AN: Hey guys, welcome to the third fic! - Kit

A/N: ...Okay! To our new readers, STOP HERE! This is a part of an AU known as Time Twister. To avoid any further confusion, we ask that before you read this, you go ahead and hop over to the first fic, Draco Malfoy and the Resurrection Stone. Once you've done that, hop back over!

Now that we're all caught up, I do have a little side note to make. Just... We've noticed that some of you have theorized that Harry is from Draco's proper time. Very interesting theory. ~Kas

AN: Really? You're going to- I mean. Alright. Yeah. This is actually good- Yes. Okay. Right. Enjoy the fic, you guys, and yeah. It's- It's defintiely a theory, alright. - Kit

"I know I said I'd tell you about living with the Dursleys, but..." Harry was pacing in front of Draco's bed, the two back at Malfoy Manor for the summer. It had only been a few days since they left Hogwarts and Draco thought that was plenty of time for Harry to have to himself, because he needed to know this. He needed to know what he was dealing with. "You're not going to like it, Draco."

"What, you really believe I thought I would like it?" Draco reached out to grab Harry's hand as he passed. "If you'd like… I'll tell you more. About before." That got Harry to finally pause, the child - soon to be teen, really - staring at him before giving a rough sigh.

"Fine- Fine. But you have to promise me you won't tell anyone, okay? Not Ron, not Hermione, not your parents, not Severus, not anyone."

Draco opened his mouth before sighing. "Alright. I promise I won't tell anyone, but I do think you should talk to mother and father, or to Severus. Severus already knows the basics, by now, and said he'd be willing to lend an ear."

"Maybe one day, but right now I can barely bring myself to tell even you about all of it." Harry moved to sit on the bed, staring at the floor and playing with his shirt ends. "What do you want to know first?"

"How about you start from the beginning. How it is you got landed with them." There was a sharp silence, a shudder rolling through Harry before he harshly scratched at the back of his head.

"I don't know- I don't know. You think my parents wouldn't put me with them if they knew how awful they were, but then they died and they were the only family I had left. I don't know. They said they got stuck with me."

"They... never said anything more than that?" Draco pushed Harry's hair back behind his ear. "What were they like in the beginning?" As he hoped, Harry stilled at the touch before completely leaning into it.

"I don't- I think they were kind?" Harry let his eyes shut, his voice getting softer. "Sometimes I think I remember Aunt Petunia rocking me to sleep and soothing me from a bad nightmare, but other times I think that was nothing more than a dream. Something I made up."

"Maybe it was your aunt. Maybe it was your mother. Remember, they are sisters." Draco hummed. "What about your uncle?" There was no answer forthcoming, Draco frowning and looking closer to see that Harry was... He was afraid. Draco dropped his hand to hold Harry's close. "I had a good relationship with my father in the beginning. I thought he was a hero, that he was going to change the world for the better. Sometimes I said things he disapproved of, and... he showed me I was wrong, but I knew it was because he wanted what was best for me. He told me Voldemort Imperiused him, controlled him to follow his command, and I ate it up. It wasn't until Hogwarts I realized he may have lied."

"He beat me." Harry's voice was whisper soft, the sound nothing but that of a scared child. "When I didn't do what he wanted, when I talked back, when I asked questions, when he thought I was too happy... He would beat me and lock me in my cupboard while my aunt just watched. No food, no water, no anything."

Draco paused, his thumb slowly stroking Harry's hand. "...And your cousin?" The laugh given was harsh and bitter and there was nothing kind about it.

"He thought it was a great game to play. 'Harry Hunting'. He and his friends would play it all the time."

"Harry..." Draco sighed. "I know you don't want to, but if you tell Dumbledore even a portion of what you just told me, he will never ask you to go back." Looking away, Harry was quiet - although he didn't let go of Draco's hand.

"They're my 'family', though. I'm a kid. He'll just say I'm exaggerating or something like every other adult I've ever told." He... He had told people all this before?

"Oh, Harry..." Draco finally pulled Harry into a hug. This child - no - this person had been through so much, already, and he already had the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I know I promised, but... Please. Please let me tell Sev, Harry. He won't stand for this. I won't do it unless you say I can, but-"

"But if I don't I really could end up going back there." Harry didn't shake, he didn't cry, his voice didn't waver, and he sounded nothing but tired as he finally sighed. "Alright. You have to, though. I don't think I can."

"Will you come with me when I do?" It took a moment before Harry nodded, relaxing into Draco's hug and settling closer. Draco rubbed at his back a few minutes more before finally withdrawing. "Alright. Ask me anything."

Pulling back, Harry studied Draco before giving a sharp nod. "Do you remember the answers to third year exams?"

Draco finally laughed. "N- Not quite. I didn't take half those classes, anyway." Still laughing, Draco felt Harry's palm cup his cheek, the younger finally smiling.

"There we go. You look much better when you're laughing." Shocked into silence, Draco stared at Harry, his hand warm against the blond's face. Harry's grin got even wider, the child laughing in sheer delight. "C'mon, then. Tell me everything- Well, everything that you can. Small things. The little things- What did you do for fun back then? Where did you go when you wanted to be alone? What was your favorite color? Who was your best friend? Who was your favorite teacher? I wanna know everything."

The questions forced a smile out of Draco, the teen chuckling softly. "I did plenty of things for fun. I played Wizard's Chess, I schemed, I would fly my broom, I plotted, and I talked with my friends. When I wanted to be alone, at first I would go out to the Great Lake, but about sixth year-" His voice hitched slightly, "I started talking with Myrtle in her bathroom. My favorite color was… red, though you can't tell anyone. Pansy would have had you believe that she was my best friend, but actually Blaise and I favored each other a bit more, though not in any romantic aspect, and I really needn't tell you my favorite teacher."

"It never hurts to check," Harry beamed, palm rubbing at Draco's cheek in a soft little motion that felt... It felt nice. Comforting. "You're not that different for as much as you act like it sometimes, you know. You still play chess, you still kind of scheme and plot, and you fly your broom and talk with your friends all the time. Although, I kind of hope you don't feel the need to be alone as much anymore."

"Not near as much, but… sometimes being alone can be nice," Draco said with a smile.

"Yeah, sometimes- Is red still your favorite color? And who's your best friend now?"

"Yes, red is still my favorite color, but I've started to be rather fond of blue. And I don't think I need to answer that one, either, you berk."

"Hey, didn't I just say it never hurts to check," Harry laughed, wrapping himself around Draco in a hug and burying close. It was rather adorable. "Hey, Draco... Were you- On the train, were you serious? About me not going back to them?"

"Completely, Harry. If we tell Severus, he'll make sure of it." Draco ran a hand through Harry's hair, speaking softly again. That... Draco was pretty sure that was the first time he had seen Harry sob like that. He might have seen him cry before, but not break.

"Okay. Okay. We can tell him. I don't want to go back there, Dray. It hurts to be in that house." There was an edge to the voice that made it seem as if he was about to work himself up again.

Draco tried to calm him down, "Shh, it's okay. You're not going to go back. You're going to be okay. I won't let them take you." He had promised to protect Harry and he was damn well going to keep that promise.

"We need to tell Sev. If we don't tell him before summer's over, I don't think I'll ever tell him."

Draco nodded. "Okay. We'll go ask mother when he'll be here, alright? He likes to stay for a few weeks in the summer."

"Kay." Harry settled down against him, Draco feeling a tug to his robes. "Hey, Dray. I know it's hard on you and hurts a lot, but I'm so glad you're here. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Pausing, Draco leaned back until he was laying on his back on the bed. "...If I hadn't come back, I don't know if I'd still be alive." Things had been so dark for him back then - so pointless. What was the point of a Slytherin Death Eater in a world that had despised everything he had been? There wouldn't have been one. If he hadn't found the time twister...

Feeling weight on top of him, Draco looked up to see Harry was sitting on him once more, hands braced on his chest and fierce expression on his face. "You're never going to feel like that again. No matter what happens, I'm going to make sure you never feel like that again."

"I know." Draco smiled up at Harry, cupping his cheek. "I just… needed to say it, I think." Harry leaned into the touch, smile back on his face.

"I can understand that." Staring for a moment, Draco gave a grunt as Harry flopped down on top of him, stretching out. "Enough sad stuff, let's go do something. We should go flying- It's summer, Dray, let's go flying. C'mon, we got all of summer let's go do something fun we can-"

"Alright, alright," the blond laughed, pushing Harry gently as he sat up. "Harry, I..."

"Yeah?"

"...Nevermind," Draco finally told him with a smile. "Let's go."

"Bet I can beat you in a Seeker's Game," Harry grinned, already laughing as he scrambled off the bed.

"Oh, well we'll just see about that," he laughed, running after Harry, the two both finally acting like children.

::

Sweaty and covered in dirt, the two came back in, pushing at each other and all-around rough housing. Draco wasn't sure when they ended up running through the halls, but they eventually tumbled to a stop in front of an amused-looking Narcissa, the woman raising an eyebrow down at them, "I do hope you'll be changing before you come to dinner."

"Oh. Um, most likely- Oh! Mother! Do you know when Uncle Sev will be here?" Feeling a shove to his side, Draco happily shoved Harry back, startled a bit at Narcissa's sudden laugh.

"He'll be visiting with us later this summer, Draco. Most likely he'll arrive the time your Hogwarts letters do."

Draco gave a heavy, dramatic sigh. "But that's so far away, mother."

"I'm sure you'll find a way to entertain yourself until then," Narcissa chuckled, patting each of them on the head before she was continuing on her way. "No mud at my dinner table."

"It's not mud, mother, it's a bright sunny day!"

"Then no dirt at my table!"

"Yes ma'am!" Draco grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him upstairs.

"So we have two months to figure out what to say to him," Harry said, letting himself be pulled along. "What should we say to him? I mean- We shouldn't tell him everything, right?"

"More like a month at this point," Draco pointed out. "What we tell him is up to you. It's your story, not mine." He hoped Harry would at least tell Sev enough that he knew how bad it had been for Harry.

"Kay." A tug to his hand, Harry speaking quietly. "You should let me draw you later." Draco smiled, holding his hand tighter.

"I'd love that."

"That's because you like to be at the center of attention," Harry teased, smile softening. "It also just is fun, I guess. I've never really been able to draw anyone like I have you."

"I also just like being your model. I can tell you really enjoy drawing."

"It was a way to pretend everything was alright for a while, I think." Letting Draco's hand go, Harry followed him into his room before rooting around Draco's closet - there were probably some of Harry's clothes in there, actually, now that he thought about it. "Like, I could get lost in drawing and pretend I was just a normal kid who would go home to normal parents."

"And now?" Draco stood a ways away, peering into the closet curiously. Harry was starting to gravitate more and more towards greens and silvers, which, Draco was not at all against that.

"Now I- I don't know? It's familiar to me, I guess. I mean, at first I started drawing at Hogwarts cause at least I knew how to do that. Magic? I still don't know half the time, but drawing was familiar. And then it started becoming about drawing you and that... That made it feel-" Harry cut himself off, shrugging and pulling down some robes. "I don't know. Better? More real? Safer, I guess."

"It's okay if you don't have the words. I understand what you mean." Draco walked over, taking his own robes off. "For me, magic has always been a constant. Wherever I go, I'll always be magic, and I'll always do magic."

"It's kind of weird, isn't it?" Harry was struggling with his own robes, looking to have gotten them tangled in his hair. "I mean, we're alike in a lot of ways, but we had such different childhoods."

"I like to wonder what would have happened if you grew up with your parents. If maybe we would have met sooner." Watching Harry for a moment, Draco sighed and moved to gently untangle the buttons from the teen's hair.

"I think if I had just grown up with my parents and we met on the train it would have gone a lot like it did with the Harry Potter in your time." That... That was probably true. "If we had met sooner, though, I like to think we could have been friends even then."

"I like to think so, too. But I have it on good authority that your father was a bit of a prat." Draco pulled on his own robes with a hum.

"Maybe," Harry shrugged, tugging his own on - well, Draco's on - and patting them down with a little nod. "I like your robes."

"Yes, so do I." Draco straightened Harry's robes out a bit before smiling. "There we are."

"It's kind of weird," Harry mused, relaxing under the small touches and fixes. "I don't think anyone's ever fussed over me before you- Like- Okay, maybe not fuss, but take care of me? You take care of me. It's- It's really nice."

Draco smiled at this. "I like to. And I think you deserve it."

"Right! Enough of talking. Let's go explore- We need to explore. I haven't seen all of the manor yet and we still have some time until we need to go eat, right?"

"Oh... Just a few minutes, I suppose." Draco took Harry's hand and led him out of the room. He had a feeling this summer was going to be one of his best yet.

::

Draco sat on Harry's bed, legs crossed. "There's something important I have to ask you." Harry, who had been digging through his trunk for something, paused and looked up at Draco very hesitantly.

"I- Yeah? Um, is it... A bad important thing?"

"No, no..." Draco looked him over. "Suit, or robes?"

"For- What? For what? Why am I being asked that?"

"Just answer, then I'll tell you."

"Oh, um... Suit, I guess?" Harry finally dug out the sketchbook he had been looking for. "Should I be running away?"

Draco wrinkled his nose before smiling. "I was just trying to figure out what to wear to your birthday ball. It's only a few weeks away, you know."

"Don't you always wear dress robes to the-" Harry cut himself off, eyes wide as he stared up at Draco. "What birthday ball?"

"The one mother is organizing right now. I thought I'd try something new." Draco only continued to smile at him.

"Wha- But- What if I don't want a birthday ball?" Harry whined, looking utterly pathetic as he moved to sit on the bed beside Draco. "We should cancel. Right now."

"Harry, don't worry, it'll be small. Our friends, their family, us, a reporter from the Prophet or two," Draco murmured. Alright, the last part probably deserved the pathetic whine Harry gave.

"Draco."

"Think of it as your official debut to the Wizarding world! Don't worry, they're allies of my father's."

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?" Harry fell back onto his bed with a groan, sketchbook covering his face as he shook his head. "Okay, what if I just appear for a few minutes and then escape? Can I do that?"

"We'll talk it over later, Harry, there's plenty of time until then." Draco ran a hand through Harry's hair. "Didn't you say you were going to draw me?"

"That was before you distracted me with this betrayal," Harry huffed, tilting his head into the touch and giving a smile. "Utter and complete betrayal."

Draco nodded. "A bit of one." The kick to his side was a nudge more than anything, Harry pouting over at him. "Come on, then. Any pose you'd like."

"Okay." Harry sat up properly, pulling a pen out of his pocket and staring at Draco very intently. Draco rose an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak before Harry stopped him. "No, no, just stay there for a second." Harry tilted his head, narrowing his eyes and then moving to press a palm against Draco's cheek and tilt his head ever so gently to the right. Draco smiled at him, leaning into the touch with a quiet hum. "Any pose I want, right?" Harry grinned, pressing his palm closer. "Then just be yourself. Show me you."

"I don't think I exactly know how to do that," Draco laughed, bringing his hand up to press against Harry's, keeping it close. Harry's smile was soft and warm, Draco feeling the curious sensation of Harry's thumb rubbing against the skin.

"Can't hurt to try. Just... Relax. Don't be who you used to be, or who you pretend to be, but just act like you would when you're alone. No one else, just you."

"Harry... It's been a while since I've been able to do that." Looking down, he glanced back up when he felt more than saw Harry move, both of the younger's hands now cupping his cheeks.

"Let me help, then. Close your eyes and pretend you're at the Great Lake, okay? It's probably... Oh, let's say it's late fall. So all the leaves have fallen, it's starting to get cold, you're hiding behind your scarf, and it's just you by the Great Lake. You know how there's that smell in the air? That really cold, crisp one? It's like that. Just you, and the lake, and the sound of the waves it makes. I dunno, maybe you can hear people playing Quidditch over at the pitch, little quiet sounds of laughing and screaming, but right by the Great Lake, it's just you." Draco allowed his eyes to close as Harry spoke, smiling.

"You remind me so much of mother. She's a good storyteller, too." It was kind of easy to imagine, too. He had spent so much time by the Great Lake on his own that it was easy to imagine everything that Harry was saying.

"Shush, you're supposed to be picturing it," Harry laughed, his hands slowly and carefully leaving Draco's cheeks. "So you're there, alone, sitting at the Great Lake and it's just you. What are you thinking about?"

It was easy to let the word slip from his lips like sweet honey before he could even think it through completely. "You." How could he not be constantly thinking about Harry? Not Potter - well, sometimes Potter, but really, he was often surprised by the differences between the two of them. Ever since he had come back to this time, it had been Harry that had become his entire world, often making him completely forget Potter's existence, sometimes forgetting the other time entirely.

"Okay... Okay." There was something warm in Harry's voice. Something that made Draco not think of the Great Lake so much as those nights spent in the common room staying up late and studying. Nights where the fire was going, the room was dark and warm, and Harry dozed against his shoulder, just awake enough to talk and whisper about every little thing that crossed his mind. "Good thoughts, I hope."

"Always."

"And you keep telling me people fear Slytherins." The hand was back on his cheek again, pressing lightly and warm and soft. "How can people be afraid when you're all soft and mushy."

"Only for you." Draco allowed his eyes to open as he smiled up at Harry.

"Mushy," Harry repeated with a huff, grin wide as finally opened up his sketchbook. "Okay, keep that image in your head for, um... Probably an hour, at least."

"Alright, alright, fine."

"Hey, Dray?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"I'm really glad that we're one of the things you decided to change."

"I am, too. I don't know what I would have done." In the end, he would be absolutely lost if it wasn't for Harry Potter. He had to admit, though, he liked this much better.

::

"We don't have to tell him right away, right? I mean, I know you said he's coming today, but we don't have to tell him, right? I mean, I said this summer, but this feels way too soon."

Draco smiled at him. "No, we don't have to tell him today, but I'd like to at least go say hello."

"Okay, that- Yeah. He's probably worried after what happened right before the end of term with everything, actually. Yeah. We should go say hi- I mean, if you want me to come with you-"

"I'd love if you did, but I won't make you."

"I... I think I'd like that. Saying hi to him, at least."

"Then let's go, before his head is stuck in the steam, again."

"I'm sure he doesn't make potions that-" Harry paused, wrinkling his nose. "Nevermind. If he's anything like you, then he's probably already on his way to some kind of dungeon so he can lock himself away."

"Truly a flattering description, Mr. Potter."

"It is not a dungeon, it is a cellar, and at times, a laboratory." Alright, it was a little adorable how Harry quickly moved to hide behind him, looking very embarrassed.

"So you'd like to believe," Sev mused, smile twitching at his lips. "I see Mr. Potter is spending the summer with you once more?" Draco nodded eagerly.

"Will you be celebrating his birthday with us?"

"As if Narcissa would ever let me avoid it," Sev laughed, which, good. Harry could stand to see Sev outside of school where he was always worrying about his idiot students. "Your Hogwarts letters should be arriving in the next day or two, by the way."

"I suppose so. Are you doing any experiments later today?" Draco already knew it was a yes just by the look on Sev's face.

"I might be doing one or two you might be interested in." Sev glanced to Harry before continuing. "You're welcome to join us, Mr. Potter, if you wish. You might learn something your textbooks won't offer."

"Sev makes all sorts of improvements to potions that can't be found in most books," Draco explained.

"Oh. I- Yeah." Harry smiled up at Sev, Draco seeing tension start to leave his shoulders. "That would be really great if you don't mind, Professor."

"Then let's not dawdle, boys."

::

Draco was just starting to wake up when he felt a heavy weight ram into him, a groan not even escaping before he had parchment shoved in his face. "Our Hogwarts letters are here, Dray, wake up!" Draco groaned, slowly sitting up.

"Alright. Alright. 'M... I'm..." His bed was so warm... It wouldn't hurt to close his eyes just for a second more and lean back every so slowly-

"Draco!" Ah. Harry. "Our letters Draco, our letters."

"Alright, alright," Draco finally gave in, rubbing at his eyes. "Hand it over." The letter was in his hand before he could properly clear the blurriness from his eyes. By the time he focused, Harry was eagerly opening his own letter, dumping it all out onto the bed. Draco stared before he frowned. "I thought you gave me my letter."

"I did? I mean, that one had your name on it, so pretty sure it's yours."

"Then why do you have two?"

"Oh. I do." Harry blinked, looking surprised before he picked up the thinner letter, opening it curiously. "Maybe it's something about the Chamber thing? But, no... You'd get one, too, in that case." Harry opened it with a huff, Draco watching the boy read it through before his face suddenly lost all color.

Draco frowned. That certainly couldn't be good. "Harry? Harry, what is it? What does it say?" He leaned over, setting a hand on top of Harry's.

Harry flinched back, breathing picking up as he dropped the letter and ran for the door. "Mrs. Malfoy! I need to talk to you!" Confusion and worry taking over, Draco ran after Harry, leaving their letters to flutter in their wake. He skidded into the office Narcissa was in, Harry halfway through a panicked explanation. "-told me that I had to go back to the Dursleys!"

"What?"

"I can't-" Harry was breathing rapidly and heavily, looking between Narcissa and Draco. "Please. Ple-ase. I can't go back there." Draco took Harry's hand into his own.

"Come on. We're going to Uncle Sev, this second." The only one who could say something like that would be Dumbledore. They needed Sev's help now.

"Dray." Merlin, was he crying? "Dray, don't let me go back."

Draco nodded. "I promised."

"Hasn't your father told you not to run- What's wrong? What happened?"

"Harry- He was just asked to go back to his relatives- Not mother and father, they would never-"

"Dumbledore," Sev muttered, shaking his head. "Luckily for you, Mr. Potter, he doesn't get a final say-"

"They beat me." Harry talked quickly, still shaking. "They beat me and starved me and locked me in a cupboard and please if I go back there they might kill me."

"You- You don't understand, I promised Harry he wouldn't ever have to go back-"

Sev raised a hand for silence, looking between the two of them with a blank look. "Harry, you won't be going back to them unless you want to. I will speak to Dumbledore and make sure he understands the matter. Explicitly."

"Did he even say why," Draco finally asked Harry.

"He said it was safer for me there." The child- No... Harry couldn't even really be called a child anymore, could he? "He said I was safer. How could he- How could anyone ever- It's none of his business."

"Maybe he's got some sort of protection against Voldemort set there?" It seemed like something Dumbledore would do, at least.

"In a way he does," Sev spoke quietly, Draco looking back at him to see he looked- Oh. It had been a very long time since Draco had seen Sev look this angry. "It is not worth it, however, if the very place meant to keep him safe is what is putting him in such danger."

"You'll speak with Dumbledore," Draco finally asked with big round eyes. Because right now, even with all his knowledge, there was only so much he could do to help Harry. Going up alone against Dumbledore didn't sound like the best of plans, either.

"I'll speak with him." Sev walked up to Harry, careful of not touching him, but getting his attention to look him in the eyes. "You will not be sent back there. You have my word."

Draco squeezed Harry's hand. "And mine." Harry looked between them before hesitantly nodding, the nod a stronger a second later. A deep breath and Harry was moving to give Sev a quick hug, Draco not sure if he or Sev were more surprised.

"Right! I should go reassure Mrs. Malfoy. She's probably worried." With that, Harry was quickly running off.

Draco looking at Severus, gave a nod. "Thank you, Uncle Sev, for... For everything you've done," he said, quickly turning to follow Harry as he got misty eyed. That was probably another of the greatest gifts the Time Twister had given him. He got his family back along with his second chance.

He was going to make sure it didn't go to waste.