

"What do you think happened? I hope it wasn't Pansy..." Draco said. 

"I hope not, maybe we should send Dobby to pass on a letter to Hermione and find out". 

 

~

 

Back at Hogwarts at 5:45pm yesterday.

Hermione was pinned to the ground by a nefarious grinning, wild haired and wide eyed Bellatrix Lestrange. Her curved wand pressed into the hallow of Hermione's trembling throat, behind her stood Pansy with wand out pointed at the direction of Dumbledore himself. 

"Kill him already" Bellatrix spat. 

Pansy hesitated, swallowing harshly, she didn't want to do this. Her wand was trembling in her fingers, her nails chipped and dirty. But Hermione was there, in grave danger and she had to do something. 

"I said do it!"

She shuddered "I can't" She tried to say, it came out as more of a strangled whisper. 

Bellatrix groaned dramatically "You're a coward! Here let his motivate you" 

She tore her wand of the brunettes throat and sliced through one of her sleeves, the fabric sliding down onto the floor. Hermione's eyes were wide in terror, not knowing what the evil woman would do to her. 

"Perhaps you need a reminder of what you are stupid girl. Filthy mud-blood" 

A spell tore through the flesh of Hermione's arm, curving and splitting it with pools of blood. She jerked up in the harsh grip as a scream tore from her throat, high and full bodied.  Pansy looked over in horror as she watched the girl scream on the floor, thrashing about desperately to escape. She sobbed loudly, tears flowing quickly down her pale face. It made Pansy panic, she'd rather do anything instead of watching Hermione lay there and be tortured simply for being a half-blood. The girl had been so kind and nice to her, she didn't deserve to be wailing on the floor in pain. 

"Stop! Stop it!" Pansy yelled out breathless. "I'll do it, just leave her alone!"

Bellatrix turned her head, pupils large and a large sickly grin on her lips. She broke the spell. Hermione sagged underneath her, limbs still pinned harshly but at least the pain had stopped. 

Bellatrix cackled "You. A filthy homosexual. Of course" She turned her head and spat on Hermione's face. 

Pansy let out a stale breath, she hadn't realized she had held it in.

"No. It was distracting me" She fibbed with as steady of a voice as he could manage. 

With a heavy heart, she turned her eyes back on Dumbledore. He was standing calm, like he had been expecting this. He spoke with the same voice he did at start of year announcements. As if this was simply another speech he had prepared. 

"Bellatrix, just a reminder that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be." Then he turned to face Pansy, his glasses glinting from stray light from a torch behind her. "Pansy Parkinson. Before you do, I'd like to say a few words. It's the least you can provide me. As it is my time to part this world today, know that death is but the next great adventure. I've heard the veil is comforting. Perhaps like a warm bed on a cold night." 

Pansy's eyes flowed with tears, she kept her back turned to Bellatrix so she wouldn't see her weakness. The thought of taking a life and meaning it filled her veins with icy dread. 

Dumbledore had noticed, his eyes going soft. "Killing is not so easy as the innocent believe. You're heart is not in it my dear, but death is calling my name so I fear you have little choice." He smiled sadly at her "Tell my old friend that I did not forget my promise to him. Do not be afraid child, do what you are required to do. I needn't an apology nor explanation, I will not place blame on you" 

He closed his eyes, arms going wide and robes flowing in the swirls of wind that wound around the tower. 

"Avada Kadava" Pansy said softly, the spell stuck in the wand as they had stuck in her own throat. 

She dropped her wand and fell onto her knees. She couldn't breathe, her chest heaving with sobs with the relief that at least she couldn't kill him if she had tried. At least that meant she wasn't a totally waste of a living being. 

Behind her Bellatrix rolled her eyes and with Practiced ease she shouted the same spell, laughing hysterically when the man's body shook with the green curse and gravity took hold his body, pulling him like a fallen angel faster and faster until he was only but a lump of robes and a pool of blood at the bottom of the tower. 

Dumbledore was dead. 

"You're a useless girl you are. Next time I see you I'll kill you myself!" Bellatrix said, looking around as running footsteps came echoing in the distance. 

She swiftly got to her feet and started running back down to the room of requirement. Pansy should have ran after her but she continued to weep on the cold stone floor, she thought it would be beneficial to everyone if she joined the headmaster on the ground. She had to at least try and fight for what was right. It was the least she could do now. 

Hermione had somehow found her way beside her, wrapping an arm around her carefully. When Pansy looked up through her black fringe did she see her properly, tear streaks running down her rosy cheeks and chapped lips. Her eyes were soft and it almost distracted Pansy enough to stop crying. Almost. 

"You saved me" was all that Hermione said before Snape, Ron and Blaise had reached them huddled together on the floor crying. 

At least she knew two things, she was unable to kill Dumbledore and she had helped Hermione from being branded for life. 

Notes:

If you peer close enough you'll see a hint of Pansmione.

Chapter 28: Devoted to Drarry

Summary:

"Well I was thinking it would be embarrassing to die a virgin" 

"That's really the best pickup line you can come up with? That made me immediately soft" Draco said with a frown. 

Harry used his free hand to start tugging his own to full hardness as he spoke breathlessly. "I'm being serious. I want you to fuck me, properly" 

Notes:

Things got a bit heated here! No time like the present right? I suppose if you are likely to die at any time then you may as well get topped by Draco Malfoy. Why not?

The next few chapters may take a bit of time for me to figure out, still figuring some things out. I hope you are enjoying this story so far! I appreciate all the comments and kudos I get!

"This is stupid plan" Draco muttered under the shared invisibility cloak. 

"I know, you've only let me know about ten times, Hermione thinks she may have discovered some sort of diadem. Besides Snapes waiting on the sword" 

It was a bit of a stupid plan, Dobby was able to apparate them into the forbidden forest right before the boarder and now they were huddled under the cloak creeping up the hill towards Hogwarts. Even the castle from a distance stood grey and worn with the events of the unfolding war, as if the fear had chipped the stone bricks around the edges. It was a mirror to Harry's own mental state, rough around the edges still despite it all standing tall with something to fight for. 

Snape had taken over as Headmaster in lieu of Dumbledore's death, and according to reports passed through from snippets of radio and clipped news reports - he was a looming figure whom no one would dare speak against. Of course it was all an act, still evermore a double agent with a renowned fever to help the cause. As stupid as this plan was, it was really the only way to safely transport said sword to him to destroy the rest of the Horcruxes. 

It seemed to take an age, footsteps slow and careful as they wound without a word throughout the familiar halls leading to the old potions classroom where the room was ajar. There were voices inside, and Harry felt a ripple of excitement as he recognized them. 

"Ron check the map again, are they here yet?" 

The door shut behind them with a click, the two turned quickly with hands flying to their wands, only lowering when the shape of Harry and Draco shimmered around them, the cloak landing limply on the cold floor. 

"Harry!" Hermione squealed, rushing forward to crush him into a rib breaker of a hug. She took a step back after a moment and really looked at him.

"Oh, you're so skinny" Her eyes welled up "It's been a tough time without you, I was so worried about you" 

Ron pulled Harry into a side hug and after a moment gathered Draco up in a proper bear hug. 

"Uh, I'm not Harry" Draco said stiffly, patting his shoulder awkwardly. 

"I'm just glad you've kept my best friend safe, I really appreciate it. I mean I wasn't sure about you before but you're alright. Do you fancy a pumpkin tart?" 

That's how Snape found the four of them, swapping stories and munching on whatever food Ron had in statis from the bottom of his pockets. But any sustenance was better than nothing. Draco and Harry looked rough, faces sunken with dark eyebags shadowing their hypervigilant eyes that looked a shade duller then this time last year. Hermione's smile was a fraction smaller than before, a shiver of the same hypervigilance ran through her from time to time, she looked older but only in the eyes. Ron was much the same, constantly on the lookout, jolting when a small unexplained noise came from around the area. They all jumped out of their seats when Snape cleared his throat, he had appeared silently from his back study. 

"Pleasure to have you both back, I take it you have the sword?" 

Draco rummaged through the bag with an edge of caution, not wishing to chop his own fingers off in the process. The flickering candles on the table shone on the shiny metallic hilt of the blade as it appeared from the tattered bag. 

"Wait" Harry said "How can we know for sure that it's you?" 

Snape sighed heavily and spoke as if the words physically inflicted pain "Aunt Agatha would never lie Dogbert" 

Harry snickered into his hand "Never living that down" 

"So what's the plan?" Ron asked.

"McGonagall and myself will attend to Bellatrix's vault to find the Hufflepuff cup, Hermione acquired a hair from the previous attack. In the meantime I will appoint temporary protection measures for Hogwarts in our departure" 

Harry glanced over at Hermione who swallowed nervously, she had briefly mentioned it but did not go into great detail. The far away look in her eyes was enough for him to drop his gaze completely. 

He looked pointedly to Draco and Harry "You both will recover, and work with our other allies to find the Ravenclaw Diadem. You have the Basilisk fang at your disposal, however if needed a Fiendfyre would destroy it also" 

The group murmured in agreement, Draco looked particularly glad at the idea of a full nights sleep and proper food. 

"I have created a living space in my quarters here for you both, I hope you can both remain discrete? I will ensure a house elf tends to your needs. Are either of you injured?" 

Harry shook his head, despite the built up grime and old blood on his face he felt as fine as someone could in such a situation. 

"Nothing you can fix" Draco muttered lowly, rubbing his arm. 

Confusion briefly swept over Snape's pointed features before returning to its natural severe look. 

"Harry, one more thing before I bid you goodnight, I have an item to provide you from Dumbledore. He left this to you in his will" 

Harry blinked at the fluttering wings of the golden snitch in his clasped hand. The gold edges turning red in the candlelight glow as it moved. It felt heavier than he had remembered a snitch being. His mouth opened and closed like a fish, unsure what to say. 

"This was the first snitch you caught, back in first year. I cannot say why he left this to you but knowing the man, there must be due cause. You two can go back to Gryffindor's common room. Your 'detention' is over. Goodnight"

 

~

 

They groaned as their backs sunk into the soft mattress. Months of sleeping on that hard mattress in the tent and against other various hard surfaces had left their spines more stiff than any seventeen year old would like. 

"I could sleep for a week" Harry said, eyes already shut. 

"I would concur, however we both stink and there is a hot shower right over there"

Harry groaned "Fine, but only because a hot shower and fresh clothes sounds nice" 

The hot water pelted down their tired shoulders, creating a muddy puddle at their feet as it washed the dust and dirt from their last adventures. Harry's head was tilted back with eyes closed, groaning in pleasure at the blissful heat lashing from the overheat faucet. Draco had stopped his scrubbing of his hair, still sure there was sand somewhere hiding, and turned to look at Harry.

"Did you just moan?" 

"I could orgasm with how good this shower is Draco" He muttered under the stream.

Draco let out a startled laugh, pressing his slick back to him as he pushed to get the water to himself to rinse out his now at last clean hair. 

Harry's hand sneaked around the bare waist, pressing right up against Draco's back who arched his  spine in response. Intimate moments like this had been hard to come by and both of them missed it dearly. Now, with a safe place to hide out and the threat of danger loosened the noose around their necks - they could finally breathe and put aside the diligence they had held for months now. 

"Speaking of..." 

Draco's head fell back against Harry's shoulder as he gazed at him with a heated look. 

"You're impossible Harry, to be honest I think I forgot how to get hard" 

Harry's laughed rumbled against his back, with an awkward tilt of the head he pulled Draco into a deep kiss, lips sliding over each other with a renewed spurt of energy they hadn't known they had in them. 

Draco turned around smirking with pupils wide. "What do you have in mind?" 

Harry's now soap sudded hands roamed over Draco's pale skin, rubbing enticingly over his nipples. The gasp that followed was drowned out by the water overhead. They expertly moved across his body as if by memory. The shower didn't stop the moan that echoed around the small bathroom when Harry's soapy hand loosely fucked his penis which was now half hard. 

"Well I was thinking it would be embarrassing to die a virgin" 

"That's really the best pickup line you can come up with? That made me immediately soft" Draco said with a frown. 

Harry used his free hand to start tugging his own to full hardness as he spoke breathlessly. "I'm being serious. I want you to fuck me, properly" 

"Merlin you can't just say that, alright fine you convinced me but we're doing it on a bed. You're insane you know that?" 

That's how Harry found himself lying on his front gasping and wriggling as he tried to find some sort of friction to buck against, those fingers in him were moving in such a way that surely this hadn't been the first time that Draco had used his fingers like this. 

"Shit, have you ah done this to yourself?" He managed.

Draco laughed and curled those fingers in such a way that Harry all but whimpered. 

"As thick headed as you can be, you are also unfairly attractive. Of course I fingered myself thinking it was you" 

Harry would have responded, that was if there wasn't a third practiced finger breaching him and that took all his willpower to not come right there and then. 

"Draco, just fuck just do it already" 

The fingers continued to fuck him steadily, leaving Harry keening with mouth open and drooling on the sheets. He was thankful Draco seemed to know all the sex spells, and the thrill of giving up the control for once was electrifying in his veins, like a dirty little thrill. 

"Please" He begged, feeling the edge of an orgasm brush against him. 

Despite the aforementioned begging, he whined loudly when the fingers withdrew. He had never felt something quite like this and was regretful he hadn't done it sooner. 

"Right, on your knees then pretty boy" 

Harry moaned at the words, feeling a warm rush of pleasure in his gut. Distantly he was surprised about just how he liked the praise. He found himself scrambling up on all fours in an instant, bracing his knees wide against Draco's pale trembling thighs and pressing his arse back as a clear invitation. 

The first few inches were a burning stretch despite the overwhelming amount of lube but it was a hint of pain that Harry found himself immediately addicted to. By the time he had slowly inched in and had bottomed out Harrys arms had finally give up holding him up. If he could have only seen himself, head tilted to one side with mouth wide, hands gripping onto the sheets hard with his knees still firmly underneath him and arse high in the air where he had Draco were now firmly connected. 

"Merlin, you look so good like that. Taking me like a good boy huh?" 

Harry stammered something unintelligent before stopping trying to speak at all, instead a desperate keening noise escaped his chest as Draco slowly started thrusting into him. The praise was making him feel lightheaded. But he wanted more, he needed more. 

"Harder, fuck" 

Draco obliged with strong fingers gripping the sharp ridges of Harry's hip bones, drilling into him again and again in a punishing pace. The noises that were fucked out of him with every thrust were pathetic and tumbling out of his gaping mouth alongside a pool of drool. By now they were both slick with sweat and Harry had lost the function of any or all of his brain cells, he was simply just there taking Draco hard and fast as he was pushed closer and closer to the edge. 

"I'm close, come on touch yourself" Draco had said breathlessly behind him. 

Harry whined as he tried to focus his mind to reach back and wank himself off with uncoordinated rhythm as his orgasm approached like a freight train. White blinding pleasure tore through him as he came hard, squirting cum as far as the puffs of hair on the nape of his neck. He clenched against the cock still rubbing against his prostate and Draco cried out, fingernails digging into his hips with no doubt leaving marks. 

Only when Harry blinked back into reality and found himself, knees now collapsed and panting on the bed with chest and sheets covered in sticky mess did he feel the cum dripping out of his hole. Part of him wanted it to be fucked back into him, but maybe not when he felt quite so bone tired. 

Draco was much the same as him except lying on his back with sweaty hair pushed back. He was smiling with teeth and all at Harry's crumpled form. There was a pink flush on his cheeks right by his cheekbones, Harry thought it was the best shade of pink he had ever seen. 

"Holy fucking shit" was all Harry could muster. 

Draco laughed "I never thought you'd be a bottom, but you are evidently made for it. Also praise kink?" 

Harry flushed "I guess it's not entirely surprising." 

With a tired hand Harry waved a hand and cleared up the mess, repositioning himself on the now clean pillow and promptly fell into one of the best nights of sleep he had ever had. Draco following seconds later, curling into Harry's side with a hand curled right above his strong beating heart. 

Notes:

I'm fairly new to writing smut so tried my best with this one! The age of consent is 16 in the UK and they are both 17 here. I typically prefer writing smut when they are 18 + however as I said, no time like the present!

Chapter 29: Horcrux Hunting at Hogwarts

Summary:

Worst was that look that Draco gave him late at night, Harry didn't need his eyes open to know what the lead weighted emotion was on his face. Some nights Harry would wake to find himself being cradled, hands ruffling through his hair and holding his pale hand against Harry's chest. Harry pushed the feelings away, besides he didn't know when this would even happen, he had to stay focused or else all of this was for nothing. He had to keep his loved ones safe, even if he had to sacrifice himself, at least that would be worth it.

"Anyway" He managed with throat tight "How do we kill Nagini?"

Notes:

This was a bit of a struggle to write, but should get easier after this. We're getting near to the end now. Let me know your thoughts below.

I always wondered if other people would treat Pansy worse or better despite being in a similar position as Draco was in canon. Also Pansmione if you look close enough.

Snape appeared the next evening, knocking on the hidden door before waving his hand and striding in with a tired gait. Despite the fatigue smudged under his eyelids, he had his mouth in a twisted smile. 

"I have news" He stated as he found himself a rickety chair and collapsed into it. 

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, getting up from where he had been lounging on the bed. 

Snape chuckled "It is a shame you could not witness Minerva's performance. She has a flair for the dramatics after all. Unfortunately Grip hook is an entirely highly perceptive goblin, he did however aid our plans at a cost. I'm afraid the sword of Gryffindor is now in his possession. The Horcrux however has been destroyed." 

"That's brilliant news!" Said Draco brightly from a chair nearby. 

"Yes, Yes of course. However it leaves us without the sword. No matter there are other options" 

Harry shook his head "Well, the sword comes to those who need it. Maybe I could summon it in the same way as I did in first year"

Snape waved a dismissive hand "I am off to my lodgings, I trust you two have had time to... recuperate?" 

Draco flushed a harsh shade of red, getting out of the chair to busy a kettle for more tea. Harry was busy examining a section of the floor. Yes that was a lovely shade of what was it cream cobble? Really nice shade that, and the cut was well done nice and even. 

Snape sighed and stood "Best be careful where one puts his undergarments Potter" 

Harry followed Snapes eyeline and laughed awkwardly, wishing the bed would crater open and swallow him whole. Of course his orange Chudley Cannon boxers were hanging on the edge of a half ajar wardrobe. Across the room Draco looked like he had swallowed a lemon, face pinched and pained. 

"Uh, that's yeah. Good point...heh" 

Snape turned on his heel shaking his head, the door opening for him on his stalk out of the room. Harry simply buried his face back into the bedsheets and groaned. Perhaps this was payback for Aunt Agatha, it was probably warranted. 

 

~

 

It took a while to gain any leeway about where this diadem could be located, in fact they got so stuck at one point that Luna who had been staring at the ceiling during their latest discussion gave a very helpful suggestion indeed. They were in the potions living quarters again as it was the safest place to be without Harry and Draco being discovered. 

"If no one living can provide the answer then why don't you ask one of dead. Helena Ravenclaw" She had said before staring dreamily back at the ceiling. 

"That's brilliant Luna! Yes, the Gray Lady why didn't I think of that? She's the daughter of the Founder of Ravenclaw"

Draco pondered for a moment over his tea "The Gray Lady Corridor right? I've seen her floating around there before. But why would she know where the diadem could be?" 

Hermione's eyes lit up "The last known person to be in possession of it was her mother, there's some rumors about some family issues and then it went missing. That's what my research pointed at but I never thought to ask one of the ghosts!" 

Harry nodded "Definitely a good shout, thanks Luna. It's definitely in this castle somewhere, I can feel it" 

"Who should go and talk to her? I heard she's not awful easy to talk to" Ron asked.

"She's just shy, I can go see her if you want Harry. I often have my lunch up there, she likes the company" 

Harry beamed "That would be great Luna, Thank you" 

"Anything for a friend!" She chirped out and skipped out of the room. 

They kept discussing until late that night, talking about spells and techniques when the inevitable fight came to them. Hermione had brought three books about healing spells and charms. They talked until their heads were heavy and the mood dreary. Eventually they discussed their real mission. Dumbledore had left Hermione a letter stating that there were seven Horcruxes. So far the diary, the locket, the ring and the cup were all out of the way. So it meant there were two left, the diadem and well that last one was still a mystery.  

"That's it!" Hermione shouted out after one too many cups of coffee.

Harry jolted up from where he had slumped in his chair, his head swimming and begging for a pillow. Draco who was nursing a cup of earl grey tea seemed perplexed as he set it down. Ron stuffed another truffle in his mouth and chewed as she spoke in Harry's direction. 

"You say you can feel the Horcrux right? It speaks to you in a way. But you can also speak to snakes Harry, don't you get it?"

"Uh" Harry helpfully replied.

She continued "What if the reason you can speak to snakes is because of the Horcrux itself. And if you knew a language almost no one else knew, well you would use it to your advantage right?"

"Wait" Harry said, now on the same wavelength "You're suggesting that Nagini is one?"

"It makes sense! I mean Harry, once he knew he could make a Horcrux of a living thing then why would he stop there?"

"So we need to kill a giant snake, great" Ron said slightly green.

"Okay this is great and all, but what of removing a Horcrux from a living person? There must be something we can do" Draco interjected.

Hermione's face faltered, she didn't have to say anything. The awkward silence drowned in the room, bouncing off the walls and hitting Harry square on in the chest. Ever since they had gotten back to Hogwarts this had been a giant elephant in the room, trumpeting the topic into everyone's ears. Harry could see in when Hermione would worry on her lip and reach and touch his arm every so often. Ron spoilt Harry silly with chocolates he stated he 'didn't want' which was unbelievable as Ron would probably eat an old shoe if it had gravy on it. Still he ate every one despite it tasting like ash in his mouth.

Worst was that look that Draco gave him late at night, Harry didn't need his eyes open to know what the lead weighted emotion was on his face. Some nights Harry would wake to find himself being cradled, hands ruffling through his hair and holding his pale hand against Harry's chest. Harry pushed the feelings away, besides he didn't know when this would even happen, he had to stay focused or else all of this was for nothing. He had to keep his loved ones safe, even if he had to sacrifice himself, at least that would be worth it.

"Anyway" He managed with throat tight "How do we kill Nagini?"

"I reckon the sword could work" Ron said quietly.

Draco swallowed harshly "But Harry..."

Harry ignored him "Yeah problem with that, unless we can manage to get it out of the (re)sorting hat then were stuck with either the tooth or burn it to death. I've tried to get it out but nothing, the hat just keeps grumbling at me"

"Ew, I'm not getting that close to the bloody snake" Ron said with a grimace.

Hermione spoke, she had been deep in thought not long ago "You got the sword when you were in a time of need. You have be a worthy Gryffindor that might need it correct? So what if the reason you can't pull it out is because its not yours to use"

Harry frowned "But I am in a time of need am I not? Or does it not count me as Gryffindor anymore?"

Ron shrugged "Magic is a funny thing eh?" 

 

~

 

"I can't believe its been in here the whole time" Harry said as he slipped into the room of requirement. 

Draco glanced around the room nervously "I don't know Harry, this seems too easy" 

The room was a chaotic junkyard of stacks of boxes, broken picture frames and oddly shaped furniture. The dust that coated the room felt as thick to coat their own lungs, the musty smell wrinkling their noses. There was a gloom that ticked the back of Harry's neck, this felt impossible before they even started. He could see himself as one of those chairs with legs broken and crushed under haphazardly thrown items stacked high. How does one stand tall when the winning piece is meters above your head and your spirit was on crutches. How do you find a needle in a haystack without a magnet? How do you find a Horcrux in a never-ending room filled with countless dusty boxes. 

"Accio diadem!" He tried then frowned. 

"Do you think you could find it by feeling for it?" Ron asked. 

"Maybe, it's like the magic is hiding itself all of a sudden. I reckon if we get close enough I could. Just don't know where to start" 

As there was little other place to start they went to the middle fork, Harry leading the way as the two behind him kept a watchful eye with wands in hand. The footsteps and scuffling was loud in the otherwise deathly quiet room, and the dilapidated items soaked the sound up. They walked for a while, up and down dusty and twisted clumps of half broken ornaments, chipped statues and ripped paintings. That's when the tug of dark magic resonated with his own reservoir. It was nearby but not quite, maybe further ahead? 

"Wait!" Harry shouted, then shut his eyes concentrating on his breathing, mind clearing as the Horcrux's magic sung it's deadly whispering tune louder, tugger harder on his core. "It's here" 

As soon as he got his hands on the faded blue starchy box he knew this was it. It was quivering with dark energy, the chill of it raising the hairs on his arms. He couldn't imagine such a beautiful headpiece to be so cursed. The curve of the bird perfectly sculpted, curves and details meticulous. The gems were still sparkling, the silver still shiny but the light bouncing off the cuts of the stone was shrouded in a dark light. 

 

                                                             

 

Bang! The door slammed open from who knows how many rows away. "Potter, they're coming! They got into the castle!" It was Pansy's voice that vibrated over the various dull and abandoned knickknacks and carried over to the three boys who cast wide eyed looks. 

They ducked, hiding behind whatever object was there to cover them and wands held tight. Harry stuffed the diadem in his pocket for the meantime, hand shaking with adrenaline. So this was it. Death eaters were in Hogwarts, the war was about to ricochet and the day he had been so dreading was finally upon him. Well he would go down fighting and kicking if it meant his friends, the people he loved were kept safe. Voldemort wouldn't take life away from them, not if he had a say in the matter. 

"We need to get out of here" Ron whispered, craning his neck to check for the intruders. 

"We need to destroy the diadem." 

Draco's eyes lit up, they way they did when he had a brilliant idea "I noticed some broomsticks down to the right, we could fly out of here. If we can get Pansy out safely then we can set this room alight with Fiendfyre once we're out"

"You're brilliant" Harry said with a smile "What would I do without you huh?" 

Draco didn't meet his eye, he didn't respond at all simply leading the way in a crouched run. The others simply followed, Harry could figure out a response once they were out of here. They had to destroy all of the Horcruxes before Voldemort showed up. They quickly mounted their brooms, Draco and Ron on one and Harry on another. He had insisted on collecting Pansy  himself after stubbornly demanding Ron to take Draco to safety. They didn't argue, the look on his face had been enough. 

As Harry watched with relief as the other two were heading back to the main door, and then took off himself. There was a good reason the broomsticks were in here Harry discovered quickly. They were janky, hard to control and felt almost rotten on the inside. He ascended as quickly as he could with the tettering balance under his thighs. He had to find Pansy, or at least ensure she was safe. The spells being cast from a junction to his left gathered his attention immediately. Pansy was cornered by two death eaters, back to an empty mirror and casting defensive spells quickly. She dropped to the floor, crumpling at the knees as she screamed, the vibrations bouncing off shards of glass in abandoned mirrors. Cruicio. Bastards. The two figures kept approaching, wands drawn and laughter dripping from their cruel mouths. 

"Maybe we can teach her a lesson before we kill her?" One of them said as Pansy's eyes widened in fear and scrambled backwards further, reaching desperately for her wand. 

Harry didn't mean it, he was angry and the dark energy that was seeping from his pockets through the fabric. Without thinking one of his hands outstretched for a moment as he dipped closer and a spark conjured, it started as a minuscule dragon as it dropped at the feet of the cloaked figures. His broom veered dramatically and he gripped back on quickly. The men stopped and stared stupidly at the fire creature and then laughed, and then the little dragon roared: doubling, tripling no... quadrupling in size. It set it's flame blue eyes on them and with wings outstretched blasted in their direction. He didn't need to see the damage that was done, he could hear it. He could smell it. Burning flesh filled the air along with smoke, the frantic screaming of agony and blistering skin that echoed around the room. It was sickening, Harry simply swallowed but even that didn't stop the bile rising. 

With hand outstretched he dipped closer and closed his grip amongst Pansy's own, hauling her up onto the broom behind him. Her arms wrapped around his middle like a vice, the wood of her wand pressing hard into his stomach. Her head was pressed into his shoulder blades with eye's shut tight and short black hair moving as foul wind blew past them. Now that she was safe from those men he had to get them out of here. 

There was a surge of panic as the magic he created was slipping out of his control, the dragon turning in his direction with now red eyes. The creature was rageful, created in anger and seeking destruction and pain. Black billowing stacks of smoke were raising, the cracking of fire was getting louder and the room was now so suddenly bright with a deathly orange glow. Pansy coughed from behind his back, the smoke was getting worse and fast. He had to find the exit and quick. 

It was now or never, with a quick fish in his robes and eye's set on the now open entrance door, he felt the sharp edges of the crown and threw it behind himself. The silver diadem landed through the top of the Dragon's head. Metal twisting and screeching as it burned. The dark magic seeping out through the cracks in the gems, billowing up with the fellow smoke. It was getting hard to breathe, the fire going wild and licking parts of the ceiling now. But the exit was close, he leant forward tilting the rickety broom and urging it to go as fast as possible. The steering was worse now, the wood lashing them from side to side as Pansy shrieked and held on ever tighter. The dragon roared again, the heat of the flickering teeth heating the air around them, tinging the robes of Pansy's school uniform. 

"Come on! You can do it!" Ron shouted from up ahead. 

With one final push, broom wobbling and sweat dripping down his back did they pass through the door which slammed shut behind him. The broom at this point crumpled completely into wood splinters and both Harry and Pansy fell briefly through the air and crumpled onto the ground with a pained thud. They lay there for a moment, winded and panting. That was before the Calvary came. 

"Pansy!" Hermione cried out, her running feet getting closer until she was pulling her into a crushing hug on the tar streaked floor. 

Harry wanted to raise an eyebrow to anyone to say is anyone else seeing this? But Draco had rushed over and was fussing over him, hands moving across his head, body and limbs. He had that look in his eyes again, that watery and overcautious look. 

"I'm fine" Harry had said, but was entirely unconvincing as he burst into a coughing fit right after. "Really, we don't have time to waste, its time" 

Draco's face crumpled, and he rushed forward tugging Harry into a bruising kiss. For a second it reminded him of their first kiss those now years ago, pressed into stone walls as they finally gave into each other. The same stone walls that was strong and secure back then was now crumbling, grit tumbling as if the structure was shaking. Shaking like the group of teenager's hands, dread hidden behind rolled back shoulders, tears secure behind hard set determined eyes. 

Chapter 30: In a Forest Absent of Light, One Should Remember to Bring Hope, For it is Just as Bright.

Summary:

"Harry Potter, boy who lives came to" Voldemort had begun in a theatrical tone.

"Right." Harry interrupted "Just do it already. Kill me, I'll make it easy"

Notes:

How did you want your coffee? Heavy on the angst? No probs!

If you fancy more emotional damage I recommend listening to As Love Flew Away by Laufey and Adam Melchor while reading THAT part.

I'd kiss you, but I can't.
We're all out of breath
As we whisper among us
For the last time today
As our love flew away.
We said goodbye as love flew away.

Chaos was unfurling. Death eaters had snuck inside the castle before the room of requirement was burnt to a crisp, black robes blurring past alcoves. There was a tinge in the air, the evil magic sticking to the walls where it mingled with smeared blood. The tension was thick as a fog rolling over a hill, billowing fear and desperation in its wake. It was like a poison to breathe in, curling into the lungs and squeezing hearts with terror.

They stared in awe as wands from out of view flared up at the sky, the blue wisps blending together and forming a sleek bubble-like dome. This was finally it. The make or break of the war once and for all. Harry's hands were shaking when Draco laced their fingers together with a squeeze of reassurance. He stared down blinking quickly, fighting back tears. With a deep breath of poisoned dense air did he find his fierce determination, picking up the weight of the world back on his shoulders where it had dented, pushed and agonized. The pressure of it was familiar in the same way it had always been, the pressure was suffocating in the same way it had always been. Lungs collapsing and shoulders aching he forced himself to trudge it for one last time, to fulfil his destiny.

In the distance Voldemort stood, ahead of his army with eyes blazing and soulless smile on his face. The odds of the battle stared them in the face. An entire army of dark witches and wizards against school children and overworked teachers. The blanket sphere seemed far too thin. Dwelling on it was not helpful Harry decided, with shoulder rolling back he stood tall.

"Stay behind me, we need to find McGonagall and Snape" If his voice trembled then no one said anything.

Thankfully the short journey to the main entrance hall was clear, hushed apart from the faint clicking of shoes against the stone grain and hard breathing. The entire group was on edge; with every flicker of a shadow, they whipped around ready to fight. Once they spotted Snape and McGonagall in the main entrance rapidly shooting out orders and protecting huddling children. It had seemed the coast was clear until Hermione had made a noise of surprise and blocked a dark curse with a well-timed Protego.

Harry pushed forward without hesitating; his wand raised in his right and his left arm pressing back the others. Defensive spells came to mind, but he settled on that one he had read in that book. Before the two death eaters could mutter a spell, he slashed his wand across.

"Sectumsepra" A white blade sharp burst out, hurtled towards and sliced like sharp claws into the two shocked bodies. They crumpled onto their knees after a second, one clawing uselessly at their throat as dark red gushes sloshed between the spaces of their gloved fingers. A gurgled gasp came from behind the mask before the stiff muscles went lax and they tipped forwards into a crumpled heap. The other was on their knee’s with hands pressed to the lower stomach, the floor underneath them pooling with sticky crimson.

"What..." someone said but Harry didn't hear, he steered back around before the smell of blood hit his nose. The group followed him until they found themselves in front of McGonagall. Draco had kept as close as physically possible, hand reaching to grasp at a hand, elbow or faded jacket.

"Harry, what can we do?" McGonagall asked, her face pinched. "We can hold them off, what is the plan?"

"Uh someone needs to kill Nagini, that's the priority. The sorting hat won't let me get the sword but maybe others could try?"

She nodded curtly "The defences won't last long so absolutely we will do our best. What of the plan after Nagini is dealt with?"

Harry breathed out a breath that had been stuck in his chest "Well, when that's done, I'll be giving myself up."

Draco's expression hardened "Giving yourself up? Harry that's not what we discussed"

"Look, it’s the only surefire way that this will end once and for all. I can't have all these kids getting caught in the crossfire, I'd never forgive myself. Once Voldemort breaches the castle and demands me then that will leave Nagini free to be killed. It's the only way"

Snape appeared over McGonagall's shoulder, an unreadable expression etched on his face. "Harry we cannot ask this of you..."

Harry shook his head "No one's asking. Neither can live while the other survives it's clear. This is what I was born to do. We all know it. Let's just focus on the whole snake part because that's key here. First things first we need the sorting hat"

The nerves in the hall grew every passing moment when the sorting hat was simply muttering nonsense and person after person came out empty handed. Even Draco was trying in vain, nearly frustrated to tears when his hand clasped nothing but air. If they couldn't kill the snake with the sword then it would be fiendfyre and that would be catastrophic. Harry paced, hand tugging at the tangled hair on his nape.

Luna padded up to him and gave a thoughtful look "I have a feeling it's not the right time for the hat. Perhaps it is confused with the houses after we were re-sorted"

Harry was about to reply well something when there was a shriek. Hundreds of red sparks were hitting the protective bubble and it was fizzling out and quickly. His heart flipped in his chest. Draco who ran across the room and was now pressed up against his arm clutched at his sleeve, watched with wide eyes.

"Mione, Ron and Pansy can you keep the hat with you? Maybe it'll give it you soon?"

He turned to Draco "Honey, you need to go somewhere safe, your mum wouldn't forgive me if you got hurt."

Draco's fingers twisted in the worn fabric "No. I'm not leaving you right now. I'll fight with you."

Harry opened his mouth to argue but Draco was quicker "I'm not ready for you to go yet. Please Harry" There was a bulging tear threatening to spill on his delicate eyelashes, eyes clouded in a hue of pain. Harry simply threaded their hands together with as much of a smile as he could.

The next half an hour was a flurry of running feet, tumbling bodies and spells thrown over shoulders and crisscrossing across the various death eaters and creatures that were storming through the courtyard. Across the yard was a looming troll cladded with a heavy wooden club. It raised the club and its unintelligent eyes found its target. Fred and George Weasley. Harry and Draco who were panting in a position of cover noticed. With a quick peek over the stone wall he fired a powerful Bombarda towards the beast. The normal dialled down spells he had been practicing all year were no longer necessary.

The troll exploded violently, stomach juices and slime spraying into the air and outwards splatting onto the ground with wet thuds. Whatever was left of the body thumped onto the dusty grey concrete. The twins looked behind them and grinned when they recognized Harry, askew glasses and all. They waved their thanks and turned back as another troll lumbered around the corner.

"Harry Potter!" An amplified voice spoke. It was more of a shrill whisper, and it tugged the hair on the back of his neck. Voldemort.

"Harry Potter will surrender to me in the Dark Forest in half an hour. If he is too cowardly, I will personally strangle the life out of every witch or wizard on the wrong side no matter the age. Anyone who stands in my way will find themselves the most gruesome death. Their blood will be on his hands if he refuses"

Harry blinked, reminding himself to manually breathe. He gripped Draco's hands, slick with sweat and blood and pulled them into a well-protected alcove, a small distance from the ongoing battle. They could finally hear each other over the shouting of spells, yelps and screaming.

"Draco I..."

"No! There must be some other way...Please" The spark of hope that had once been in his irises were faded, struggling to light like a fire pit in the swirling wind.

Harry broke, he hated seeing him like his. Broken. Pleading. Grieving. "I wish there was, but there's no other way. If there was a way I would find it"

He took in small sharp breaths "It's bullshit, I don't want to..." A hot tear rolled down his cheek "I don't want...to die. I love you so much honey and you'll never know how sorry I am. I wanted this, I wanted us and a life with you. You showed me how happy my life could be and the joy in every single moment and I feel sick at the thought of repaying you like this"

Draco then cradled Harry's face in his hands "Hey, no don't. Don't apologize. I love you and I'll always love you. It's just... it's bullshit. It's not fair"

Harry nodded, laughing bitterly. "I know"

Draco shuddered, palms slipping as his knees buckled and a sob broke free from his chest. Harry sunk down with him and rummaged around frantically in his torn clothing. His bloody hands finding the sharp edges of a box and pulling it out with trembling hands.

"I wanted to do this after everything, I got Hermione to get it just in case and .... I won't be able to do it now so this is all the universe will allow me to do." His voice was quivering, the constricting coils around his aching heart which were getting tighter by the moment, the pain of holding back tears nearly blinding.

Draco wiped his eyes, looking at the box, his breathing fast. Harry opened it with shaking hands to reveal a dainty silver ring, encrusted with emeralds and diamonds, it shone brightly and so out of place in this grey dusty rubble. He blinked hard, processing the scene in front of him, the tears blurring his vision.

"Is that?"

Harry looked up at him: glasses cracked and fresh cuts on his cheek, skin plastered with dust and grime. he said, wiping his eyes furiously with his free hand. "I want nothing more than to create a life with you as my husband, my lifelong partner. And I'm so angry I can't give this to you, but I couldn't go without telling you"

The coil snapped, a wrenching sounding coming from his mouth as he collapsed onto both hands, head hung towards the cracked floor. Harry hadn't asked for much. He wanted to be loved, understood and free. Free of the prophecy. Free of expectations. He had endured so much pain and destruction only to die at the hands of a homicidal wizard at seventeen years old. He wanted more than anything in this moment to be allowed the mere privilege of life.

He cried. He cried like he had never cried before. It hurt, it was agony feeling his heart break into pieces. The months of holding it back finally rearing to a head, hitting him at full force. The gasping sobs were spilled out through suffocating lungs, burning and aching. Draco pulled him into his arms at once, the same familiar arms that kept him warm and safe from nightmares. Harry all but collapsed into him, his arms flinging around his neck. He clung onto him as the loud pained sobs continued to tumble uncontrollably out of him.

Draco held him so tightly in the hopes that if he held him close enough he could feel the pressure of him against his skin forever. He ran his fingers through his thick black hair, trying to memorize the texture and the feeling of him against his fingers.

"You are loved" Draco said, voice thick with emotion "You are adored and not just by me, all your friends and not to mention my mother. She loves you as you are her own son." He grabbed harry hand, still clutching the box. "I do. I will marry you and I will always love you more than you ever know." Their close chests heaved as he continued "I'll live for you. I'll make you proud. We'll do everything together, even if you're not...and...."

He looked back at Draco, his face blurring from the tears. He tried to kiss him one last time, their mouths not meeting as cries forced them to gasp open mouthed and heavy pressed close together. They had run out of time.

"I love you Draco. Don't forget that." Harry said, throat bobbing and aching. From nearby there was a flash of red hair, and now he really had to go. Ron wouldn't let him go on his own, but Draco wouldn't have forgiven him if he hadn't at least said goodbye.

"I know" is all Draco could say as Harry stumbled out of view, before his own heart completely crumbled. He was alone in the alcove now. His hands no longer clutching his loved one, only holding a box with a promise of everlasting love never to be.

Panic was creeping up silently like a spider. One that had been hanging upside down and observing for the past few months and now had crawled directly into his palm. And Harry did what he always did when fear took hold. He ran. Harry quickly ducked away with unstable legs and found further cover where he reigned in the suffocating pain, wiping the tears away as he navigated towards the Forbidden Forest. Time seemed to stoop low and funny now, the numbness that now encapsulated his heart had spread all the way down the tips of his fingers. It was a battle to move his feet as he faced his oncoming demise. He had avoided talking about it as much as possible thinking maybe he would feel prepared by the time it inevitability arrived.

He tripped on a fallen and rotting tree branch, the snitch he hadn't realized was still in his pocket had rolled out, contrast to the dark hues of brown and black on the forest floor. Harry remembered catching it in first year, well not exactly catching it, swallowing it rather. The immense joy he had felt back then seemed a lifetime away from right now. He would have given anything to go back to the good times. A tear fell and he lifted his hand to scrub it away, the cool metal brushing against his lips as the arm lowered.

With a gasp he found the snitch had opened and inside was a singular wine-red carved stone. Could this be? Harry remembered not but last week Draco reading him the story in bed of the three brothers. The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility. Had Dumbledore really had all three? Was he a master of death? Did he really lead Harry to think he had no chance of getting out alive when he had this the whole time?

A tiny flicker of hope flared in his stone cold aching heart. Could he truly have a chance? If this was really the stone, then he could skirt right past fate and get to live the future with his friends and now fiancé. Yes! It was worth a shot.

He dragged himself to his feet and carried on into the forest the crunching leaves loud amongst the shadows. He knew he was in the right place when he saw Hagrid being held by chains by various death eaters. They were mocking him when Harry approached. The giant was a blubbering mess, pleading and begging.

"Oh no don't hurt poor whittle Harry! Look Giant there he is. Don't worry I'll personally keep your eyes open to watch as he dies to the Dark Lord's hand"

A lick of guilt churned Harry's stomach, Hagrid was looking at him with anguish and was now tugging harshly at the chains. Still, he knew what was supposed to happen, they would threaten to kill Hagrid, and he would be expected to beg and give Voldemort the satisfaction of showing fear and stammering over the thought of dying at his hand. But Harry had something Voldemort didn't. Hope.

"Harry Potter, boy who lives came to" Voldemort had begun in a theatrical tone.

"Right." Harry interrupted "Just do it already. Kill me, I'll make it easy"

He made a show of dropping his wand to the ground, closing his eyes and spreading his arms wide. Hagrid was crying out, begging Harry to just fight, to do anything. He kept his eyes tightly shut, not wishing to see the tears flowing nor to give Voldemort the satisfaction of his own forming. He was terrified, hands itching to find some comfort. He wanted Draco. He wanted his friends. He wanted his mother.

"You are a coward" He hissed "Committing suicide? You are as weak as they say you are"

"It's not suicide if you're being killed Tom, I'm unarmed. I wonder if I'll see my parents again. It's a shame yours couldn't love you" Harry sniped back.

The next second Voldemort's eyes flashed, he pulled his elbow back and with a twisted wrist shouted the very spell that began this whole war in the first place. A split second of deja-vu washed over as the bright green flashed over his closed eyelids, the same green he had woken up to throughout his whole life. It was the same funny dream he had as a child in that cupboard.

Then everything went black. His breath left him in one singular rush. His body crumpling to the ground with a heavy thud, limbs crumpled awkwardly underneath him. His wand laid near his head, the stone rolling away unnoticed and found shelter under some dried leaves, mud and tree branches.

 

                                                           

 

Notes:

Did we need tissues? I sure did writing it!! Let me know what you thought!!

Chapter 31: The Train Station

Summary:

"You have to understand…"

"No" Harry interrupted "I understand just fine. I was a tool at your disposal to shape and use at will to win a war that no young person should have gone through. And I don't care if I'm being selfish. I deserved a childhood. I deserved love too Albus! You played a steering hand in that and for that I cannot accept an apology from you, even if well intentioned" 

Notes:

Hope you enjoy this chapter, I thought Dumbledore deserved to be confronted with how his actions really affected Harry. Harry stands on business amirite!

He opened his eyes, surprised to find his two legs still holding him up, although the white light was so blinding they squinted shut on their own accord. What was happening? 

This is not the forest, he thought as his eyes adjusted to the new surroundings. The tiled floor was stark white, reflecting the cool glare from the lights above and tumbling it across the bare walls. On the other side of these tiled floors was a set of rails imbedded into the ground. Harry realized where he was suddenly. A train station but one unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was stunningly bright; windows arched in the distance and pillars towering high in the ceiling until out of view. His eyes stared ahead, finding that the end of room was not in sight, the light blurring until it faded and blurred into an eye straining white silhouette. That's when he spotted him, perched on a bench with hands touching almost like a prayer. Dumbledore. 

Harry made his way over, noting the distinct lack of any other people here and also of the stunning silence this place carried. The quiet seemed to be as large as the the pillars in the distance, disappearing into the never-ending whitewashed space. Dumbledore stood suddenly, he was wearing white fitted robes and holding himself in the same way he would when delivering a speech. He turned to face Harry with a nod. 

"Is this real Professor? Or is this in my head" Harry asked, looking around. Something felt distinctly off. Was this just a dream?

Dumbledore smiled, shaking his head ""Of course it is happening inside your head Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"

Harry then realized what had felt so off, his heart was as still as the moment the curse touched him. His chest unmoving despite speaking. He felt utterly disconnected from his body, his curling hands tingling with the reminder of touch. 

"I'm dead" he said.

Dumbledore motioned to a nearby bench and Harry followed despite it all. He was too shocked by what death was actually like to think rationally. He had imagined it would be like falling asleep, never to be aware that you were in fact dead at all. He had hoped if it was not that, then perhaps it would be more comforting at least. These stark white walls blurred his vision at the edges, and worst of all it felt lonely. He was confused, he had used the resurrection stone after all, but the thing didn't come with any instructions. Was he truly dead? 

He felt a sting of disappointment that his parents hadn't come to greet him, or even Sirius, maybe there were rules in the spirit world. Regardless, he had felt so scared just moments before Voldemort sent that killing curse. He had wanted desperately to hold his mother's hand then, instead he had found his hand empty from her touch. He was ripped out of his thoughts by Dumbledore speaking. 

"I also received a shock my dear boy, it is however what nature intends. You come to life within hospital walls it would only be sensible that death would also be a clinical process"

Harry didn't speak for a while; the silence was suffocating and the distinct lack of breathing in the room was unnerving him. Finally, he looked up at Dumbledore, he looked calm if not the least bit impatient - as if he had been bored stiff waiting on a delayed departure. 

The man turned to look at him with a look of something undetermined "I was waiting for you, Harry, I wished to apologize before I departed. My choices have always remained in the best interests of wizard-kind, it seemed that your fate fell between these. I did what could be done to help you along the way. As much as it had pained you to carry this burden it was a necessary evil. You have done well with the burden, it is nearly over."

Harry blinked, frowning. "Sir, respectfully, that is not an apology. I understand that we cannot outrun fate but there have been many times where you could and should have been kinder to me at the very least" 

Dumbledore eyes wrinkled "I cannot expect you to understand the position I was placed in and so I will not attempt to justify it. Do know that I did care for you Harry" 

"You cared by forcing me to stay with an abusive family? You withheld information from me on purpose. I spent months trying to find these bloody Horcruxes if you had told me anything at all, I don't know… " He trailed off, shaking his head free of those what if thoughts, and spoke again "Once Sirius told me it was our choices that show us who we truly are. Tell me what does that say about you? No. I don't understand the position you were in, but you have even less knowledge of what I had been forced to endure"

"You have to understand…"

"No" Harry interrupted "I understand just fine. I was a tool at your disposal to shape and use at will to win a war that no young person should have gone through. And I don't care if I'm being selfish. I deserved a childhood. I deserved love too Albus! You played a steering hand in that and for that I cannot accept an apology from you, even if well intentioned" 

Dumbledore bowed his head "I understand. I have never said I was a good man. My choices, although seemed malicious with intent were all carefully calculated to get rid of Tom once and for all. It was in part my fault that he has come to where he is now because of me"

Harry wanted to huff out a breath but found himself unable to "At my own personal expense is that right?"

"That is correct Harry, again I cannot expect you to understand." He looked back up, his eyes no longer sparkled like they used to "My deepest apologies for how life had treated you, I can see now it is not fair, it is my wish that you can find some reprise after it is all done. You do not have to accept this, it is my last selfish ask from you that I may simply voice it."

Harry looked down on his hands, unmarked and unscarred in this pocket of the universe. He would not accept this apology, a man as great as Dumbledore was entirely too powerful to allow such misery - there was always an option. Still his morals were rumbled and unsteady, no one person is truly good or bad. Maybe one day he could find it in himself to forgive him but not now. 

Dumbledore got to his feet and padded behind Harry who kept his head down. "This is my train Harry"

Harry leapt to his feet, he hadn't even heard the train approaching. Was he to go with him? What was he to do now? The stone was supposed to bring him back so why didn't it? His mind spiraled with confusion as he stared blankly ahead. 

"You do not have a ticket Harry. This train is not for you." He turned back, white light refracting off his half-moon spectacles. "I do wish you find some reprise and that is the truth, I'm sorry I was not the man you wished I was"

The doors opened and his robes swirled around his body as he stepped into the train. Harry was reminded of the first time he had seen the man, how his young eyes had looked up immediately to him. Now, he looked like a half broken secretive man who felt the weight of the wizarding world on his shoulders. They were similar in that regard at least, and Harry couldn't just let him depart without saying something.

"Wait!" He shouted, "Where are you hoping to go?" 

Dumbledore turned fully this time, a wild goofy grin appearing on his face, something that startled Harry for which he had never seen before. 

"I am going to see Gellert, I have missed him so dearly you see. I'm sure you can understand, after all you cannot choose who you love" 

The doors slid shut before Harry could splutter out a response. He was then met with the reflection of the smoky glass of the automated doors and found himself staring at himself? But the mirror image was unlike him now: divots of dried blood rusted and pooled into the cupid’s bow, skin-tinged grey and almost lifeless and unlike his own blinking eyes, the other version of him had his eyes closed. He couldn't tear his own eyes from his other him, shaking when two massive breaking leather boots came into view. It was as if the glass was expanding, showing him one of those muggle movies, Hagrid had by now cradled him into his stuttering and heaving chest. 

Harry tore his eyes away and hid them behind his eyelids. A tear fell as the realization hit him with full force backed with a flame of hope. He did not have a ticket. He could leave! The flame burned higher now, the stone had worked! He could go back, take Voldemort by surprise and defeat him once and for all. His memories flashed a smiling, laughing blond boy at him. Yes. He would do this for himself, for his friends and for Draco, his fiancé.

All the pain, suffering and misfortune was worth much less than a future with the boy that he loved the most in the whole world. With a renewed determination he scanned the room and found the exit door near where he had arrived not long before, his legs carrying him urgently to the doors and pushing them harshly. With a start he found himself hurtling at an immense speed back from the sky, he could see the courtyard of Hogwarts coming closer and closer and he was plunged deeply back into his other body. 

Chapter 32: The End is Here

Summary:

Voldemort sneered, red eyes narrowing and his cloak blowing in the wind in such a way it resembled a ghost. He poised his wand, wrist twisted and dangerous.

"So go on! Kill me like you killed my mother!! Kill me like you killed my father! Kill me like you killed Cedric!" He paused for a second, chin jutting out as he caught his breath "Go on try me, let's see if you can finally beat an infant, you fucking coward!!"

Notes:

I recommended listening to I Know The End by Phoebe Bridgers during this. I wrote the bones of this whilst listening to it on repeat!

Also the artwork here is my own for a change! I hope you like it, even as rudimentary as it is. Drawing people is hard!

"Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort laughed, or what could be described as a chilling bark. His lips wide and teeth bared.

Harry's eyes opened and saw a bushy coat and nothing else. Based on the smell of the musky coat he knew it was Hagrid's. The stone had worked; he had fallen back into his body. Voldemort was tricked. He took in a deep breath and the arms holding him stiffened. With a huge effort he rolled himself out of them and landed with a curse on the ground.

"You know, you're pretty useless at this killing me business" Harry said breathlessly, stumbling to his feet. The world spun for a second as he found his balance, feeling trickling back into his limbs.

There were crowds of students huddled to Harry's left and the hushed silence was broken by sharp intakes of breath and whispering voices. There was a sound of a muffled cry and Harry didn't need to look over to know who it was. He focused forward instead, distinctly aware he had no weapon but rolled his shoulders back and stood tall regardless. Suddenly something was being hurtled towards him, and he managed to catch it at the last second. A wand. The magic was familiar, soothing and controlled. Draco's wand. He glanced to the side and saw him, pale faced and eyes red rimmed. Ron was beside him, caked in grime and blood and had an arm around Draco's sagging body. With the relief that they were safe he turned forward once again.

Voldemort snarled, white gums showing. "You are nothing but dead, the prophecy foretold it. I will not be outdone by a seventeen-year-old boy!"

Harry laughed bitterly gripping the wand tightly "Tom, a baby outdid you with one simple thing you never had and never could understand. Love. Living a half-life for what? Power? Great power is having memories to treasure and people who love you. You are nothing but a waste of space!"

Voldemort sneered, red eyes narrowing and his cloak blowing in the wind in such a way it resembled a ghost. He poised his wand, wrist twisted and dangerous.

"So go on! Kill me like you killed my mother!! Kill me like you killed my father! Kill me like you killed Cedric!" He paused for a second, chin jutting out as he caught his breath "Go on try me, let's see if you can finally beat an infant, you fucking coward!!"

In hindsight riling Voldemort up was not a good option however hindsight was often best used after the effect. His wand was raised and ready, but it still caught him by surprise when the first curse flew his way. There was no more fear only anger, resentment and years of unnecessary pain. He was no longer scared of disappearing, perhaps he could turn into a ghost to help lost kids. Perhaps he would stay in the train station waiting for a departure never to be fulfilled. Perhaps his parents would finally meet him and hold him again.

Harry was no match to his experience, but he was quick on his feet, and his defence spells were well versed. A confringo hit his shield, sparking up into a flash flame leaving the scent of ash in the wind. Voldemort casts again, a diffindo this time and Harry managed to roll out of the way to just catch his upper shoulder as it sliced through the air. He quickly fired back an overpowered stupefy and whilst Voldemort blocked it, the force skid him backwards a few feet. When a crucio whizzed towards him he cast a protego duo and it bounced off the opaque blue wall into the distance.

Draco's wand was serving him well but was not well matched to the power output required. Harry's magic was fizzing through its core with the overloaded force. With every spell he cast, every shield produced, the wand started to quiver. It was starting to crack. He felt a surge of panic as his expelliarmus left a deep splintered gash down the base of the wand, the magic seeping out as it started snapping from the inside out. It was only a matter of time before it broke. Voldemort had noticed and the thin teeth baring grin was back.

"Harry catch!"

Pansy tossed her wand through the air and Harry caught it with his left-hand right as the other wand disintegrated completely into ash, landing limply on the ground like a snapped tree branch. Her magic was sharper and elegant and bent to his will with ease. He immediately swapped it to his right hand and just in time.

Voldemort sneered with fury and shouted out his next spell. The bombarda hit him hard as Harry ducked with elbows up, his shield contracting inwards to surround him closely. The wall behind him crumbled into a thousand pieces and spluttered out in every direction, the stones scrounging a cloud of dust in its wake. The crowd watched in tense quivering silence as the dust cleared from the electrified air. From the particles of grey dust Harry appeared, his silhouette dark with shoulders back and head tipped upwards meeting those red dead eyes ahead of him.

The sky was ultraviolet and on any other day would have been lovely and breathtaking, but standing here face to face with Voldemort himself in the flesh it felt like a slap to the face. At least the universe had a sense of humour.

It was then a flame erupted from the tip of Voldemort's wand, growing in alarming size and speed and taking the shape of a snake. It slithered on the ground towards him, blue tipped scales and red tongue whipping out of its mouth.

"Aguamenti" Harry shouted, the wand quivering as the jets of water pulled together forming one giant wave. With a flick of a wrist it released, suffocating the scorching snake and fizzing away into nothingness.

Voldemort lifted his gaze from where the steam was hissing up at him. He hesitated slightly for a moment before setting his jaw once more. Everte Statum was thrown his way, but Harry blocked it again.

By now Voldemort had lost his temper. Slinging spells after spell. Curse after curse. All Harry could do was hold his ground, blocking and dodging. Any attempt at disarming the man was useless. When another powerful blast cracked the ground under his feet, did he lose his footing, tumbling forwards slightly while casting a powerful shield. The loose rocks flew up and hit the shield before thudding back to the ground.

His eyes glanced down at the wand in his hand; it was hot between his curled fingers and sweaty palm. It was fizzing from the inside, deep cracks splintering its way to the tip of the wand. With horror it crumbled in his hands and the ash fell to the ground, the core burning as it floated down to his feet. He watched it swing down gently and graciously and swallowed the lump in his throat.

Harry did the only thing he could at this point as Voldemort pointed his wand at him yet again, sneering like a greedy child in a toy shop. Harry had never seen him look so happy before. It was gut sickening to watch. With that twisted smile he yelled out "Avada Kadava!"

 

                                         

 

With no other choice, he knew he had to use his wandless magic. He threw his arms out and yelled as the rush of magic leaving his body made the crack within his core fracture and split. His magic met the green rope of magic halting it in its path, Voldemort jolted backwards, gripping harshly to the wand in hand. The spell changed from green to red as they both got their footing stable. The pain was almost unbearable, the miniscule cracks widening, splitting and tearing his core apart. It was excruciating. But he had no choice, he had to win this, he had to save wizard-kind. So, he grit his teeth and endured it as he had endured pain like this before. With exceptional effort his left hand pressed forward to match his right advancing his magic further.

His magic was blue splintering like lightning and melding to purple where it fought Voldemort's red strings. The small fly away wisps were electric blue and bright like an LED. The crowd huddled backwards at the sight as thunder began rolling from up above. The sky that was clear now clouded with maroon and deep purple clouds swirling around dangerously.

The end is near the whispering voice of the prophecy spoke to him. Push a bit harder. It is almost over.

Harry focused hard on pushing his magic away until the pain overwhelmed him completely and he drove to his knees as his legs gave out. The rubble dug into his knees, tearing the flesh there but Harry couldn't feel that. Instead, only a desperate wail ripping out of his throat that he couldn't recognize himself in. Somehow his arms stayed up, palms spread and shaking violently. His magic electrified the space around him, the hairs on his arms standing up in caution. There was a distant scream, but he could hardly hear with the blood pounding in his ears, and the whoosh of magic whirling around them in a dangerous swirling storm.

If he could see through the tears he would have seen Voldemort eyes widen in terror, an unexpected variable which would surely see him losing. He faltered for a moment the blue ropes of magic advancing co closely it could be seen reflected off his pale white skin. He quickly reconnected his own, pushing as hard as possible to force Harry's overwhelming power away.

This is going to kill me Harry realized, he could feel magic leaving his body much faster than it could ever be replaced. His life started flashing in his mind. A green flash. A slam of the cupboard door. Hagrid's kind face. The wonder of magic. Laughter. Friends. His first proper Christmas presents. They came faster, flicking like a picture book, darkening as it went on. He had hoped stupidly that maybe there was a way he could defeat him and live, but evidently prophecies must come true. He could feel his core disintegrating with every passing second. Every divot and crack spitting out electric hot agony and lighting his nerves on fire. They were licking heat and ice across his veins, boiling the nerve ends and resonating so deeply his bones ached. But he couldn't stop.

He sobbed and screamed again, deep and raw. Everything he loved; everything he wished he could have was not but half a courtyard away. Yet it was so far out of reach. He came back to life only to be dragged back down to that train station yet again. The hope flickered out, billows of sorrow arising in its place where the fire had been. A darkness filled his heart once again, it was difficult to tell what caused more pain - his core splintering into a thousand pieces, leaving the world with no way of returning, leaving his best friends or leaving Draco's arms empty.

The end is here. Both must die.

His magic had advanced and was now at the edge of overwhelming Voldemort once again and killing him once and for all. He had to do this. It was his destiny. With blurry eyes he saw whisps of familiar figures appearing, a faint red haired woman with a man standing tall at her side. They looked to be talking gently but Harry couldn't hear over the crackling magic in the air. He couldn't hear over his frantic panting and sobs of agony racking through his body.

"You can do it Harry! Keep going you're almost there!" Students were shouting out encouraging him. Harry found more within him, to keep his friends, family and lover safe. He wasn't alone. He wouldn't die alone. His friends were here. His parents were here. He wasn't scared anymore. The pain would stop, and Voldemort would be gone for good. Perhaps the universe was a kinder being than he had first thought.

He pushed one final time, left arm dropping to support his upper body as he sagged heavily, breaths tearing through his lungs as he thought of Draco. He thought of all the love he held for him, the pain of proposing and having that be the best worst moment of Harry's life. The deep ache of lost time and unfulfilled promises. All their happy memories. The nights holding each other in bed. The beaming smile on his face when Harry said I love you. He was glad at this moment he could not see him or hear him, the look on his face would kill Harry. But he could keep Draco safe. He could go back to his mum, and Harry the same, simply on different planes of existence.

In the distance someone screamed in terror, and the swish of the sword arched through the air and sliced Nagini's head clean off. The snake's tongue flicking for a moment before slipping off the rest of its squirming body and thudding to the ground. Voldemort made a noise of pain, his magic wobbling dangerously as his last horcrux broke down.

Voldemort's magic broke and he collapsed to his knees, Harry's magic tearing into him and his mouth opened in a scream, head tilted up at the sky, yet no sound came out. Instead, his skin cracked on the surface, greying and chalking before peeling off and floating into the dusty air. He was disintegrating, now that everything that kept him clinging to life was shattered and destroyed. The fragile shell of life that held his body together vanishing and denied humanity. Denied the privilege of decomposition, for the earth would not see the cask as human. After all, Voldemort had never held nor upheld humanity. Now he turned to dust, floating into the atmosphere and carried away by the wind. Blown away like spluttering cigarette ash.

Harry pulled his magic back, but it was too late. There was nothing left. His core creaked from where it had been completely cracked open and unusable like a clay pot dropped on the ground. Pieces jagged and no longer fitting back in place, too damaged to function.

The world spun around him as he collapsed onto the ground with mouth agape. His heart thudded like a drum in chest as he saw a transparent hand reach out from above him. His hand reached out with whatever strength he had left.

"Come along Harry, Mum will keep you safe now" His hand passed through hers and landed limply on the ground.

His breath rushed out of him, a slight smile on his lips as he stuttered out his last breath. His heart constricted once more and stilled. With eyes shut everything faded into darkness once again. A tear rolled down his cheek and past his parted unmoving mouth. He was with his mother now. He had fulfilled his destiny. 

Notes:

I am so proud of this chapter, it came together just the way I wanted. I do hope you enjoy! Also Voldemort died like in the movies simply because he did not have enough left of him to die as a man. He was a chemical at best, like a phosphorus meeting air and turning into a gas.

A side of angst anyone? Will Harry's story end here? Read on to find out!! Next chapter coming soon!!

Chapter 33: The Sting of Death, The Kiss of Life.

Summary:

Harry Potter was really dead this time. He lay limbs awkward and the distinct lack of movement in the chest and lips was so unnaturally unsettling Snape felt a vicious shiver run down his back. Harry's eyes were closed, the remnants of still wet tears on his pale cheeks and a shadow of a rueful smile on his face. His glasses lay discarded and broken off to the side.

No. He couldn't be dead. Not really dead. No! This poor boy deserved better than this. Come on think! Surely there must be something he could do.

Notes:

I am formally apologizing for the emotional damage, war takes and never gives.

Snape rushed forward to the limp body on the ground, he turned the boy over onto his back and leaned in looking, feeling and listening for a sign of life. Any sign of life at all, just one. Harry's chest didn't move and the pulse under his fingers never came. He came to a startlingly cold realization. Harry Potter was really dead this time. He lay limbs awkward and the distinct lack of movement in the chest and lips was so unnaturally unsettling Snape felt a vicious shiver run down his back. Harry's eyes were closed, the remnants of still wet tears on his pale cheeks and a shadow of a rueful smile on his face. His glasses lay discarded and broken off to the side.

No. He couldn't be dead. Not really dead. No! This poor boy deserved better than this. Come on think! Surely there must be something he could do. He thought back to the muggle hospital where he had dressed up and waited for Harry to regain consciousness. There he had witnessed a man collapsing onto the floor and nurses and doctors rushing over putting their hands on his chest. It seemed wild but he had read a pamphlet about it afterwards. They called it CPR. Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation. To pump the blood around the body in an attempt to bring the person back. Joint hands pressing deep into the chest and releasing. A Muggle box which when stuck via pads electrified the person and breathing into the person's mouth to stimulate breath. It was worth a try at least, he owed it to the boy. He owed it to Lily to give her only son a chance to live. Harry Potter had sacrificed himself too many times already, the great weight of the expectations lining his pockets heavy ever since he stepped foot into Hogwarts. 

"Draco!" He shouted, but he didn't need to because he was already on his knees beside Harry's head.

Draco stared, fingers frozen from where they had reached out to touch him. "Is he?....Merlin no no no please Harry"

Snape took a quick breath "I need you to tilt his head back, when I tell you, pinch his nose and put your mouth over his and push your breath into him"

"W..what? But..." He stammered but Snape ignored him, leaning forwards and finding what he hoped was the correct spot in the middle of his chest.

Heel of the hand, another on top and elbows locked. Fear gripped him as he pushed down hard and released. Okay just count. A bit quicker than that, twice a second you can do it. He kept giving the compressions wincing when he felt ribs crack under his hands, Harry could be mad at him when he woke up. They were being slowly surrounded now by other students and teachers, no one saying a word as they stood rooted to the spot with hands over mouths. His heavy breathing and muttered counting and Draco's gasping crying were the only sound being made. 

28. 29. 30.

"Draco now. 2 breaths" he did as he was told, Harry's chest rising twice but otherwise still unmoving.

He returned to the compressions, sweat dripping off him. He thought wildly about what else to do, maybe he could replicate that Muggle contraption that shocked the man? Why not try he thought desperately. By now they had been completely surrounded, barely any space in-between bodies as Hermione and Ron wrestled their way through the crowd and gasping in horror when they saw the scene.

"You two" Snape said panting. 20. 21. "Vanish his shirt and get ready to use the shocking charm on either side of his ribs" They stared at him in shock "Now!"

They did as they were told, quickly vanishing the bloodied and ruined shirt. Ron was pressed close to Snape's side and pressed the tip of his shaking wand into the ridge of Harry's prominent rib cage. Opposite him Hermione was glassy eyed and reached to caress Harry's grey tinged cheek gently for a moment. 

29. 30.

"Draco another two breaths, you're doing well" the boy did as he was told again, fingers white from how hard he was holding Harry's face.

"Right, now move back, on the count of one I want you two to shock him." Draco shuffled back hastily as Snape leant back on his knees out of range.

"Three, Two, One!"

Harry's chest heaved upwards for a moment from the shock, head moving to the side limply. His chest remained still, lips now taking on a blueish tinge. Draco scrambled forwards again, mummering under his breath and running a hand carefully through Harry's dust filled hair, as he had done not but a few nights ago. 

With adrenaline running in his veins Snape jumped back onto the boys chest again, pressing down hard and then releasing again and again. Every press of the still heart pushed the edges of Harry's shattered magical core together, the magic sparking and fizzing out when it couldn't conduct. Come on Harry, come back to me. Come back to us. Snape kept going even though his arms were burning and his lungs tired. He couldn't let Harry go. He wouldn't. 

"Another two breaths Draco, Ron and Hermione get ready to shock again" He commanded in-between gasps. 

Draco leant forward, pinching Harry's nose, hand tilting his jaw up and backwards. He took in a lungful of air and found Harry's cooling lips, pressing the air into his lungs. He did once more before leaning back and wiping furiously at tears that were clouding his vision. He and Snape moved away for a moment to avoid being shocked themselves as Hermione and Ron nodded and cast at the same time. 

They watched in horror as Harry's body twitched upwards again violently, head rocking to one side. After the longest second in all of their combined lives did it finally work. Harry's chest rose with a noisy breath, fingers twitching minutely and eyelashes fluttering. Harry was breathing. He was alive again. Snape's shaking hands felt for a pulse, blinking back tears when he felt it bounding against his cold fingertips. He was alive! It had worked!

He collapsed, now sobbing into his hands. Ron who was nearest him pulled him into a fierce hug and cried with him. And for once Snape allowed himself to be drawn into the embrace and they sat there for a moment clinging to each other. 

Now cradling Harry's head Draco stared at Snape, eyes wide "You saved him! You...thank you!" And then he dropped down to cradle Harry's head which was now on his lap, leaning down to kiss his forehead with fresh streaming tears and muttering to the now breathing teenager "I love you, I love you so much! Thank you for coming back. Oh Merlin"

The crowd that had formed sighed out a collective relief and cheered. Snape must have looked a bit mental after all, doing all that but clearly muggles have some useful knowledge after all. The crowd dissipated after that and Snape rushed to his feet to find Pomfrey or find out at least what the plan was. The victory of bringing Harry back to life felt short lived when he saw the scene around him. A first year child laying on the ground, dead eyes staring up into the sky. Puddles of blood mixed with mud that stumbling students splashed in as they retreated to safety. A huddle of three friends clutched together, now statue still and embracing for eternity. The noise in the air was a mix of teachers frantically shouting instructions, children shouting in pain and calling out for their parents, and the cries of many hunched over their loved ones. It was enough to make Snape feel nauseous. 

Over near the main hall was George hunched over and wailing over what had to be his twin brother. They had been inseparable in all their years at Hogwarts, always creating havoc and creating prank after prank. As if in slow motion Molly had turned and noticed, her eyes wide before sprinting over, collapsing on her knees and cradling Fred's face in her hands as she wept. Snape turned his head, it was too painful to watch. At least Harry was spared the pain of watching the aftermath. 

Near a half broken wall lay the blonde girl Snape had seen helping Harry in the search of the diadem. He recalled seeing Luna skipping around the school with a bright smile; she was innocent, pure and underserving of this fate. There was a small colorful bird resting on her as if passing respects as she lay unmoving in a pool of her own blood where claws had torn and ripped. The house elves were standing near her once brightly blond hair and were muttering their thanks. Dobby with a flick of his magic conjured a pastel collage of flowers to weave into her hair as tears dripped off his nose. Harry would be devastated by the loss. Snape shuddered, suppressed a gag and pushed past it for now. Harry needed urgent medical attention. He could do little for the others. 

Harry's eyes blinked half open, seeing blurry faces and indistinguishable noise. His chest hurt with every breath and he was sure this wasn't the train station, it was far too dusty and miserable. And there were definitely no trains. He was aware he was laying on an uneven cold ground but couldn't tell where. Thinking was too much for him right now, let alone remembering anything about why he was on said ground.

"Am I dead?" He tried to ask but it came out as a mumble. His head was on someone's lap and he was surrounded by what was likely Ron and Hermione. The faint blurry outline of red and wild bushy hair was enough to recognize them. A wave of exhaustion hit him all at once and his eyelids felt far too heavy. Grey eyes appeared before him and widened in surprise? Or was it relief Harry couldn't be sure, he felt so tired. He was just going to have a small nap.

"Harry you're alive" Draco had said before Harry's world darkened yet again. 

Snape had returned now with Madame Pomfrey on his heels, she took one look and got to work. Her face paling when the diagnostic charm came back. It was never a good sign when a healer looked that worried. 

"Severus, take this boy to St.Mungo's immediately. His magical core is almost fully separated" 

Snape didn't need told twice, with the help of the others they carefully lifted his limp body onto the conjured stretcher and rushed stumbling over fallen rocks and splintered concrete beams. Draco followed the levitating stretcher on shaking legs, mind whirling and worry deep seated in his chest. His worry skyrocketed when they finally entered St.Mungo's through her floo access and Harry was quickly surrounded by various healer who all looked equally worried. There were various potions pulled out of pouches, wands casting unknown spells and equipment conjuring and attaching themself to Harry's unconscious body. They starting talking unknown words and values to the healer wearing dark green. 

"Resps 30, sats sitting at 90%. Arrythmia, manual pulse 125. Hypotensive at 80/45. Temp 35.8 C. Reactive only to pain. Pupils equal and reactive +2"

"Various soft tissue damage. Two broken ribs. Extensive damage to magical core" 

"Bolus 250 of warm saline, let's get a mask on him to 3L. Paige prep operating room one and get Healer Smith urgently. And someone make IMU aware of a potential admission" 

Draco had stopped listening, heart dropping and hands reaching out as Harry unconscious and limp was pulled quickly behind the restricted doors. Someone steered him to a chair and he followed without a thought. A mug of warm tea was thrust into his hands, he held it until it went cold. He wanted Harry. He couldn't face loosing him again. Once was difficult enough. Twice was unbearable. His leg jittered, eyes darting around, body jumping out of the plastic seat every time the doors opened. Hours past, maybe days, it didn't matter; time didn't feel real. Hermione had her arm around him coaxing him into eating an underfilled sandwich when the doors opened for the thousandth time. 

"Mr. Malfoy?" 

Notes:

Emotional turmoil! And does Snape really have a heart? It would appear so. Let me know your thoughts about the CPR I thought it was an interesting take that I've seen in some other fics before and wanted to get my own spin on it. Also fun fact after successful return of circulation people are often a touch hypothermic and in shock.

Some questions you may have will be answered in the upcoming chapters. I do hope you forgive me but the reality of a war is the innocent are often needlessly killed. The pure of heart would sacrifice in the light of others and Luna is no exception, what happened will be explained later on.

This fic is very close to finishing but fret not there shall be comfort.

Chapter 34: Kintsugi

Summary:

Draco hated the thought of Harry being so small and breakable in that bed. It had taken courage to reach out and carefully wrap his fingers around Harry's limp hand; scared of hurting him. He wished more than anything to see his green eyes, to see that smile and hear his voice. But he was more than grateful that Harry was alive after all the events of the long and tedious day. Still the severity of his condition left him so fragile that the worry of losing him wasn't far from a reality. 

Harry was lying in the crisp white sheets of the hospital bed when Draco finally set his tired eyes on him again. Somehow the sight of him wasn't as comforting as it had been in his head. There were various plastic tubes attached to his frail and battered body, delivering different bottles of potions and saline. A blood replenishing concoction running into a plastic knob nestled in the right elbow dripped steady red drops into his body. There was a larger set of lines coming from deep in the side of his neck. He was in a crisp thin gown, a long, red-soaked bandage peeking out from just under his collarbones. Harry was pale, still and half his face was covered in a self-suctioning oxygen mask. Multiple machines ticked in the background, each one more complex than the other one. 

He had been put in a magical coma. His core had been so severely damaged that the specialist healer had done his best to realign the pieces together. The issue was the pieces were so misshapen and brittle, that the only way to allow the magic to conduct itself was to carefully jigsaw them together. The now stable core was a jumbled chaos and only stabilized when compacted, leaving no channels open to reach into the reservoir and use it. The mess left ensured Harry could live. However, the consequence being that Harry would be unable to use magic again. He had almost died on the table, making that three times in one day. 

Draco hated the thought of Harry being so small and breakable in that bed. It had taken courage to reach out and carefully wrap his fingers around Harry's limp hand; scared of hurting him. He wished more than anything to see his green eyes, to see that smile and hear his voice. But he was more than grateful that Harry was alive after all the events of the long and tedious day. Still the severity of his condition left him so fragile that the worry of losing him wasn't far from a reality. 

He had never been to the Intensive Magical Unit before, and it wasn't what he imagined. There was an air of calm and control. Medi-witches and Healers watching their patients carefully, taking notes every hour on the dot, checking vitals and tinkering with medication lines. The staff were kind. Kind enough to procure an old well used recliner so he could fall asleep watching the rhythmic movement of Harry's chest. 

Days past and Draco sat diligently beside him, holding his hand and feeling the pulse under his fingers. Harry's hair was always brushed back carefully by the staff, although it refused to stay tame and was wild within hours. By now he was breathing completely on his own, but the tubes persisted. There was a new one taped to his cheek, the tube reaching into the stomach providing calorie potions and nutrient rich serums. 

Days turned into weeks. By now there was a rota: his mum would come in the mornings, Ron in the afternoon and Hermione in the evenings. Molly and Arthur came on Saturday mornings. Blaise talked to him on Sunday afternoons. Draco took over during the night, eyes never straying from him for long. Weeks turned into a month. Only after a month did they finally hear some good news. 

"Well, I am glad to say that Mr. Potter is healing up nicely, his magical core has almost fully stabilized now. What this means is we can start the process of waking him up. As exciting as this is for you, it is important to note how distressing this will be for him. It would be best to not overwhelm him too much. He will be very tired and will need plenty of rest. There is a long journey of recovery ahead of you all"

Draco felt a weight lift "Healer Smith, Thank you for everything, really. Your team has been more than lovely to us" 

"Of course. We will start the process as soon as possible. I'll not be far" 

Harry's world was dark when one by one his muted senses came back to him. There was a bright light that was now burning through his closed eyelids. He felt heavy, limbs weighed down with a deep exhaustion. There was a deep sense of being uncomfortable, like an itch he couldn't scratch. He had been having a peculiar dream. One with hushed voices, gentle hands and confusing memories. It was the type of dream that seemed never-ending yet also mere seconds. The type of dream where you can't move despite the amount of fighting to twitch a mere finger. A mind melding blur of reality and voices that seemed oddly familiar. Someone had sung a soothing melody, the song twisting and turning into something unrecognizable. There were hands holding his, soothing up and down his lead laden arm. All different yet the same at the same time. 

Next his hearing started to become sharper, there were distant sounds of machines' whirring, voices speaking nearby, doors swinging and clipped footsteps on hard floor. It was difficult to pinpoint any of the voices in this heavy blanket of tiredness until one on his left spoke. 

"No, I'm alright just now. Thank you though" A familiar voice said softly beside him. 

Draco. Why was he here? The last thing in his rumbled mind was reaching for his mother. Or was that a dream? He remembered pain, fear and chaos. Had he battled Voldemort or was that just part of his obscure dream too? Was Draco real? Was this real? The fatigue slowly ebbed away over time; it was impossible to tell how much had passed before he felt able to even open his eyes. 

With a lot of effort, he managed to squint his eyes open, the room was blurry, white and bright. He blinked sluggishly as the light burnt into eyes making them water. He was back in the train station, wasn't he? The air was clinical here too. But why was he lying down? Why were other people here? Nothing made any sense. 

"Hey Harry, you're okay. You're in St. Mungo's right now" 

What? This wasn't the train station? Was this real? His memory came back to him quickly in a rush. The battle. His core tearing apart within him. He had died. So why wasn't he dead? Was this all just an ill joke played on him. 

With difficulty he turned his head to the side, desperate to seek the truth. He could make out the blurry outline of a young man perched on the edge of a deep blue chair. The man had blonde hair and was smiling. Draco. Fuck. Draco was dead too. They were both dead. It had all been in vain. A monitor in the background started beeping steadily faster, echoing his panicking heart. 

Draco's free hand rushed to soothe his arm "It's okay Harry. You're alive. We're both alive" 

Harry's sluggish world stopped. The current spiral he was in untwisted, crashing into the memories that were now clear as day. The machine beeped again. Draco's hand left his arm and leaned over him and placed the familiar weight of glasses on his nose. There was the familiar scent of him that sparked something deep inside. The red hoodie that obscured his view moved and Draco's face came into focus. His blonde hair was messy, tugged with stressed hands like he did when he was overwhelmed. He looked tired, dark circles hugging under his eyes. But there was something else on his face. Relief. Love. 

He lifted his nearest hand, still clumsy and drug laden, and with difficulty cupped Draco's warm cheek. His cheek pressed further into his hand, like an affectionate cat. Grey eyes warmed, gazing at him as if the touch meant the world. 

"Are you sure we're alive?" His voice came out rough. 

Draco smiled, a wide and toothy grin, and nodded. "Yes love, here" 

Harry’s hand was moved down to the side of Draco's pale neck, two fingers pressing into the bounding jugular there. He quickly released his clumsy hand and went to feel for his own and feeling it thud there as the expanding and contracting of the rib muscles moved his hand.  It was an immediate relief. Such a sense of relief that Harry burst into tears. Draco pulled close, with a comforting hand combing through his hair, gentle fingers wiping away tears carefully underneath the glasses lenses. 

When he eventually calmed down, he blurted out "But how? I died. I remember dying." 

Draco sat back down in his seat, the plastic scuffing the floor as he pulled himself impossibly close.  He took Harry's hand in his again as if by second nature, this time his fingers curled back. 

"You can thank Snape for that, he used muggle CRP or was it CPR? Doesn't matter. He brought you back" 

Harry blinked heavily, finally looking around the room as best he could. It wasn't any hospital ward he had been in before. Several healers noticed him glancing around the expansive floor and waved at him with a smile. There were two large white privacy curtains either side of him. 

"What ward is this?" He asked. 

"Intensive Magical Unit, you were in bad shape when we brought you here. They had to do a surgery to repair your magical core" 

He hadn't even heard of the ward, but he must have been in very bad shape to warrant this. Harry looked down, peeking underneath the hospital gown and saw the scar. It was long, running from the jugular notch and running down neatly to the end of his ribs. It was pink, raised and textured against the grain of his thumb. 

"It worked right?" 

Draco bit his lip and swallowed. 

"What? What is it?" 

"I don't think I should be the one to tell you my love" 

"Why not?" Harry asked wearily. 

"The Healer should tell you, he's around somewhere. Smith is great, he's always so patient with me. He's been keeping a close eye on you ever since the surgery. Merlin, I need to let mum know. And Ron and Hermione. Blaise too. Snape will want to see you too, he's been awfully worried about you" 

Harry stilled blinking heavily "Draco... how long was I asleep for?" 

"Well... uh after the surgery they had to put you into a magical coma for a while. It's been a month" He replied softly, fiddling with Harry's fingers. 

"I've been in a coma for a month? Wait what happened at the battle? Is Voldemort dead? Shit did anyone..." 

Draco leaned in "I don't want to overwhelm you alright? healers orders. You need to rest. But yes, we won."

"No. You have to tell me. Who did we lose?" 

Draco shook his head "I don't want to upset you. When you're a bit better okay?" 

Harry glanced down at their joint hands and smiled weakly "You're wearing it" 

"Of course. Terrible proposal by the way, you have the worst timing" 

Harry snorted in response "It worked, didn't it? Are you alright?" 

Draco shook his head fondly "How could I say no to you? I'm okay, better now you're awake. You should get some sleep, I'll be here when you wake up" 

"I'm not tired" Harry lied, lids heavy and drooping quickly. He was asleep in a matter of minutes. He didn't feel his glasses being lifted off his nose, nor the blankets smoothed and pulled up to his chest. 

When he awoke again Draco was standing beside him, there was a man standing clad in a green uniform and holding a large clipboard. They were in the middle of a soft conversation when the healer noted he was awake. His glasses were placed on his nose by Draco, and they came into focus. 

"Ah, Harry. Pleasure to see you awake. I'm healer Smith specialist in magical core repairs" 

"Er... nice to meet you" 

The healer smiled warmly "I appreciate that Draco has filled you in some details, but I would like to discuss what has happened so far. It must be disorienting waking up after so much time has passed" 

"Just a tad" He joked in response. 

Draco side stepped to allow him to approach. Smith nodded his head in thanks and settled on a chair nearby "This will likely come as a shock. Unfortunately, your magical core was so damaged that we had to repair it by reconnected the only viable sections left. This unfortunately left no way for your magic to be accessed anymore" 

Harry blinked "What are you saying?" 

Smith took in a measured breath "I'm sorry to say that you can no longer cast magic anymore." 

The pang of disappointment was heavy. He didn't say anything for a while. "Like... forever?" 

The healer nodded curtly and rattled on about something else, but Harry wasn't really listening anymore. He could no longer use magic. The entire magical world that he held so dear was out of reach now. He was essentially a squib now. Draco wouldn't want to be with him now, right? 

The healer left after a moment, but Harry didn't notice. Draco sat down quickly on the now vacated seat and gripped his hand tightly "I've been looking into muggle properties if you wanted that. There's this lovely flat in Soho I saw on Hermione's computer." 

Harry stared "I have nothing to protect you with now. You can leave. I won't blame you Draco"

"We have nothing to fight now. I wouldn't leave you for the world. If you choose to leave magic behind, then I will follow you. You, Harry James Potter, are stuck with me" 

"Didn't you hear him? I'm useless now." 

Draco shook his head vigorously "As long as I have you Harry, that's all that matters. Don't forget we have a wedding to plan love"

 "You won't leave me?" He asked, voice breaking. 

Draco lifted their joint hands and kissed the back of his hand, eyes brimmed with a love and a future. "Never. I'd follow you to the ends of the earth. I would leave magic behind for you. I would..."

"Okay I get it" He interrupted before tears began to form "I just... don't know where to start" 

Draco shrugged lightly "One day at a time. Life is ours to explore and enjoy. As soon as you're better we're going a well-deserved holiday. I'm with you every step of the way alright?" 

Harry gave him a wobbly smile "Would I get in trouble if you kiss me right now?"

"Probably" 

"Well, I've never been a fan of rules" 

Draco rolled his eyes, leaning forward carefully and meeting Harry's lips in a short peck, then littering the rest of his face with fleeting flyaway kisses. Harry giggled, turning his face at the sudden attack. Everything was alright again. Everything would work out. Excitement bounced in his veins, a deep childlike joy rising to the surface. He was excited to finally live. 

Notes:

Harry never dies. He just nearly does about three times in one day, no biggie! Finally there is some comfort to the ongoing hurt.

Chapter 35: Epilogue

Summary:

It was moments like this, leant against the door frame that Draco's shoulders would go lax. The nightmares, screaming and panic attacks were not so present now. Draco hadn't scrambled up on the verge of his own panic attack when he heard Harry scream, the scars of the ones from the battle still throbbed. But scars fade over time, heal over and turn golden. Things were getting brighter, like a small candle flickering in the dark.

After another month in the rehabilitation wing of St.Mungo's, Harry was finally given all clear. His muscles were still weak, but he had met his goal of managing two flights of stairs, and strength would come with time and outpatient appointments. He could go home. 

His newly appointed mind-healer had encouraged him to try and find some way to bridge the guilt he had felt. Survivor's guilt he called it. The thought of him just lying there whilst Ron needed him most at Fred's funeral gnawed on him constantly. So as soon as he could walk, he went to the various head stones. Hermione had collected the leaflets of remembrance, and he held them to his chest as he stood six feet above them in the soil. He visited every grave, every young student that lost their life in the battle, donated to their families and then went home and wept.

They visited Luna one afternoon. He made a daisy chain and Draco who had sat down next to him enchanted it to forever bloom. In her last moments she protected the house elves from a blood thirsty werewolf, now in return they spread grass and wildflower seed on the soil and watered it every morning. Dobby would make a lavender cake every Sunday and would leave a warmed slice on the headstone. Her grave was a light reminder of the life she still provided, the rainbow glitter stone shone in the sun; it was as if she were still smiling.

Freds was one of the most difficult, Molly was already there when he and Draco arrived. She was knitting a jumper, chatting absentmindedly and sipping at her cup of tea. There was a charmed cup sitting on the grey granite, with three sugars and plenty of milk. Just how he liked it. When Molly spotted them, she rushed over and brought them together in a tight embrace. The three of them stayed until their stomachs rumbled and Molly, with wet tears sticking her lashes together said she would come back soon. Turning his back had never been so difficult.

He was grateful to be alive but was admittedly lost. He wandered the halls of Grimmauld, disgruntled and uneasy. His friends noticed, of course but they couldn't help. He was lost in-between worlds, not quite fitting in either; an imposter with half matching, half wrong. He found it difficult to think about his future, for half a year he had been sure he would not make it out the other side and so was ill-prepared. Could he face working as a squib with the tug of magic far out of reach as others used it as if it was nothing? Could he face lying about his life to the muggle world? Instead, he took a breath, as his mind healer suggested, and focused on the day to day.

Art therapy is where he found the spark that had been absent for so long. The stroke of a brush, the blend of paint across a canvas; it took his mind of his overwhelming thoughts. He had never considered himself artistic or creative before, but perhaps he hadn't been given the opportunity to do so. So, he dove in, Draco would find him hunched over in the study with charcoal smudged over fingertips and right under his eyebrow where he fixed his glasses. Harry would be smiling, humming to the wireless as he blended the chalk with his fingers. It was moments like this, leant against the door frame that Draco's shoulders would go lax. The nightmares, screaming and panic attacks were not so present now. Draco hadn't scrambled up on the verge of his own panic attack when he heard Harry scream, the scars of the ones from the battle still throbbed. But scars fade over time, heal over and turn golden. Things were getting brighter, like a small candle flickering in the dark.

"You should go to art school Harry, you've got something really promising here" Narcissa said one evening.

Harry stared with spoon halfway to his mouth; his arms littered with stubborn acrylic. "You really think so?"

"You would make a great artist Harry" she said truthfully, smiling at him.

So that's what he did. He enrolled in a local muggle college and found a passion for something other than thrill seeking and danger. There was a peace in it, a calmness and a deep love for the discipline. He met friends, finding the love for muggle life alongside it all. He decided to stay at Grimmauld for a while, until him and Draco figured out what their next step was. It was coinvent for travel to the various classes he attended during the week. Narcissa was happy for the company, and she became a mother he had never had. 

Draco went back to Hogwarts for 8th year, he had been hesitant to talk about it, a fear of bringing up harmful memories for Harry. He wanted to train as a healer, hating the feeling of helplessness during the final battle. But Harry insisted he should go, he was alright now. There was no danger. They would fire call every weekend. So, Draco hugged Harry tight, kissing him softly before turning and boarding the train. Narcissa and Harry waved him off, then stopping at a chippie for lunch on the way home.

Hermione returned to Hogwarts too, wishing to go into a law degree after graduating to create legislation to correct the outdated Wizarding ones. She had been furious after Pansy was arrested on sight by Aurors at the battle scene and immediately thrown into Azkaban. There was almost no trial, but Hermione had persevered. She worked through every small discrepancy and loophole in the legal paperwork and forced the court to allow a trail. Her speech to the high court was lengthy and passionate. Pansy had been the one to draw the sword of Gryffindor as Nagini had slithered closer and closer to Hermione, just about to strike. With courage coursing through her veins, she swung the sword and sliced the head of the snake clean off. Hermione of course argued and pressed until the court leant in her favour. Pansy had saved her life multiple times and had done her part to repent for her mistakes. 

So now, Pansy had been allowed back to Hogwarts too, although under strict guidelines. She wished to become a potion master, enjoying the precision and intensity it provided. Harry heard that they had been caught snogging in at least five different parts of the castle and cuddled almost every night. Draco liked to complain with a smile about how often he caught them in alcoves lost in their own little world. 

Ron couldn't face returning to Hogwarts, he instead went to work with George in the shop, and the two had never been closer. The business expanding and they were working on opening a second shop. He came over to Grimmauld place every Friday night and shared an Indian takeaway while watching the muggle tv. 

Draco, Pansy and Hermione graduated with high grades. Harry had never been prouder of them and had spent the day baking a cake with Narcissa to celebrate. Snape flooed over that night and brought with him a vintage aged red wine and a smile. Snape often came over during school terms, bringing with him stories and a warm gaze for the ones he found love and family in. 

Draco and Harry took a break after their respected courses finalized and enjoyed a luxurious three-week holiday in France. They lounged by the pool, ate copious amounts of cheese and drank wine till their heads hurt. They would giggle and run up to their villa before pressing each other into the sheets and tearing off each other’s clothes. Holding hands whilst perusing the various market stalls with sunshine burning their necks. Draco bought Harry everything he wanted, various trinkets and famous fudges. Harry just smiled and squeezed his hand tighter. 

Harry and Draco got married a year and a half later. It was a private affair, light and beautiful. Narcissa walked Draco down the aisle, her warm and loving gaze finding his as she squeezed his hand. Molly and Snape walked Harry up the isle proudly, their arms linked and a carefree smile on their faces. Draco had looked breathtaking in his luxurious white and gold tuxedo; Harry had never seen a more beautiful thing in his life. The ceremony was short and sweet. Harry stumbled in his speech and Draco cried before he even finished it. Both their hands shook as they slid the ring onto each other’s hands and yet their smile never wavered. It was the perfect celebration of unwavering love and commitment and left them giddy and fuzzy with overwhelming love. Hermione left with a glint in her eye and a lingering hand on the small of Pansy's back. It didn't take her long to propose after that. 

Now, with a gold band on his finger Draco was ready to start his three-year training healer course. Now they were ready to move out, and Harry had applied for another year long art course in central London. Their flat was higher end, one with large arched windows and polished marble kitchen counters. It was theirs. Fireplace cluttered with various trinkets and keepsakes. A small collection of fridge magnets, personalized aprons and a large spice rack lived in the kitchen. Harry made the third bedroom into an art study, furnished with a large wooden table in the middle of the room and various easels angled towards the window. One of the walls was lined with various storage, blank canvases propped against the furniture. It was messy but had everything he could ever want or need in that room. The flat was theirs and Harry couldn't be happier. 

 

Two years later

 

"Nervous?" Draco asked.

Harry bumped shoulders with him, sipping at his champagne flute. "A bit, I hope it's enough of a tribute"

After a year of hard work Harry was opening his first exclusive exhibition for the loved and lost. They were standing in front of a painting of a delicate flower of all pastel pink, purple and baby blues. Small yellow and green shapes floated around it. It was called 'Nargles'. Across the room was a piece through the viewing finder of a camera, zoomed in to see a sloping hill framed with large autumn leaves trees. It was called 'Colin's Camera'. Further along there was a large horizontal oil painting of endless lavender fields bathed in a dipping sunset. The title card underneath read 'Lavender Fairy Fields'. On the adjacent wall was a simple watercolor of two pale, freckled hands clasped together called 'Forever Here'. At the end was a mixed media of large, towering white pillars and gleaming tiles, in the centre a fussy, pixelated man in charcoal. That one was titled 'All In My Head'. More and more of these hung on the walls of the building. 

Draco squeezed his hand warmly "More than enough love. The paintings are beautiful. I couldn't be prouder of you. Have you thought about what you wanted to do after this exhibition?"

Harry smiled, full and proper "I think I can move on, finally, you know. I'm thinking something brighter."

Draco gazed at him softly and with adoration. The future was bright. The future was theirs. He had never been prouder of his husband. Harry pulled him for a kiss, and Draco like all those years ago melted into it. Harry smiled into it, and when he pulled back his eyes were bright and full of life. 

"I love you"

"Until death do us part my love" Draco responded, his cool hand caressing the stubble on Harry's jaw. 

Notes:

Hope you enjoyed this last chapter! I think it wraps up everything perfectly, at least from my point of view. That despite everything everyone finds a way to move on, casting a better light on the situation.

Huge huge thank you to anyone that has given this fic a chance and read it! It means the world to me that I can share this and others can enjoy all my ideas and words. This series has been a work in progress over many years, and despite everything I can now finally finish it. And I'm proud of finally finishing such a close project to me.

Onto more writing now! I have some great ideas to come to life! Thank you all again!!

Notes:

Note artwork came from google and I edited it slightly. It does not belong to me!

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of The Re-sorting hat series