Tarnished Gold
One-Shot
Written by: chochowilliams
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters, places or names. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Summary: An undercover operation went horribly wrong and nearly took the life of Draco Malfoy. Now a year later, Harry Potter has to decide if he can forgive the one responsible.
Warning: Post-Hogwarts, Non-epilogue Compliant, Drama, Romance, Angst, Established Relationship, Male Slash
Pairings: Harry/Draco
Inserts: -
A/N: This is written from Draco's point of view. Also, I don't use a Beta so any mistakes are mine and mine alone. Enjoy and remember to leave a review.
oOo
Draco stepped into the parlor and came to a halt at the sight that greeted him. Sat on the sofa exactly where he was half an hour ago was Harry.
"Hey," he called.
Harry gave a distracted hum, but otherwise gave no indication he heard Draco.
Crossing the parlor to the console, Draco set his pile of mail besides the crystal vase-imported from Italy as a wedding gift from his parents sixteen years ago-holding a bouquet of flowers fresh cut from the Malfoy Manor gardens. Then circling the sofa, he perched on the edge of the armchair and gazed across the coffee table at the silent raven-haired auror whose emerald gaze was lost in the flickering flames dancing majestically in the hearth. An open book lay forgotten on the sofa besides him.
"Harry?" Draco called again.
Though Harry was staring intently at the fire-whose purpose was ambiance and not necessity, so no heat was being emitted by the flames-burning safely behind the antique wrought iron screen, Draco could not say what the other man was seeing. However, the unopened letter on the coffee table was evidence as to what Harry was thinking about-or trying not to think about as the case may be.
"Are you not going to open it?" Draco inquired.
Silence was his answer.
Draco leaned forward with his hands clasped between his knees and sighed. "You cannot throw away thirty years of friendship over a single incident."
Harry still said nothing. The silence stretched between them.
"I-"
"Hermione is my best friend," Harry's raspy voice whispered. "I love her like a sister." He focused his gaze on Draco, but despite the determination hardened features, the man still seemed to be some place else. "But you are my life. You are more important to me than a thousand Hermiones."
That confession had Draco swelling with pride. For thirty years, ever since they first met, Draco has longed to hear those words uttered from those lips. The satisfaction from finally hearing them was hindered by the lingering sadness that followed Harry like a conjoined twin. This melancholy Harry was not the man he fell in love with all those years ago. He missed that man. "Be that as it may, you know Granger's actions were not malicious. She does not have a malicious bone in her body. She was merely concerned for your well being."
His eyes narrowed in a sudden burst of anger, Harry closed his book with a snap as he learned forward. "Her 'concern' nearly cost you your life! Or have you forgotten how you were in the ICU for three months?"
"Of course not," Draco shot back hotly. "How can I? I still have the bloody scars!" He gripped the cloth of his shirt over his heart. "I go to rehabilitation therapy several times a week! I have had six healing session so far to deal with the lingering affects of that curse. So no I have not 'forgotten' what Granger's 'concern' cost us-cost me!"
Harry seemed to deflate right before Draco's eyes. "Why are you even taking her side?" he asked as he scrubbed his hands over his face. "I thought you hated the lot of them?"
"Oh, I do," Draco assured Harry as he sat back with his legs crossed and his hands clasped loosely in his lap. "There is no doubt my ire for that filthy-for Granger," he corrected at the glare leveled at him, "has not diminished this past year, but has in fact only solidified. If I knew I could get away with it, I would curse Granger and her entire ginger horde!"
Harry did not look surprised at Draco's outburst. Instead, looking resigned, he nodded.
Months of surveillance. Months of trying to gain the trust and confidence of an insider to act as their mole. All their hard work and sacrifice gone in an instant.
After the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry as well as Ron entered the Auror Academy while Hermione and Draco both decided to further their education: Hermione to become a solicitor to fight for the rights of magical creatures as well as Muggleborns, while Draco wanted to get his potions mastery and open his own apothecary. While Ron eventually dropped out of the Auror Academy to help his brother George with Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, Harry celebrated his twenty-third year with the Aurors this past summer. While not an Auror, Draco considered himself Harry's partner as they constantly worked together on various cases. Actually, Harry and Draco began dating soon after Harry came to him eighteen years ago when he needed Draco's expert advice on an unknown substance that was poisoning people.
One such case was to track down the origin of a shipment of tainted Ever Clear that was causing otherwise perfectly healthy witches and wizards to die of heart failure. Their search led them to none other than Lyle Lovell; one of the British wizarding world's most wanted. Eventually, Lovell was tracked down to a warehouse on the Isle of Dogs in Muggle London. Unfortunately, the raid-which should have been a simple in and out mission-went horribly wrong when Hermione appeared on the scene. In the confusion, Draco was injured along with several other Aurors and Lovell along with several of his top men managed to slip away. That was a year ago. Lovell had not been seen or heard from since.
Draco took a moment to reign in his anger.
"With a little research, I am sure there are some ancient bylaws that would be relevant." In fact, these bylaws were the reason why there has been a Blood Feud between the Malfoys and the Weasleys for as long as anyone can remember. "I will not do that however," Draco continued when he saw the distressed look on his husband's face.
"But…why?"
"Because I love you." It was that simple. There was the added benefit of seeing Harry blush as red as the blood roses in his mother's garden.
Pushing to his feet, Draco crossed to the sofa. He transferred the book Harry had been reading-and which did not have a title on its cover-to the coffee table before sitting down. He gathered his thoughts before turning towards Harry.
"It's no secret how I feel about Granger and Weasley, especially Granger."
Harry snorted. "Really? Could have fooled me."
Draco smirked.
Yes, he has been rather vocal in his dislike of the pair over the years.
According to Harry, Weasley had a tendency to fall into jealous rages when they were younger. As one of seven, Draco felt it was safe to assume that Weasley must have felt lost in the crowd-overlooked and overshadowed. Therefore, Weasley's childish antics were understandable-to a point. However, like most people, Ron had grown up and became his own person.
The problem he had with the Weasleys, however, had not changed in the nearly twenty years since the fall of the Dark Lord. Harry did not like the term "Blood Traitor" and thus preferred Draco did not use it, but that was what the Weasleys are. They turned their backs on their heritage in favor of worshipping the same Muggles that have-and still do to this day-spent centuries destroying them. Muggles cannot manage to coexist with each other and yet wizarding families such as the Weasleys believe witch and muggle can coexist peacefully? That was not likely to happen anytime soon.
And that brings him to Granger.
Where Weasley was a-somewhat-reasonably decent wizard for short stretches of time, Granger was a very different matter. Draco's dislike of her had nothing to do with her status as a Muggleborn; especially since it has been proven that Muggleborns are the descendents of squibs. If he were being honest, though, Muggleborns ignorance of wizarding culture has been at the root of the hatred towards Muggleborns and the Muggle-raised. That has changed thanks to the efforts of Granger and Harry.
Draco's problem with Granger doesn't even have to do with her know-it-all attitude, though that was beyond irritating. Nobody wants to listen to someone who adamantly believes she knows everything and refuses to believe otherwise. She was bossy, nosy and needed to know every single minute detail of your life. That was something Draco learned the hard way. As annoying as that aspect of her personality was, though, that was not the problem either. The problem Draco had with Granger had to do with her insistence in mothering Harry; it was extremely condescending and left unchecked, it has only worsened over the years and was at the root of the current animosity between Harry and Hermione.
Draco reached out and grabbed Harry's hands, stared intently into those Avada Kedarva green eyes.
"I put up with them because they are an integral part of your life and as I do not plan on filing for divorce anytime soon, I will just have to put up with them."
Harry's smile lit up his whole face. When he stared down at their clasped hands, seemingly hypnotized by the sensuous motion of Draco's thumbs over his knuckles, his expression fell. "…But…"
"But," Draco prodded when Harry fell silent.
"…I get that 'Mione was worried."
Draco rolled his eyes. "When isn't she worried?" Dropping Harry's hands, Draco draped an arm around Harry's shoulders and gently pulled the man against his side and sat back.
Harry snorted humorlessly, a smile on his face, as he snuggled into Draco's side. "I just wish she would have trusted me," he said as he laid his head against Draco's shoulder.
Draco made a noise of agreement.
"She knows-knew I cannot always talk about the cases I am assigned."
"I believe the problem began when you did not tell her you were on a new case."
Harry shot up. "But I couldn't," he argued heatedly. "I was under orders-!"
"I realize that, but Granger is absurdly observant and knew something was going on, so when you said nothing was going on, she knew you were lying and-"
"Grew suspicious," Harry finished.
"Exactly and we know where that led."
Harry sighed and returned his head to Draco's shoulder. "I just…I am not sure…I want her in my life."
Draco tightened his hold on Harry.
"But…How can things be the same after-everything?"
"They won't be."
Harry hid his face against Draco's shoulder.
"To believe otherwise is folly."
Harry peeked through his fringe at the wax-sealed envelope on the coffee table.
"All you can do is take things one day at a time."
"Yeah."
Draco rested his head on top of Harry's head and gazed at the fire blazing brilliantly in the white washed brick fireplace.
"I am just so angry," Harry said into the silence.
"And you have every right to be."
Untangling himself, Harry gazed into Draco's eyes that he once compared to the blue of the Mediterranean Sea. "What do I do?"
Draco's heart ached at the desperation on his husband's face.
"I miss my best friends, but-how can I forgive her?"
Draco cupped Harry's cheek. "That I cannot tell you."
Harry leaned into Draco's touch.
"But whatever you decide, I will support you." And he would, even though he would rather Avada Granger and Weasley to the moon. For the sake of his relationship with Harry, Draco would put up with a lot-including playing nice with a woman who came a hairsbreadth from getting him killed.
The grin was back as Harry launched himself at Draco. "Thank you," he said. "What would I do without you?"
"Die an agonizing death all alone in a hovel in some back alley."
"Ha. Ha," Harry replied dryly.
Draco snickered.
"Really. Thank you-for everything. I love you."
"I love you too," Draco returned right before their lips met. Just as Harry started to deepen the kiss, the ward proximity alarm went off. Draco chuckled when Harry cursed. "That would be Blaise." After a quick peck, Draco untangled himself from Harry's hold and stood up. "We should be back by at time," he tossed over his shoulder.
Draping an arm along the back of the sofa, Harry turned to watch Draco as the man rounded the sofa to the console. "You have a meeting with that muggle holistic company right?"
"Yes," Draco confirmed as he gathered his mail. "It is a small family owned business based in King's Lynn. They are looking to expand but need funding to do so. The daughter is friends with Blaise's daughter, so when her father brought up the idea, Blaise came to me."
Harry nodded. Propping his chin in his cupped hand, he inquired as to whether Draco thought he would invest in the muggle business.
"I cannot say until I meet with Mr. Hampshire, but if I like what I see, then it is very likely."
Harry hummed. "Well, good luck then," he told Draco.
"Stay out of trouble while I am gone," Draco called over his shoulder.
Hanging his head over the back of the sofa, Harry said with a perfectly straight face, "I make no promises."
Draco snorted. "Of course not."
Harry grinned.
"A guest master has," squeaked a voice behind him.
Draco turned to see their house-elf, Maple, fidgeting in her spotless white uniform. Over the left breast were the combined crests of the House of Potter and the House of Malfoy. Much to the displeasure of Granger, they had purchased Maple ten year ago after Kreacher passed away. "Thank you Maple. Put these on my desk," he told her holding out his pile of mail.
"Yes, sir, Master Draco, sir." Maple bowed low and then with Draco's mail clutched to her chest, vanished with a pop.
Stepping out of the parlor, Draco gazed down the hall to the foyer where he spied Blaise Zabini preening before the French antique gold gilded mirror that was hanging on the wall above an antique half-moon table.
Draco held back a snort. That Harry made fun of him for being "in love" with his own reflection was evidence that his husband spent not nearly enough time with Blaise. Compared to the amount of time Blaise spent in front of not only a mirror but also any reflective surface he passed made Draco's so-called obsession seem mute. He had no idea how Chloe stood to be married to a man who was more obsessed with his looks than she was of her own.
Then again, many asked that of Harry. Draco counted himself lucky that for all his faults, Harry had given him a chance.
Draco looked back into the parlor at his husband who appeared not to have moved from his position on the sofa. Worry gnawed at him. Something needed to be done. Maybe a Mind-Healer perhaps?
When Harry lean forward out of sight, Draco frowned. A moment later, Harry sat back up holding a familiar envelope. Draco held his breath, wondering if Harry would take that first step. Instead, Harry merely sat staring at the unopened envelope for several long moments before he flipped the envelope over and cracked apart the red wax seal. Lifting the flap, Harry proceeded to unfold the envelope until clasped in his hands was a standard sized sheet of parchment. The neat loopy lettering was easily identifiable as belonging to Granger just as they both assumed earlier.
Approaching footsteps caught Draco's attention.
"Ready Draco?" Blaise inquired.
Draco turned towards Blaise. "Of course." There was a smile on his face.
His step was light as he escorted his childhood friend back down the hall to the foyer where he grabbed his traveling cloak from Maple. He secured it with the silver dragon etched clasp Harry had presented to him on their last anniversary before leading Blaise out of the townhouse to the front sidewalk. The last sight Draco had before he disapparated was the front door of the home he had shared with Harry for sixteen years. He wished the man good luck with whatever he decided.
…The End