Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter or Warner Bros. franchise, nor will I ever claim to. J.K. Rowling owns all of these characters, I just choose to ignore what she did with them.
AN: This chapter jumps around quite a bit. I hope that you can keep up. I can safely promise you I will not jump around between this many people in any other chapter. And remember all of this happens after Hermione goes back in time in Reminiscent, my Remus/ Hermione fic. Not required to understand this fic, but recommended. Reviews make me happy!
Two Weeks Earlier…
The green plume of possibly the most famous enchanted quill of all time scratched away fervently as the hour grew later. Rita Skeeter yawned very loudly into the stilled air of her office. Scratching the back of her head tiredly she cast a tempus and moaned. 2:37 AM would not do in allowing time for beauty sleep. Of course, shaking the feeling of annoyance off, she glanced again at the last edit she had made to the quill's writing. "Saviour of the Wizarding World, Harry Potter (20) has finally returned from his unknown trek across the globe to London once more. In tow Hermione Granger (21) and Ron Weasley (21) have also returned from vacationing. The three heroes and their height of fame were felt even as I sat with the three of them on my patio this afternoon. 'The one month long vacation for our 'Golden Trio' was just what the Healer ordered,' Miss Granger said with a new glint in her eye. The three of them had not been spotted together, nor have they accepted interviews together since the 'Death Eater Trials' three years ago. Although none of the heroes were willing to comment on where their little journey took them, they did mention quite a bit about where they were going. Mr. Ron Weasley gleamed with pleasure at the chance of mentioning his second anniversary as an auror. He also dropped the name of the young lady he been seeing for about a year now. 'I am absolutely head-over-heels with Lavender Brown. I suppose I always have been.' Hermione Granger looked relieved as Ron went on about his lady-love. The couple went to the altar last year, as my readers will remember, only to call it off at the last moment. It seems that they have buried the hatchet since, but as it goes- sources confirmed that that wedding was destroyed because of jealous lovers on both sides. Harry is still connected with Ginny Weasley as of late but, it is obvious his love with Hermione dies hard. There were several moments throughout the afternoon Hermione and our dear Harry exchanged longing looks of undying love at each other when I was otherwise occupied with question of where Harry's profession might go beyond his top auror ranks. The question on everyone's mind seems to be, 'What does one do after saving the world?' Hermione chose to mention that her job with the Ministry was going swimmingly, and although it is classified, Harry jumped to her defense and mentioned that she was responsible for keeping the population safe as she always has. Their beautiful love for each other was quite heart-warming, but we must remember our dashing Saviour is quite a taken man. Ginny Weasley had no comment when questioned about the obvious relationship between our Heroine and the Chosen One. Harry tried denying the relationship but later mentioned that 'she (Hermione) was quite the catch for anyone.' Hermione later spoke for Harry as he was quite red and flustered at one point, 'Harry is considering his options carefully.' Harry outshines Ronald as an Auror, but the question is will he run for office soon? There has been talk about Harry returning to Hogwarts to take up teaching and even something farfetched like running for Minister of Magic against incumbent Shacklebolt in a future election. Even as these three young heroes regaled me of their current lives it is never too far from their eyes what great sacrifices they have made for the greater good."
Satisfied at the column she placed it delicately into her outbox. With a gratifying sigh to herself, she glanced to the title below that parchment. "Death Eaters Today: A Shame to Our Society" was bound to be a hard-hitting article. Rita had actually considered not publishing that particular column, but her reporter mentality won that battle. Rita swept a hand messily through her blonde pin-curls. These two articles were going to be published one after another and by the time the Death Eater piece hit the front page of the Prophet, she would be on her much deserved vacation. In her outbox sat the remaining two articles that would make her reach her award winning goal of 500 columns. This vacation would be a great time to let things settle down here and she would come back just in time for her award in Journalism. Satisfied with herself, she folded her horn-rimmed glasses and tucked them into her clutch with the green quill in close pursuit. She clicked the clutch shut and lowered the light from the lamp at the desk to a very dim glow as she stood. She hadn't walked two steps toward the fireplace before the door of her office was hit with a 'bombarda' that sent shards of wood in every which way. Rita was frozen mid-stride in complete shock. She could bring herself to do nothing but stare as the tall cloaked figure intruded into her office. Complete panic struck her then as she went for her wand in her clutch. The figure laughed dryly as they raised their wand to aim the shot. Rita paused and tears leaked from her eyes a moment later. The figure's breathing came ragged and all she could think about was the complete madness that she found in her murderers' eyes. Green light filled the room a moment later, Rita's eyes dulled, unseeing from the floor. The murderer nudged her lifeless body aside with their foot and upon hearing the stirring of investigators nearby the figure rushed and searched for the parchment on the desk. The footsteps drew closer and closer and the stranger was frantic now. Unable to find the paper they were looking for, they ran to the fireplace and were gone in a moment's green flame.
The Next Day…
Harry found himself suddenly very awake as the too cold water beat down on him and shuttered out of its flow and adjusting it. When satisfied, he stepped more cautiously into the jet stream allowing his black hair to fall into his eyes and his shoulders to droop. Harry took in the silence around him and was delighted to find it didn't hurt as it did a month ago. The dull ache in his chest was steadily weaker and he brought his hand to support him as the water continued to beat down. How could Harry Potter be so thick? He had done the same thing Ron had done to Hermione; her…cheating on him? Oliver Wood is gorgeous after all. It is not like he couldn't see the attraction, but Ginny never even talked to him about what she was feeling. He thought back over the past two years hundreds of times and it just didn't add up. Harry made it a point to take Ginny out, to show her affection in public, and of course he got along with the Weasleys. If she wasn't interested anymore, then why didn't she say anything? Hermione's voice vibrated through his mind at that word, 'interested.' Hermione had been the only one he was able to talk to about the incident since. She said that maybe it didn't work that way. Maybe he wasn't interested in her anymore. Maybe she got depressed and sought elsewhere. Elsewhere, meaning straight into the arms of that Playwitch model Oliver Wood. The magazine was laying splayed open to his centerfold on their bed when he got home from auror training one day. His toned body wrapped in red linen, laying across some white sand. Harry regrettably looked down in the shower, surprised to see at least one part of him partially interested by the memory.
Harry knew then. As he got out of the shower and dressed slowly, he knew why Ginny had left him. Although she had been wrong to go behind his back, he had been wrong to not have pleased her in private. Ginny was a red-headed beauty, but Harry found himself less interested in sex after their first time when Ginny said she wanted to try. There was a loud rapping at the marbled bathroom window as soon as Harry had pulled his trousers on. Harry rolled his eyes, but when the tapping continued with more urgency, he let the owl in. The bird was perfectly white, which gave him a small pang after his fallen Hedwig. This regal-looking bird perched itself on the newly-installed long-neck faucet. As Harry drew nearer, it seemed to perch its neck higher as if to exude importance. He took the note it offered and disappeared without so much as a nip or any sort of token.
Mr. Harry Potter,
My Wife hastens to visit with you today around two this afternoon. This meeting shall be regarding our son and his well-being. We beg your indulgence in this meeting. Hope this note finds you well.
Signed,
-Lucius Malfoy
How like the Malfoys. They send a letter and presume the answer. That would explain the haughty owl as well. He read the letter again and moaned. He wondered what he had done to Malfoy without seeing him, and what Narcissa Malfoy could possibly have to say to him after no more than a polite nod at the ministry functions they were expected to be at. He looked down at his clothes and before considering changing them, he realized there was no need. She was barging into his house with hardly any notice. Still, better go with a button-down today. Harry grabbed the nearest shirt out of the closet and buttoned it as he went. The smell of breakfast sausages and Remus Lupin's cooking was too enticing to wait any longer. Teddy was in his high-chair munching happily on cheerios that were also evenly distributed across the kitchen table and floor. Remus handed him a plate of potatoes O' Brian with a thick banger and some toast before Harry could even mumble out a 'morning.' Harry learned fast that although Remus was an early-riser, he was not very communicative until he had had his tea. It wasn't until Remus was half-way through his Earl Grey and Teddy had been successfully fed half of a banger that he looked up at Harry who was busying himself with the quidditch section of the Prophet.
"Have you got to the front page yet?" Remus asked croakily. His voice wasn't quite in full-swing yet. Harry sifted through the stack beneath the Cannons article, and found the front page. Remus watched as Harry's eyes flickered with curiosity and resentment.
Rita Skeeter Murdered on the Eve of Her Thousandth Published Article
Harry read on. All of the details about her death were brushed over and then in true Prophet fashion, there were several paragraphs on conspiracy. It was then as he reread the article that Harry realized how much he had really changed since his defeat of Voldemort. If he had been right out of Hogwarts he would have been completely immersed in this idea of finding a murderer and shoving them behind bars. But now it was so much harder to see just black-and-white. He found that although he couldn't side with a dark wizard, he could sympathize and that wasn't what the aurors were looking for. He didn't like the idea of putting others on the line either.
"Wow." Harry managed to choke out finally. "Do you think any of this drivel has truth to it?" It was hard to imagine that Luna Lovegood could be a suspect to anything but a crime against nargles.
Remus tilted Teddy's tray into the rubbish bin before returning to his seat. "Well, I'd say that if this were any other post, it would have at least fifty percent truth mixed in there, but since it's the Prophet, they are held to different expectations of silliness."
"Come on now. Luna Lovegood? Kingsley? Charlie Weasley? These names have as little to do with the case as they do with each other." He took a stab at his potatoes with his fork.
"Not that I'm agreeing, or thinking that any of these names will go anywhere, but it's been almost three years since the war. We can't expect a name alone to mean they wouldn't have a motive for doing this. War can make people go off their rocker. It's not like Rita was exactly well-liked either. She stepped on everyone's toes as a hobby." Remus mumbled off-handedly as he struggled with the highchair clasps.
"You're right, I suppose. No one expected Lee Thomas to make off with 10,000 galleons from Gringotts two months ago. I saw him only a week beforehand, looking on top of the world." He finished off his toast with another bite and looked past Teddy who was blowing bubbles to Remus. He was staring down at the moving picture of Skeeter on the front page. Harry took the quiet moment in the kitchen to notice how much brighter the kitchen was from when he had left for vacation. The formerly dingy and ancient kitchen that had been corroded with rust stains, dust, and general years of neglect were no longer apparent. Remus had been pouring some of the money Sirius had left him into renovating the place along with some of Harry's money and put as much of the rest of it that he could into something for Teddy. Harry smiled to himself as he glanced over the newly finished chestnut countertops and the sage green walls. Only magical crests of the Black family remained from the kitchen's past. Harry and Remus agreed that these imprints probably wouldn't come off even if he changed the walls themselves. The window over the sink was what made the kitchen truly different. There was actual light from the Sun hitting the table of their nook. Remus really had done a good job, but Harry found out quite quickly that Remus knew a fair amount of odd jobs. His longest duration at any job was something like two years. Harry closed his fist a little tighter around his tea in thinking about the kind of prejudice his adopted-uncle must receive daily. Teddy would never know that sort of prejudice; thank Merlin lycanthropy was not hereditary. Harry straightened his glasses on the bridge of his nose and felt tired as he looked at the bright-eyed little tyke. It was tough for Harry to imagine a world where someone could be mean to a kid like that, but then again there was an anti-were society, so stranger things existed. Then he caught sight of the look Remus' amber eyes were giving him and he knew what he must look like.
"Do you remember the day that you asked me to watch Teddy since Andromeda was out of town?" Harry started, as if the air from his balloon had suddenly dissipated. Remus nodded and Harry took it as his cue to continue. "Ginny said I should spend the day out with Teddy because she wouldn't be home until the day after. I had planned to do just that, but I forgot to take Teddy's playpen when we went to the park, so I figured I would just bring him home for his nap. The stairs were creaking when I got here. The kind of creaking that tells you someone is upstairs. I put Teddy in his pen in the sitting room and started upstairs. I silenced my steps as I went. I figured Ginny was trying to surprise me." Harry paused, sucking in a breath as if he had forgotten to breathe, and he knew he was turning red. He couldn't bring himself to look at Remus' eyes, instead settling on a gurgling Teddy as he pushed on. "When I got to the landing I heard her, moaning. I knew she wasn't alone then. I saw the signs, but I thought Ginny wouldn't do that to me. I was wrong, of course." Harry saw the picture that was burned in his mind once more.
Harry pushed the door open with more force than he had meant, but it did not seem to bother the lovers on his bed. Harry leaned against the threshold, transfixed on Oliver Wood's muscled body as it hunched over Ginny's debauched form. He had knotted his fingers deep into her red hair as he continued to rut into her, the dirty noises of betrayal filled Harry with a sadness. Harry tore his eyes away from the train wreck a second later, the sounds replaying in his head of their moans and hurried releases. Harry let out a sigh as he quickly shut the door to his room, he moved away from the knob as if it had stung him. He fell against the wall of the hallway, shock filling him completely now. He kicked away a shirt of Oliver's that had caught his foot on the floor. He noticed his trainers and trousers also pooled next to the door that Harry swore radiated heat. The door was flung open a moment later, before Harry had even noticed that that terrible loop of noise had stopped in the first place. Oliver Wood stood stark naked in the doorway and Harry noticed his face flushed the second he saw Harry. He gathered his trousers from the floor and turned to yell something behind him to Ginny, before making a break down the stairs. Ginny appeared at the door a moment later, Harry's duvet wrapped around her. At least she had the decency to look embarrassed. Ginny said a lot of things then. She said apologies, placed blame, and then she was gone.
"Of course, it was both of our faults. I wouldn't choose myself over Oliver. I hadn't been what she had wanted in a boyfriend and she completely betrayed me and disrespected me." Harry's tea had gone cold by the time he had finished his story, and chanced a look up at Remus. Remus had his arms crossed as if he was extremely uncomfortable with the situation. The gesture looked worrisome on him, but Harry knew that Remus was piecing something together when he did that. Remus levitated the dishes from breakfast to the sink before speaking.
"Mrs. Potter said once that you can put a hole in a wall and try to patch it up, but the hole will always be there, no matter how perfect the sticking charm. I'm sorry, Harry. You didn't deserve that. I never saw it coming from Ginerva. It may take a while, but you're a good man, Harry. Someone much better will come along." Harry smiled weakly; it was nice to have reassurance from someone other than Hermione sometimes.
"Can you believe that when I told Hermione about this, she seemed to think that Ginny thought I hated her?" Harry pointed out. Remus raised an eyebrow as he lifted Teddy from his highchair. "I naturally got pissed during vacation, and one night 'Mione went with me. She said that Ginny told her a couple months ago, that Ginny had her suspicions I was queer." Harry released the words with a chuckle. Remus paused with Teddy mid-air for a split-second and eyed Harry carefully. Remus let out a non-committal hum and Harry rolled his eyes. Remus threw caution to the wind and patted Teddy in the back as he attached to Remus' neck. "I've never seen any of those signs, Harry. I think she was just being ridiculous. Girls try to find all sorts of reasons to justify them." Remus finished. Harry let out a sigh he hadn't noticed he had been holding. He found Remus' words relieving. Remus retreated to the hallway and then turned on his heel again. "I'm going to Andromeda's today. She said she wanted to see Teddy." Remus said starting up the stairs. Harry stood and followed Remus slowly, then paused next to Remus' open door.
"I got a letter from Lucius Malfoy. He said that Narcissa wants to come for tea today." He said with an awkward grin on his face. Remus whipped around a moment later.
"Are you serious?" Remus replied, completely dumbfounded with the thought of Narcissa in their house.
Harry grinned even wider, "Can't be sure, but I know I'm not barking." Remus chuckled happily, giving a little eye to the waving Sirius on his bedside. He cleared his throat and looked back to Harry. "Does she want the house?"
Narcissa Malfoy apparated herself just on the corner of Grimmauld place, quickly pocketing her wand into the front her finest grey robes. She found herself pausing momentarily, looking at the metropolis that was springing up around this forgotten corner of England. As a youth, she and her sisters used to play in the fields around her eccentric aunt's house. But as the people flocked to this place, she remembered her aunt who was already up in her age getting crankier and crankier. Her aunt would have hated this place now, but Narcissa certainly did not. There were too many good memories from before she lost her sisters to a ridiculous war and family severances. She continued walking again toward the family home that now housed the most famous wizard of the age.
There was no pride in Lucius' voice when he told Narcissa about his idea to best hide their son from the world when these terrible things had started happening. Lucius still had ties with Knockturn alley, and so when he came to Narcissa in her breakfast room this morning, she just listened as he explained his worries for the family and for Draco exclusively. There were two things that Lucius constantly had on his mind: how to preserve the Malfoy line, and protect it from further scrutiny. The choice Lucius had made was to achieve both of these. He explained to her that he had heard from his sources that Rita Skeeter had been murdered over night and since it was obvious Draco was not exactly in the best light, it wouldn't be too long before they come knocking. Skeeter was the first public person to be murdered, but the underworld had suffered quite a few losses. Aurors did little investigation, possibly because no one seemed to mind all that much if a death eater or an accomplice went missing. The shopkeeper who sold the cabinet that got death eaters into the castle a few years ago, had returned to his job after serving a short sentence in Azkaban. Then, it was Lucius' estranged cousin once removed who had assisted in getting Bellatrix to mainland after she had been sprung from Azkaban. Narcissa pushed her plate away from her as Lucius leaned forward and took Narcissa's hand intimately in his own. He explained to her then that he had sent the letter to Potter to get their son out of direct fire. But Narcissa knew her husband and knew that there was more to that. She was not let down. He went on to explain that Draco would better gain their reputation back if he was sighted with Potter and that would throw them back into popularity with the Ministry.
Narcissa held her head a little higher as she stood on the porch of 12 Grimmauld Place and she was a received by Kreacher, a moment later. Harry was absent from the front hall, but in his place was Remus Lupin. Narcissa returned the polite nod that was offered to her and she followed him and Kreacher into the sitting room. Kreacher disappeared into the kitchens to make her, what she was sure would be, Black tea. Black tea and lady fingers were the only things her aunt allowed him to make when the guest brought propositions to the table. She settled her gaze lightly on her host of the moment, and Remus seemed slightly putout as he returned her gaze. Then, a second later, she realized why. There was a loud cry coming from the upper floor and Remus promised that Harry would be down in a moment before bowing his head respectfully once more and hastening to his son upstairs. Narcissa found herself surveying the wallpaper that still glistened her name, next to the burn hole, and Bella's name as well. She remembered the day that her aunt burned Andromeda's name with the tip of her wand with the family looking on. Bella was cackling insanely and talking to her boyfriend Rodolphus via fire-call as if their sister never existed. Her mother and aunt were discussing loudly the loss that was losing a pureblood to some mud-blood, and how Bella and she were the true young ladies the Black family could rely on. Narcissa never spoke up about the sudden nonexistence of Andromeda, not that she would have. It was never a decision she thought she would make. Defending her sister had no real benefit for her, and although Andromeda was cut off from her dowry, and any sort of inheritance to a knutless mud-blood, she had her happiness. Andromeda loved making decisions that were not really hers to make, while Narcissa chose to not rock the boat, and that had won her her school beau, Lucius Malfoy.
Narcissa sat more rigidly in her chair as she heard footsteps fall in the hallway, and a few moments later, the platter of Black tea and ladyfingers were splendidly spread across the silver platter with the Black crest emblazoned on the handles. Potter came in and sat opposite her in a slightly wrinkled green button-down with a polite nod. "Sorry to keep you waiting Mrs. Malfoy. Er…can I help you?" Harry asked sounding slightly uncomfortable. Narcissa decided to take the indirect route to the request. Just as she cleared her throat lightly to start in, Remus returned to the room with a baby asleep over his shoulder. He took his seat next to Harry and Narcissa caught a glimpse of the baby's ears from where she was sitting. She refrained from her initial reaction to laugh. That young one had the same distinct ears as Andromeda had, a little bigger than everyone else's, with a bit of a point at the top. That was when she realized she missed her sister. It was Remus who was a widower of Andromeda's daughter Nymphadora. Narcissa realized quite suddenly that this room must be quite awkward to be sitting in, with someone whose name could be seen glimmering brightly with pride on the wall, while everyone these two knew and adored, had had their names removed from the tree. Then she felt her black humor overcome her, but she did allow a small smile to overtake her face as they both settled in. They may mistake her smile as a polite one, but Narcissa found her mind quite overcome with the irony that was this situation. She was a Black and that terrible sense of humor was inherit with all of them. Sirius might even laugh at this irony in his turn, or maybe not.
"I'm sure it has not escaped your notice that Rita Skeeter was murdered this morning." The pair shared a glance that Narcissa tried to ignore as she shoved on, after they both nodded. "It has not escaped our notice either, which is why I am here to ask you, Mr. Potter, what are your plans for future projects?" Remus rubbed the child's back obviously quite surprised by the question and Harry turned the handle of his teacup from one side to another. He took a sip from the tea as to stall for time. Finally he replied with a simple and indistinct, "Not positive, but I was thinking about looking into Hogwarts."
"Interesting idea, Mr. Potter. My son is also looking into Hogwarts." Narcissa could see that Harry and Remus were perplexed with the installment of her last question into the conversation. But, Harry did his best to try and follow the conversation that he was definitely not following. "And does Mr. Malfoy enjoy this erm…option?" Harry asked, with his most professional voice established. Narcissa picked up her cup of tea and took a light sip before helping herself to a single ladyfinger. Harry fidgeted in his chair and Narcissa suppressed another smile. It was obvious the set of them had the inclination to have her out with it already. Lucius would have loved to see her do this to them. He always enjoyed listening to her confuse her guests…
Narcissa froze then, and her mind started spinning. The Greengrasses were sitting in Narcissa's blue sitting room at ten-thirty last night. The conversation was still lively. Athena Greengrass was quite a compatible conversationalist and Narcissa was having a good time talking in circles with her. She was talking about the possible arrangement between Athena's daughter Astoria ,and Draco in the future. Professor Greengrass had an extra glass of brandy as he listened to the two of them chattering, Narcissa regarded the Professor as Athena started up again. His eyes were getting droopy as the flames from the fireplace licked at the wood and danced off the walls. The tall window in this room was showing a crescent moon and Narcissa realized then how late it must truly be. She looked to her right, where Lucius normally sat and he had gone. Curiosity sparked in her mind as she gave her attention back to her guests. It wasn't too long after that that she had Vie escort the Greengrasses out. Narcissa's nightly rituals overshot her curiosity on the whereabouts of her husband. She settled into their beautiful ivory four-poster with the newest copy of 'Witch Weekly,' her secret indulgence and she had fallen asleep before her husband returned. It was several hours later that Lucius returned to her. He hadn't slept with his back to her since the year before Voldemort's death.
Remus and Harry were staring at her as if she had grown another head when Narcissa came into herself once more. "Forgive me. I have not been sleeping well. Mr. Potter, it is my intention to come to you today and ask something of you that I am sure will sound ludicrous. I need you to promise me something, Mr. Potter." Harry leaned forward then, his teacup was laid aside and it was quite obvious he was all ears. "Mr. Potter, you must promise me that you will watch over my son."
Harry leaned back in his chair so quickly it looked as if she had slapped him. Remus was equally shocked, his eyes glinting with intrigue. "Excuse me? I am sorry Mrs. Malfoy, but I am sure you have lost me completely. Draco…uhh…I'm sure he can take care of himself. And even if he was unable, I am sure I would be the very last he would ask for help." Harry rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, looking very confused.
Narcissa sat impossibly taller in her chair, trying to hide the nervousness she suddenly felt. "That is why I am asking you for this, Potter. I can trust only you in this. Should the occasion arise that my son need taking care of, please protect him."
Harry stood then. He closed the fireplace and shut the sitting room doors in a fluid motion. Remus watched Narcissa's face intently as Harry went to block out all forces. "You always speak in riddles, Mrs. Malfoy. Tell it to me straight. Has Mr. Malfoy threatened you? Has he said something to Draco?" Narcissa put up her hand to stop him. She gave him a grim smile and moved her hair to one side. Her hair needed a trim for sure, she thought idly, as she clutched at it for comfort.
"Mr. Potter-"
"Harry." He interrupted, looked completely beside himself in confusion.
"Harry, my husband has not said a word to me or my son in harshness. He and I are simply worried about the safety of our son. There are dark wizards outside of this room that have a vendetta against anyone with that ridiculous mark on their arm. Lucius and I would just like to make sure that, should something ever happen to either of us that you will watch over my son." It was quick thinking on her part, but it looked as if her words were bought and sold. Remus looked even more uncomfortable now, his eyes darting to Harry's face. Harry looked at him and shrugged his shoulders.
"Mrs. Malfoy, I owe you my life, and to repay that debt I will promise you that I will do my best to watch over your son, should the worst happen to you and your husband." His voice sounded so brave and so solemn. It was not enough for Narcissa.
"Harry, my son is the only thing that matters to me in this world. Swear it to me. Swear to me that if Lucius and I die, you will protect Draco from these monsters. Lie to him if you must. Do anything you need to, to keep him from being alone when they come for him. When these wizards are caught, you may be released." Narcissa said, standing as well, which brought Remus to stand also.
"Harry, think about what you are doing! You can't just do an unbreakable vow with Narcissa Malfoy. It is obvious that there is more going on here than she cares to mention." Remus started, grasping at Harry's shoulder. Harry looked straight at Remus and nodded out of respect.
"Remus, will you do the honors? I owe Mrs. Malfoy my life. I have to assume that this request is for the best. If she had some ulterior motive to see me dead, she would have succeeded years ago." Narcissa crossed her arms boldly. She hated when people spoke of her as if she was not there. Then she watched as Harry unbuttoned his cuff on his right hand and exposed his tan skin up to the elbow. She pushed her sleeve up carefully and took his offered hand.
"I swear to do everything in my power to keep Draco from being alone if Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy should perish, until the day that these people who seek Draco's life are safely locked away." Harry said solemnly as he looked directly into Narcissa's eyes. The scar shown white on Harry's knuckles and on the underside of Narcissa's forearm.
"Thank you, Harry. Thank you, Lupin." Narcissa said simply, crossing her arms and shifting the robe back over the offending limb.
"Now I must go and see my sister, if you could open the floo network for me." Harry nodded simply, but it was Remus who waved open the fireplace for her. It seemed he was more than willing to reconnect the two sisters, if he could help it. Narcissa was gone in an instant, landing evenly on the doorstep of a clean blue cottage next to the sea.
Back to the present…
Harry shivered, remembering that promise he had uttered to Narcissa. The scar was gone now. He was sure Narcissa knew that he did not have to keep promises to the dead. He would keep it nonetheless and perhaps that was why Narcissa had impressed upon him the Vow in the first place. Maybe she just wanted to see if he was willing to promise her so much. She must have trusted him enough to keep it in her death as well. Harry sipped at his coffee and looked up at the ceiling over his kitchen at Grimmauld Place. It was 5:37 AM on June the 7th and he was officially rid of his red-headed problem for a much larger and more complicated blond one. Draco was sleeping and Cho probably doing the same in the room next to her patient's. He had lied to Draco, of course. He was sure that Draco would have never agreed right out to staying with him for no reason. He was also sure that Draco knew he was lying. He figured Draco needed to believe the lie for the sake of his pride. He did not know much about Draco Malfoy, but he knew his ego could fill a ballroom easily and be deflated even easier now that he was down to earth and out of his element. He wondered if he would ever get along with that nuisance upstairs.
There was one more thing Harry Potter wondered about. If Narcissa Malfoy had planned things out so perfectly for her demise only two weeks prior and Lucius Malfoy was still missing from his house-arrest at the Manor, then something was rotten in the state of Denmark…