A/N: This is kinda a peace offering as I won't have time to write anything new for a while. I managed to recover this fic and a few others from the Hard Drive of my drowned laptop. The others I will also post eventually during the interim. Please drop a review at the end even if it's just to say hi and have a chat.
Warning: Mature themes of referenced past abuse and implied past rape.
OoOoO
Harry was startled when a body dropped down to sit beside him where he was sat on the edge of the Great Lake. He hadn't heard anyone approach from behind him as he was so wrapped up in analysing the events of the Triwizard tournament and trying to pick out the places that he went wrong that led to Cedric's death. Not that he expected anyone - Harry assumed that everyone would be in the Great Hall. There was some sort of Frankenstein hybrid celebration being held, in part to celebrate Hogwarts victory and to see the other schools off that had been somewhat morbidly spliced with a remembrance service for Cedric.
Turning to look at the person now seated on his left Harry was again startled to realise that it was the one and only Draco Malfoy as opposed to Hermione or Ron like he had been expecting. The other boy was mirroring Harry's position, hugging his knees to his chest and staring at something in the distance past the lake as if to avoid looking at Harry.
"Look Ma-" Harry started mentally preparing a tirade in a vain and likely failed attempt to get the blonde to back of before.
"I am sorry." muttered Malfoy cutting him off, "I am sorry about Diggory," he said with his gaze still fixed on something in the distance.
"Wha-" Harry was stunned and his sluggish brain refused to come up with anything intelligible to say.
"It's hard to lose someone you love," continued Malfoy, "Even harder when you have to watch them die." despite continuing his refusal to look at Harry and the fact the Harry didn't know the blonde on a personal level Harry could tell that he was talking from experience.
Distracted from the weirdness of having a sincere conversation without trading barbs his walls slammed down. How could Malfoy know? He couldn't possibly know. Harry and Cedric had been careful to keep their relationship a secret. "I'm sorry, what?"
Beside him Malfoy tensed, finally sliding his gaze over to rest on Harry, "You and Diggory were together weren't you?"
Harry understood what Malfoy meant but seized the opportunity of deflection that Malfoy had presented him with. "Of course, we decided to take the cup, you were there with everyone else."
"You know what I meant!" snorted Malfoy "You and Diggory were in a relationship - a romantic relationship" he clarified not giving Harry the chance to deflect again. "I am sorry you had to watch someone die and I am even more sorry that, that someone had to be someone that you loved." Harry shifted under the other boys intense gaze that seemed to bore into his sole and leave it bear "I can understand why you wanted to keep it a secret," he continued, "It was inappropriate as you were both competitors in the tournament, not to mention that he was 17, an adult and you are only 14" finishing his sentence Malfoy's gaze returned whatever it was in the distance that had captured his attention.
Dropping the pretence of ignorance as Malfoy seemed to have it all figured out he instead asked: "How? How did you figure it out?"
A small smile twitched at the corners of his mouth, "I didn't. Charlie did, I already knew you were gay." in response to Harry's somewhat indignant look, he chuckled quietly, "I am certain that Granger figured it out years ago and I wouldn't be surprised if the Weasel, oblivious as he is has figured it out by now. Anyway, it was only after Charlie pointed it out that I noticed the signs and realised he was right."
"Charlie who?" questioned Harry a furrow setting in between his brows. He racked his brain trying to remember if any of Malfoys friends were called Charlie but came up blank. The only Charlie that Harry knew was Charlie Weasley.
Malfoy turned to face him again, this time smirking wickedly, humour lighting up his eyes in the pale moonlight. "Weasley, Charlie Weasley." he raised a pale eyebrow as if daring Harry to challenge him.
Choking on his own saliva Harry spluttered, his eyebrows disappearing into his hairline. "Sorry, I must have misheard you, Weasley?" his tone was laced with incredulity.
The smirk morphed into a full-blown cat that got the canary grin and he threw his head back to release a deep belly laugh which seemed to be contagious, eliciting a small chuckle from Harry and the first hint of a smile to grace his lips in the several weeks since Cedric's death. For the first time, he felt the tiny hint of a spark inside the empty hollow of his chest, something to combat the grief coursing through his veins.
"So, you a Malfoy, willingly spending time with a Weasley?" he asked once the laughter had subsided.
"Yeah." Malfoy said with a sigh, "Sounds pretty ridiculous huh? But Charlie…" he trailed off shifting his gaze back to the distance, "He treats me like a person, not a Malfoy, despite being a Weasley off all people, he doesn't expect me to behave in a certain way like everyone else." he shifted uncomfortably. Things seemed to fall into place for Harry as the memory of Charlie and Malfoy talking on the bridge came to the surface of his mind, "Besides," continued Malfoy cutting through Harry's thoughts, "it doesn't hurt that he has a brilliant sense of humour or that he is far superior in looks in comparison to the rest of the Weasleys."
Harry snorted again "Trust you to only be in it for the looks." his tone void of the usual malice towards the Slytherin, instead, being replaced with a teasing undercurrent.
In response Malfoy gasped in mock offence, "Didn't you listen to anything I said Potter, I said he was funny, he's also smart, witty and could potentially pass a Slytherin at times if it weren't for those Weasley ideals about being downright foolhardy and idiotic."
"Hmm, sounds like someone is carrying a flame for a Weasley to me."
"Maybe," there was a pause, "But it would be inappropriate, he's an adult and I am only just 15. Besides, it would be suicide in the Malfoy family and pureblood society to date a guy let alone a Weasley."
Feeling the sudden absence of the humour and a heavy atmosphere starting to settle in, Harry changed the direction of the conversation. "So home, looking forward to it?"
"Not going home." Harry didn't miss Malfoy tensing behind him. "I haven't been home since I was 11." the last part was said barely above a whispered.
Despite feeling the heavy atmosphere close in heavier than ever Harry's interest was piqued and he couldn't refrain from asking: "How come?"
Still, tense Malfoy shrugged noncommittally in an unsuccessful attempt to feign nonchalance "I spend Christmas and Easter at school and then spend the summer largely bouncing between my aunts."
"Hmm." He was startled again by Malfoy abruptly jumping to his feet.
"I... uh, should probably go back and… uh, leave you to it."
Harry didn't know what possessed him but as soon as Malfoy stood he had felt the loneliness creep back in so he reached out and grabbed Malfoy's arm before he had the chance to leave. "Stay. Please don't go." he turned to look up at Malfoy who in turn was observing him with some form of curiosity. "You've already told me about Charlie," at the raised eyebrow he quickly added "and I know what I'm asking you to tell me is not the same, plus you already know about Cedric. So I won't tell, because if I do you can spread the word about me a Diggory."
Malfoy plopped back down beside Harry with another raised eyebrow and an expression that could be considered vaguely impressed. "How very Slytherin of you, but not quite accurate, Diggory accounts for Charlie."
Harry cocked his head to the side and shrugged, "I see tit for tat." he paused for a moment, "Seen as you brought houses up, the sorting hat nearly put me in Slytherin but I begged it not too."
"It does make sense in a roundabout messed up sort of way." he replied, re-fixing his gaze back on Harry and in response to his incredulous look continued "there's the whole parselmouth thing and you are more cunning than the average Gryffindork."
The conversation lulled, so Harry took the opportunity to truly study Malfoy. He had matured significantly over the last 4 years. Although his features were still sharp and pointy his face had rounded out - making him look more attractive than pinched these days - whereas his white blonde hair and silver eyes had remained the same. His body had filled with muscle, presumably from all the quidditch, so whilst he remained sight and skinny he no longer resembled the dangerously skinny boy from the start of 1st year.
"Too superficial." Malfoys words cut through his thoughts like a knife, "So I'll give you something superficial and house related in return. Before school started I was scared that I wouldn't get sorted into Slytherin." the revelation elicited a derisive snort from Harry. "It's true. There was so much pressure put on me growing up to be the perfect Malfoy that I was scared to let down the Malfoy name."
"You were worried about what your parents might say or do?" He felt the familiar twinge he got whenever he thought about other people and their parents.
Malfoy barked out a laugh that sounded rough and harsh, "My parents wouldn't have given a crap, as long as I did well and was happy, they wouldn't care what house I was in. It's my Grandfather who needs to be worried about." the last part was whispered so quietly that Harry almost missed it. Malfoy tensed again and straightened his back levelling Harry with the same steady gaze that went straight to his sole. "Let's talk about you first for a second," Dumbstruck Harry could only nod, "You're relatives abuse you." It was said as a statement leaving Harry with no room to argue. "It's glaringly obvious when you know the signs to look for. I assume that there is no physical abuse, you don't show the standard signs, the biggest being shying away from physical contact or you have gotten good at hiding it. Am I correct so far?" Harry merely nodded shakily, "However there are signs of verbal abuse, you have not self-worth despite having successfully competed in the Triwizard at the age of 14, defeating Voldemort at least 4 times that I know off and you are easily the best quidditch player in the whole school. Yet despite all this, you constantly seek out validation from those that you trust and respect. Bringing me to the most obvious - neglect. The baggy hand me downs, cheap broken glasses, your somewhat clingy, the constant need for validation again and you clearly don't get enough food as every September you come back practically emaciated." Malfoy finished and Harry had to look away unable to maintain Malfoys gaze.
He sat there gaping like a fish for a moment before stammering "Wha… How?" not very dignified but he was too stunned to come up with anything else. How had Malfoy of all people been able to figure out everything about the Dursleys, not even Hermione or the Weasley were aware of the full extent of the Dursley's abuse.
A sad smile graced Malfoy's lips, never removing his gaze from Harry. "It takes an abuse victim to recognise one," he let out a humourless chuckle, "don't worry, it's not my parents, It's my Grandfather. Nasty piece of work is old Abraxas. In pureblood society, it is perfectly acceptable to give your children the odd knockabout and there are some things that are unacceptable even in pureblood society, they have to draw the line somewhere. Well Abraxas, he's crossed the line by a mile." Harry was frustrated by his vagueness especially because he seemed to know everything about Harry. "Hence the not going home for holidays, the best way to avoid abuse is to remove the victim from the abusive environment. It's easier to get away with now I am at Hogwarts because it's simpler to lie and say that I am going on holiday with friends."
"What about your parents? Don't you get to spend time with them?"
Malfoy shrugged non-committedly again, "I guess it's the price to pay to get away from Abraxas." he sighed "The world cup," he continued with a bitter note "was the first time I got to see my parents since starting school, not including the times my dad comes to Hogwarts but I don't actually get to spend time with him then." Malfoy stood again, "Well I really should be going now, it's nearly curfew and not all of us have invisibility cloaks."
"Why did you come?" Harry asked before Malfoy could leave.
He shrugged, "You've lost someone you love, you shouldn't be alone, but at the same time you need to grieve and not be smothered like Granger and Weaselbee would do." with that, he turned on his heel to walk back to the castle.
"I'm sorry Malfoy," Harry called to Malfoy who had only gotten a few paces before halting and then turning to look at Harry, "I'm sorry that you had to watch some you love die." Malfoys eyes widened slightly and his mouth formed a soft 'oh' shape. "Oh and Happy Birthday."
Harry watched Malfoy tense and all his walls come crashing down, "Merlin knows why I am doing this," he sneered in typical Malfoy fashion, "I am giving you this one for free, I don't do my birthday. It was my twin that I watched die at the hands of my Grandfather on out 11th birthday." with that he turned around sharply stalking back to the castle leaving a stunned Harry in his wake, the hollow returning full force and sending the grief coursing through his body with a new intensity.
OoOoO
The only time that Harry saw Malfoy for the remaining month of the term was during the lessons that Gryffindor shared with Slytherin. The blonde didn't appear at meal times and as the school year drew to a close the weight loss became painfully obvious. Nor did the Slytherin appear to hang out with his friends in the library or in the school grounds. As a result, Harry did not get a chance to speak to him before all the students left for the summer holiday.
OoOoO
The next time Harry got to see Malfoy was Mid-August, just a few weeks before the return to Hogwarts. With the crisis averted on the underage magic front, all that was left for to do was crowd around the extendable ears with Hermione and the underage Weasley children.
They all turned to look at each other with raised eyebrows when they heard the sound of the floo activating and the following commotion inside the room. Not for the first time they wished that they had some kind of visual in the room.
The sound of someone stumbling from the fireplace was followed by shocked gasps and laugh that sounded like it was coming from Tonks. A few seconds of stunned silence later the sound of someone standing up and a chair falling over filtered out to them, "Draco Lucius Malfoy! What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" called a stern indignant voice - that he identified as Tonks mum - followed by several hesitant chuckles.
"Sugar." responded a Malfoy in a somewhat timid reply.
"Care to elaborate on that Mr Malfoy?" that was McGonagall.
"I was instructed to, floo over to cousin Sirius' and ask to borrow sugar. If he wasn't here, I was then instructed to steal the sugar or sweet talk Kreature."
There were guffaws coming from Sirius and Tonks whilst her mum could faintly be head muttering before raising her voice to address her daughter, "Dora, be a dear and take Draco to the other children and keep an eye on them."
"But mum-" she started to whine but they didn't hear the rest as they hastily pulled up the extendable ear so that they didn't get caught whilst sharing faintly horrified looks. Fred mouthed 'Malfoy?' to the others Harry just shrugged in response whereas Ron grimaced and mouthed back 'I know right.' The door to the dining room swung open and Tonks' voice drifted up the stairs, "Come down you horrible lot, we all know that you've been listening in." after a short pause where no one moved she added "mum gave me cake.' that surely got them all moving.
Tonks stood by the door to the drawing room holding a plate of Mrs Weasley's rock cakes out in front of her, her hair was an orangy red that displayed her annoyance. Beside her stood Malfoy who looked distinctly uncomfortable, his face, neck and ears stained red with embarrassment. Most surprising of all were his clothes, jeans paired with a muggle band T-Shirt of all things and no shoes, just sock-clad feet.
As the heard of hangry teens descended on her Tonks levelled them all with a hard glare, particularly aimed at the twins, "One each or I hex your sorry ass into next week."
Each grabbed one of the baked goods walking passed Tonks and crossing the threshold to the drawing room settling into the various couches and armchairs around the room. There moans of pleasure all around - some bordering on downright sexual - as they took their first bite, although the rock cakes weren't overly fancy all of Molly's cooking was amazing and Harry was convinced that there must be some form of magic involved. Malfoy was the last to enter the room trailing behind Tonks, he plopped down into the last chair available which just so happened to be on Harry's immediate left. He was struck with a strange sense of deja vu, to the night at the lake. With no seats left Tonks perched on the arm of Malfoy's armchair. Finished her own cake she picked up the last remaining cake off the plate and shoved it into Malfoy's mouth, "Eat up cuz, need to put some meat on those bones." she sing-songed to which he glared - without the usual heat - and wrinkled his nose slightly, but nevertheless began to nibble at the cake.
Harry took a moment to observe Malfoy, Tonks was right, he was too skinny, just on the wrong side of what would be considered healthy, but not as skinny as he was at the end of the last term. He also watched as Malfoy slid his gaze warily over the occupants of the room, first at the twins sat in the armchairs opposite who were gawking and whispering to each other. Then his gaze slid over to the couch where Ron and Hermione were snuggled up together at one end of the 3 seater - a triumphant look passing over his face that screamed 'I called it.' - with Ginny at the other end near the twins. Surprisingly the silence that settled on the room was not awkward or heavy.
"So Malfoy." started Fred once he had finished eating.
"Pray tell," added George.
"For the curious listeners."
"Why have the need for sugar."
Malfoy groaned, slouching further down in his chair a pained expression sliding onto his face, "Well, Ted-"
"My dad," interjected Tonks.
"-is adamant that he can make the souffle that Andromeda made - Dora's mum - made last week but without magic, only to get halfway through and realise there wasn't enough sugar."
Brow furrowed Ron joined the conversation confrontationally asking, "And why couldn't you just go to a shop like a normal person, instead of interrupting an order meeting?"
"Oh, Ronald." admonished Hermione lightly smacking her boyfriend on the arm.
The blonde merely shrugged, "The house is in the middle of nowhere, 3 miles to the closet shop and Ted refuses to drive."
"Despite being a muggle and the only one in the family who can actually drive," added Tonks.
"I can't fly because the shop is in a Muggle neighbourhood and apperating is currently out of the question due to the recent moral panic over underage magic." the last part was said with a pointed look in Harry's direction.
Tonks snorted, "Not to mention you are too young to even get taught to apparate, let alone get a licence."
"You can apparate?" asked the twins in unison awe colouring their voices.
Malfoy sent them a wicked grin with mischief sparkling behind their eyes, "Yeah, you see I have this really cool cousin who teaches me all sorts of things that I shouldn't know. You should hear some of the jinxes that she taught me."
"So?" asked Tonks changing the direction of the conversation, "Dad knew there was an order meeting, so why did he send you here?"
"We didn't know that it was here." Malfoy said with a petulant pout "I wasn't expecting to step out of the fireplace to be faced with a dozen angry witches and wizards pointing their wands at me."
"But he knows that Sirius is a member? So he should have known Sirius wouldn't be here."
Heaving another sigh he glared at her, "As I said in there if Sirius wasn't here I was to steal the sugar or sweet talk Kreature."
"Sweet talk Kreature?" asked Harry joining the conversation, "Absolute nightmare, won't do anything to help anyone."
Malfoy smirked again, this time aimed at Harry, "Oh, but he would do anything for the Malfoy heir."
Harry and the others were prevented from responding because at that moment the portrait of Walburga Black started to screech about blood traitors and mudbloods in her home. "For the love of Merlin," muttered Malfoy getting up from his chair. With bated breath Harry and the others watched Malfoy draw his wand and advance towards the portrait, with a flick of his wand the curtains flew open to reveal the portrait in all its horrible glory.
He sent a flurry of jinxes in its direction in quick succession the first turned her hair neon green, the next gave her a duck bill and a third changed her clothes to something reminiscent of a pantomime dame. With a smug smile he briefly turned to the twins, "They work on people too," he said in reference to the jinxes.
"You again," said the portrait, its voice dripping with disdain, although it was hard to take her seriously and not laugh given her appearance. "You look just like your father - surely that pleases Abraxas, yours just his type, small and blond. Luckily for you, you got your mother's attitude, not a spineless coward like your mother. Poor excuse of a supporter of our illustrious Dark Lord, not dedicated enough to the cause - only joining for protection from his own father. Now you, you would make a good supporter."
"Hardly," snorted Malfoy in derision, "It's hypocritical to follow a half-blood in a blood purity crusade, not to mention that a blood purity crusade is nonsense. Blood purity is a load of rubbish acting as a thinly veiled attempt to maintain power in the old families, being a pureblood does not mean that your magic is any better. Look at Granger, muggle born but easily the best student in the year, heck the whole school or Longbottom, pure as they come but barely capable of 1st-year charms, although that's probably more to do with being forced to use his father's wand and not his own."
All but Tonks stared at Malfoy in stunned silence, most shocked by his defence of Hermione and the praise he offered her. Not to mention him openly calling out Voldemort.
However, the portrait was undeterred and fast to respond, "Spending to much time with my deluded, muggle marrying blood traitor niece are we? Besides your mother was far too liberal for my taste. The only one of those idiot sisters with any sense was dear Bellatrix, she and my son showed true devotion to the cause."
Without pause, Malfoy was quick to fire back, "Look where that got them. Bellatrix is in Azkaban and your darling Regulus is dead." he spat with venom in his voice.
"Oh your good," cackled the portrait, "it makes sense that you survived, Abraxas was right to kill the other one. A wet sock like your father."
It was blatantly obvious that she had touched a nerve, something in Malfoy snapped, he levelled his wand at the portrait yelling 'bombarda'. The Portrait was stunned into silence, curtains sliding back into place and the wall - possibly even the entire house - seemed to shudder at the impact.
They all watched dumbstruck and frozen as Malfoy stood with his back to them, chest heaving. Tonks was the only one brave enough to approach him, whispering something in his ear to quiet for the others to hear. He nodded and then she wrapped her arm around his shoulder pulling him into a hug. She laughed awkwardly turning her attention to Harry and the others, "It usually tends to be more cathartic than that, they also make good target practice," she said gesturing to the now covered portrait, "Druella and Cygnus tend to get rather mouthy as well."
"Oh my, what happened here?" asked Mrs Weasley's voice from the door. They turned to look and saw her, Sirius and Andromeda stood in the doorway, all with identical looks of concern.
"The portrait went there ," said Tonks addressing her mum. Identical looks of understanding appeared on Andromeda and Sirius' faces.
With pinched lips Andromeda nodded curtly looking at Sirius, "We should probably go now before Ted burns down the House, can we trouble you for that sugar."
OoOoO
It was late and everyone else was already in bed. Harry was wide awake, wary of potential dreams, so he was curled up on the end of the couch in the drawing room with a mug of Hot Chocolate. He was studying the Black Family tree, but more specifically the two heads at the bottom - one greyed indicating that the person had died and the other in colour. Labelled below as Draco L Malfoy and Oropher J Malfoy.
His mind was swirling with thoughts of a certain blond Slytherin and the things he had discovered about him recently. He kept circling back to what the portrait had said - or rather alluded to. To implication that the abuse that Malfoy had suffered at the hands of his Grandfather was likely to have been rape and the further implication that Lucius had been a victim as well. Harry was certain that the others - aside from Tonks who probably already knew - did not understand the hidden message, he himself had only been able to put 2 and 2 together from the night by the lake.
Other parts of the argument made it clear to Harry that there was more to Draco Malfoy than he previously thought and that maybe it was not too late for the redemption of a certain blonde Slytherin.
OoOoO
This is a work of fiction about fictional characters if this appears similar to a real-life event or incident that is merely a coincidence. As I have never been a victim of abuse my self I cannot claim that this is an accurate depiction of abuse, but I have tried my best and avoided getting too graphic. If you fear that you or someone you know is a victim of abuse please visit . /preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/ and you are affected by the themes of this fiction please call 0808 800 5000 or 166 123 / email help .uk. or jo .