Scars
Draco is ashamed of his Dark Mark and Harry shows him that it's nothing to be ashamed of.
*Draco's Point of View*
After the war during trails Potter stood up for mother and I saying that if we hadn't tried to protect him he would be here today. The consequences of the trials resulted in mother being on house arrest for a year with an Aurror looking after her, and I was allowed to go back to Hogwarts for finish school then I was free, but our family had to pay a hefty fine for the damage that was caused to Hogwarts. Father on the other got what he deserved. He was sentenced to life in Azkaban; he was a good father, but not a good man, he made some poor mistakes that put mothers and I's life at risk, and that is why he was sent away.
Before I could thank Potter for his help he disappeared out of the Ministry, and out of the wizarding world. During my year at Hogwarts I decided that I wanted to do something good with my life, and I applied to be an Aurror, but my application was turned down because of my name. It was a couple weeks after I received the rejection letter, I got another one from the department telling me that they were accepting me for training under the conditions that I would comply with the partner they had set up for me.
On my first day of training I found out why they sent me a second later, and I was quite put off that the only reason they had accepted me was because of him. I was actually pissed that for the second time he was reason I got something. I hated being in debt to scar head, and I let him know that every day of training. I would arrive early at the Ministry, normally before Potter got there, and I would transfigure my punching bag or whatever dummy I was using into him, and when he walked into the training facility I would punch his face. It made me even more furious that we would just smile, and shake his head at me.
Six months passed, and I was finally a licensed Aurror, and was about to get away from Potter when I found out that we was the only one that I would have me as a partner. Everyone was scared that I would do something rash, and they would get in trouble or they didn't want to be known as the guy that let a death-eater be their partner. I was infuriating, and I had a couple words with the head Aurror in his office the day I found out.
I was still burning mad as I made my way to my office, but I knew that I was going to have to just suck it up if I wanted to stay with this department. After working with the man for seven years things change, and for the most part they are good changes. We had become really close friends, to the point that the Weasley family had accepted me as one of them, and I was regularly attending Sunday night dinner at the Burrow. A couple years into our friendship I started to notice certain aspects of Harry that I hadn't before like: he had a very nice golden-bronze tan all over him, and when he smiled his eyes shone like emeralds. The one that shocked me the most, and made me start to think about things was when I noticed that when he took off his shirt during hand-combat practice I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. It wasn't just one part of him, it was everything, and my eyes couldn't not look over his wonderfully toned body.
I didn't say anything about my feelings because I was afraid that it would ruin our working relationship, and our friendship. For my seventh year anniversary being with the department I decided to reward myself with a small vacation to see my mother in Paris during the winter holidays. Seeing as it was normally our slowest time of the year it was not hard to get clearance for my time off; I left at the start of December, and I wouldn't be back until the New Year had begun. This would also be the first year in four years that I wouldn't be attending the Weasley Christmas Dinner or George's New Year's firework showcase. I was sad that I was going to miss the activities that I was used to, but I knew that I needed to see my mother since I hadn't since I was become an Aurror.
When I got back from Paris I was ready to work, and get my hands dirty again. In the four weeks I spent with my mother she shoved seven years' worth of pampering and love into, and I came back with an almost complete brand new wardrobe, my own positions supply store, and a small library worth of books.
I was smiling as I walked into Harry's and I's office that Monday morning until I saw the boxes. When he walked in I was sitting at my desk looking through all of my mail, and some of the paper work that I was going to have to fill out that I had put off before my vacation. "Good morning, Draco. How was your trip to see your mother?" I looked up to see him smiling, and the twinkle going as always, and my heart melted. "It was good, very relaxing, and much needed. But I'm glad that I am back. Ready to get my hands dirty again. What are all the boxes for?" I answered looking back down at my small stack of paperwork. Harry walked over, and perched himself on the corner of my desk.
"About that…um…I'm being transferred to the Department of Mysteries. An accident happened right after you left, and the Aurror that was stationed there died, and since I am the only one that has been in there they asked if I would take over." Harry answered fidgeting with his hands. I was slightly upset that they would split us up, and confused as to who was going to be my new partner. I guess I was able to mask the hurt, but not the confusion. "I made a suggestion that they make you a mentor to a newbie, but they wouldn't assign him to you until you got back and approved it." I raised my eyebrows signaling him to continue. "Ron just finished his training, and I thought that you guys would be able to get along somewhat, and you two seem to work decently well together."
I didn't say anything for a couple minutes, just thinking about the situation. I nodded. "Okay. I think that will work we do get along well, and he is going to need someone to keep him in check out in the field." Harry smiled, and then laughed. "That is exactly what I was thinking. Here, you will need to fill these out and sent them to Kingsley, before today is over. I know its short notice for paper work, but Morrish is going nuts with him." He said handing me a decent sized stack of papers. I sighed, but chuckled at the thought of Morrish trying to work with Ron. Shaking my head, I looked down and started to fill out the forms; about an hour later I had everything complete, and sent them out.
"Other than the accident, how was it here while I was gone." I asked. Harry shrugged, and answered saying that it was quite uneventful, and boring without me to bug the shit out of him.
A couple weeks later Harry moved his stuff from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement on Level 2 to the Department of Mysteries on Level 9, but he help Ron get settled in. Being me I moved from my little tiny, almost falling apart desk to Harry's nice Ministry issued desk, and when he noticed that I had done that he just laughed. "So what is your new office like mate?" Ron asked, I was curious as well but didn't let on. "Much different than this one, I don't share an office, and it's a little smaller, but I have one of those fake windows." He laughed.
Like always Ron and Harry invited me to the Burrow for Sunday dinner. "Molly is making a big special dinner to celebrate my promotion, and to celebrate Pansy and Hermione's engagement. You are welcome to join." I was working on filling out paperwork from my last mission that I didn't bother to verbally answer, but just nodded my head in agreement that I would be there.
On Sunday evening I arrived at the Burrow at exactly five p.m. like I always did, and walked from the leaning white gate that was attaching to a haphazard looking fence that surrounded a well-kept yard. I entered the kitchen and took my usually sent between George and Harry, and chat with Arthur and Percy while Molly finished prepping dinner. It was a feast for giants, and there were more people than I had expected, but it was a fabulous meal as always. "Thank you so much for dinner Molly. It was wonderful as always." I said smiling at her, as she stood to take plates to the sink.
Everyone shifted from the dining room to the living room, and the library room. Ron and Percy sat down to play a game of wizard's chess while Charlie, Bill, George, and Arthur sat around the fire talking about work. I took the offered glass of firewhiskey, and headed outside; it was snowing, but not a single flake landed on the yard, it was a beautiful site. I walked down to the little pond that was on the back side of the Weasley's property, and stopped at the edge deep in thought.
"Is everything ok, Draco? You looked a little distant at dinner." I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard his voice. I closed my eyes tight to keep from the tears leaking from the corners of my eyes. Harry stopped on my left side, he didn't touch me or say anything, and he just waited for me to be ready to talk. "With you having moved departments it's going to be strange around the office. I still see people look at me with the hatred for what I done during the war. I don't feel that I deserve to be an Auror! All because of this stupid mark." A single tear rolled down my cheek as I yanked up my sleeve to reveal a faded Dark mark.
After Voldemort had been defeated his servants had been released from the spell of the Dark mark, but they had not gone away. "Some days, it is a constant reminder of the stupid decisions I made." Harry placed a warm hand on my shoulder, and then removed it. I look over at him to see him pulling the sleeve of his jumper up to his elbow; he stepped around me so that he was on my left side, and pressed his right forearm against mine. I looked down at our arms and that when I noticed it.
"Don't be ashamed of the scars that you have." He looked up at me, and saw the question in my eyes. "It was given to me during fourth year after Cedric died, and I was dragged into the castle by Moody. He wasn't really Moody though. It was Barty Crouch Jr. using polyjiuce potion. I used to be ashamed of it, that is why you never seen me wear short sleeve clothing. But now I let it be a reminder of how brave I was at such a young age." His smile grew wide looking at me. "Draco, you were brave. You were trying to save your family, and nobody can tell you any differently."
Tears were rolling down my face, they were happy and sad tears, but I didn't care that Harry saw them. I couldn't help myself at this point all of my emotions were flooding my judgment, I leaned into him and pressed my lips to his mouth. When he didn't respond I pulled back, and stepped away from him. Harry grabbed my arm, and dragged me back to him; he smiled and then leaned in, and returned my kiss.
He pulled away a couple minutes later. "I never thought that you would feel that same about me, but from that kiss I can see that you do." He said smiling brightly. We continued to stand there kissing each other, and enjoying the others body warmth. "Would you mind if we took this back inside, I am getting rather cold?" I asked smiling. He took my hand, laced his fingers in mine, and we walked back to the Burrow.