Author: fallgracefully
Rating: T (Maybe M in later chapters)
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Warnings: Spoilers for HBP, Slash, Major Character Death, Some OOC
Disclaimer: All I own are the misspelling, bad grammar and some minor original characters. Everything else belongs to the illustrious J. K. Rowling.
Summary: The war with Voldemort and the Death Eaters has stretched on for four years with no end in sight. Casualties have been heavy on all sides and even muggles die by the hundreds. Attempts to hide the wizarding world have been given up in favor of survival, as desperate battles break out on the streets of london. Draco Malfoy, a fugitive from the Death Eaters since the night of Dumbledore's death, joins Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in their battle for life and search for the final horcruxes. But even in darkness love blossoms, and allies make the best bed-mates.
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Two figures stood, obscured by fog and huddling against the cold on a deserted street. The first figure, who was barely old enough to be called a man, had white blond hair and a slightly standoffish demeanor, questioned the second figure, a man of around the same age with dark brown hair and slightly crooked glasses. The dark haired boy pointed to two houses a little further down the block and they proceeded silently forward.
"It's right up here," Harry said in an exhausted voice. They stopped in front of the apparently empty space between houses 19 and 21 and he looked expectantly at Draco.
"I still can't see it. Don't you have to tell me where it is?" Draco Malfoy's voice was equally muted and interlaced with notes of melancholy and bone deep fatigue. Harry smiled apologetically and leaned down, whispering into Draco's ear. A full fledged house bloomed into existence between 19 and 21, causing Draco to start momentarily. The past years had made them all a little jumpier. "Can I go in right in? I mean, I haven't made many friends in there."
"You were an amazing help to us at the Hogsmeade battle. Taking a curse for Tonks, even if it wasn't an unforgivable, was enough to convince almost anyone of your loyalty. And besides, they all trust my judgment. Sometimes more than I do." Draco gave Harry a half smile at the joke, but still resisted moving any closer to the building. Harry, pulling lightly at Draco's cold hand, grasped hold of the doorknob and pushed open the large door.
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Despite Harry's calm assurance to Draco, he felt a little apprehensive himself. Hermione had, in her own way, forgiven Draco for his past mistakes. She still felt sore about all of his 'mudblood' comments, but he made sure to be very polite to her and she had responded well. But Ron, Ron was a different story. He still hadn't really let go of his anger toward Draco, and he made sure to let everyone, especially Draco, know. Whenever Draco was about it was all thinly veiled threats and some blatant predictions about Draco's 'true' intentions. All of the older people, those Harry still felt himself thinking of as 'the adults' even though the younger generation had truly grown into adulthood, were able to withhold judgment until proof was given to sway them one way or the other. All of them had met Lucius and understood how hard growing up with a man like that would be. Surprisingly, it was Mrs. Weasley who truly took to Draco. Doting on him almost as much as she doted on Harry, with Mr. Weasley following Molly's example.
"Come on, can't you hear? They're all in the kitchen." Harry was jerked out of his thoughts by the voice of a slightly impatient and more than obviously nervous Draco. His lean form was neatly framed by the glowing light around the kitchen door and, for a moment, Harry could've sworn he had a halo hanging just above his now shaggy blond hair. Shaking his head Harry moved the last ten feet to Mrs. Weasley's warm abode.
Entering the kitchen was a shock to the senses. A sharp contrast to the dull tones and still, silent air that pervaded everything outside, this room was an amazing sight to the two young men as they entered. Smells of fresh bread and beef stew were a sure sign that Mrs. Weasley was in residence. And even if they hadn't seen Hermione, the mini explosion of books and ancient parchment on, and spilling off, the small kitchen table was a sure sign of her presence, too. Hermione peeked out from over the large book she was studying and ran forward to embrace Harry. Mrs. Weasley, who was busy stirring, called out something about them being too early for stew but, this with a laugh, a little too late to get any of their welcome home cake.
"Sorry Harry, about the cake I mean." Hermione pointed to an empty cake pan with a shrug and a grin. "I hadn't eaten for days, what between the research and keeping tabs on all my contacts." She didn't seem at all apologetic, and that in itself felt more comforting to Harry than he felt it should have.
"You boys just sit down," said Mrs. Weasley to Harry and Draco, her maternal instinct kicking in. "Just wait a moment and I'll have something whipped up to tide you over until dinner. I'm sure you're absolutely starved." With that she resumed bustling about the kitchen waving her wand here and there, muttering incantations and old recipes under her breath.
"So what have you guys been up to?" Hermione resumed her seat at the table and, using a quick levitation charm to clear her stuff off the table, motioned them to pull up two of the chairs stacked in the corner. "The last time I saw you guys was weeks ago, after Hogsmeade."
"We've been cleaning up the mess over there," said Draco, speaking for the first time since entering the kitchen. "To be honest there's really not much left to clean up. It felt more like reorganizing rubble into matching piles." Draco's eyes remained glued to his shoes as he attempted unsuccessfully to suppress a shiver.
"How's Hogwarts holding up?" Asked Hermione, after a short, awkward pause.
"Whatever Prof. McGonagall's been doing has kept all the old protections up and running." Harry told her. "No breaches of security since the attack back in may. Me and Draco offered to help reinforce the charms but McGonagall said she was already getting too much 'help'. What she really needed was for us to take some of the ministry wizards into town and let them get in our way for a while."