Chapter 4: The stag and the stag

A month had passed and Vernon and Dudley kept to themselves, while Petunia, surprisingly enough, congratulated Harry (of course this was when Vernon was at work.)

This morning, Harry was woken by a loud tapping on the window. Before Harry went to see what it was, he was sure to check and see if Malfoy was still asleep. After confirming that he was, he opened the window and a small, fidgety owl swooped in, landing on the desk, and putting out a leg to Harry so that he could untie it from there.

Ron's owl, Pigwedigen, hooted in delight when Harry did so and slid him an owl treat. He opened the letter to see Ron's unmistakable pig scratch writing scrawled across the page. The letter read-

Harry,

How are the muggles treating you? Is the ferret being nice? If he isn't I'll kill him. Are you still coming to the burrow this summer? If you are, I would be careful, mum is worried that you might be getting starved again. Oh, and Hermione's here! That's where most of the 'concerned' questions are coming from.

Did I tell you? Dad got a pay raise! Now, instead of getting 5 sickles an hour, he gets 2 galleons! And now Percy is talking to the family again (even though I liked it better when he wasn't…)

Anyways, Pigwedigen isn't giving you too much trouble. Send me a letter back with him, answering Hermione's questions. I really want to know how you're getting along!

Ron

Harry grinned and pulled out his ink, quill and parchment, and began writing his letter to Ron-

Ron,

I'm perfectly fine. Uncle Vernon has left me and Draco alone after the first few weeks, Aunt Petunia has been nice, as she had always been. And Dudley has kind of been a creep towards Draco. I think he fancies him. It's really funny! Tell Mrs. Weasley that I'm getting plenty of food, and they aren't starving me. Draco has been more than nice to me. In fact, he's the reason the Dursleys are being civil. And, yes, I plan to come to the burrow if Draco is allowed to go as well.

I'm really happy for your dad! And I hope to see both you and Hermione soon!

Harry

He placed the letter in an envelope and tied it to Pig's leg, watching as the overactive bird flew out the window. Harry sat back down on the side of the bed and watched Draco sleep. He looked so calm and peaceful in his sleep, taking in calm, peaceful breaths. His blonde hair falling in one eye made him look so innocent. Harry smiled, kissing the sleeping boy on the forehead, whispering, "I love you, Draco Malfoy."

Today was Harry's birthday, July 31st, and he and Draco were standing in front of the fire placed that had been hooked to the floo network before their fourth year, so that Harry could go to the Qudditch World Cup, bidding their farewells to the Dursleys.

"Bye, Vernon," Harry said dully to the fat man who scoffed. "Bye Dudley," He stuck out his and for Dudley to shake, which he took in his own and whispered, "I don't t6hink you're a waste of space."

Dudley let go, and Harry smiled at him. He moved towards his Aunt and hugged her gently, "Bye Aunt Petunia," He whispered into her ear, "I'll miss you. You were the only one here that tried to be nice to me after you got over the fact that didn't get to have magical powers yourself. But if you were born with powers, you would have made an excellent witch." He pulled back to see he eyes welling with tears of happiness, and a small smile.

He grinned at her and then looked at all three of the Dursleys, "Well I guess this is the last time I'll be seeing any of you."He turned to Draco, "Ready, Love?" With a nod in response, Him and Draco each took a handful of floo powder from a sack the Weasleys gave him, threw it into the fire. They watched it turn bright green, and they went into fire, with Harry saying, "The Burrow" loud and clear.

Harry landed with a thud on the floor, while Malfoy landed swiftly, helping Harry up as he did. "Where are we?" Draco's question was answered for him when a plump, red haired woman came up and pulled Harry into loving, bone-crushing hug, "Harry, dear! Oh, you're so thin! Why don't you come into the kitchen for lunch when you're done catching up?"

Then, he was pulled into another hug, this time, by Hermione, "Harry!" she said, "Happy birthday!" She pulled back, and Ron patted him on the back with a, 'Happy Birthday, mate!' before Mrs. Weasley smiled at Harry, and then noticed the figure beside him, with her hand on the wand in the apron.

Ron saw this and spoke, "I told you Harry would have a, uh, friend with him. So don't worry about Malfoy, Mum…"

"He's not a death eater," Harry said, "Even though his father had tried to make him one."

Mrs. Weasley smiled at this, "Well, then, Draco, our home is your home, dear! Stay as long as you like!"

Draco plastered a fake smile on his face and Mrs. Weasley left just as the twins, Fred and George, apperated in to the room, and Ginny came down the stairs, only to run back up at the sight of Harry and Draco.

"Congratulations!" Fred said.

"Ron told us-" George continued.

"Mum doesn't know yet-"

"Kind of ironic though-"

"Harry Potter-"

"Shagging the son of a death eater-"

"I SERIUSLY doubt that they're shagging yet," Ron but in.

"Besides," Hermione said, "It's physically impossible."

Draco sneered and put his arm around Harry, causing him to blush, "Oh, you would be surprised, Granger."

Ron's horrorstruck face darkened, causing Fred and George to laugh. "Your trunks got here this morning, no idea how they did. Must have been the work of Dumbledore."

They all walked into the kitchen to feast on Mrs. Weasley's lunch.

"Okay, Draco," Harry said as the two of them run up the twisting stairs, "We'll be sharing a room with Ron, so be nice,"

"Yea 'mum'," Draco said sarcastically, "I'll be nice to Weaselbe."

"Draco," Harry said warningly as they entered Ron's room, "I also don't want you making any comments about how much money the Weasley's have, their hair , house, cooking, and any other insulting things you can think of."

"Then what can I say?" Draco said as he plopped himself down on the camp bed Mrs. Weasley set up for them.

"Just be nice," Harry said and looked at the single bed, "I guess Mrs. Weasley forgot another person would be staying. That's what it seemed like when we were all downstairs when she saw you."

"Well, are you seventeen or not?" Draco got up and stood beside Harry, "Aren't you allowed to do magic outside of school yet?"

Harry reached for his wand, "I completely forgot. Engorgo." The bed transformed into one big enough for the two of them, with a wooden frame. Harry mumbled another spell and the thin sheet turned into a thick, fluffy, comforter. Draco smirked. He looked at the Gryffindor, "Happy Birthday, Harry," and with that, they crushed their lips together in a vigorous battle for dominance. Harry melted on the spot and kissed back. Just as Draco bit down on Harry's bottom lip, he had to pull away, when the door flew open.

"Bloody hell!" Ron yelled from the doorway.

"Calm down, Ron," Harry said.

"Fine. Anyways, Mum wants you two down stairs for your birthday party."

"I hope she didn't go out all out like last year," Harry said walking out the door, motioning for Draco to follow.

The three ran down the crocked, zigzag stairs, jumping the last step. They walked in to the kitchen when Harry saw Mr. Weasley talking with Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks and Lupin chatting with Sirius, who Lupin had saved from the veil the year before, Fred and George making more order forms for their joke shop, Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, Hermione was talking with Ginny who looked like she would rather be any where else, and right in the middle of the room, a cake in the shape of a snitch sat with seventeen candles on it.

"Harry, dear, there you are!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, causing all of the people in the room to look at him.

The Raven haired boy at them, "You didn't have to do all this for me."

"Oh, it was no problem at all!" Mrs. Weasley moved him towards the chair in front of the cake, "Now goon, dear, blow out the candles!" Harry thought for a moment, wishing for nothing to go wrong. But of course, the second he blew out the candles, all of the lights in the Burrow blew out. The air was suddenly, thick and cold. They all heard a high, maniacal, laugh sounded all around them, and Harry was all too familiar with this voice.

'Of all the days he could have done this, it had to be now.' He thought.

"He's here," He said, standing

"He's got dementors with him, as well," Lupin stood as well, "I know that Harry, Sirius, Arthur, Mad-Eye, Nymphadora, and Molly can do patronuses. Can the rest of you?"

The rest of them nodded, drawing their wands and they all headed out the back door, and the dementors swarmed closer.

"Harry, you must still have your trace on you!" Hermione shouted to him from across the yard.

"Impossible," Lupin but in, "The magical trace disappears when a wizard turns of age!"

"You can't be so sure, Remus!" Mr. Weasley said, "I wouldn't be surprised if You-Know-Who over threw the Ministry of Magic. Rufus Scrimmohr disappeared the same day I got my pay raise."

"The Order was informed of that much, and we were also told he was on the run." Lupin shouted back, "The dementors are getting closer. Everyone do your patronuses in three, two, one….."

"Expecto Patronum!" the thirteen of them yelled, watching the silvery figures run around, fighting. Ron's dog and Hermione's otter teamed up on one, while Mad-Eye's rhino charged up at two. Mr. Weasley's spider and Mrs. Weasley's Grizzly bear each had one. Ron saw the spider and scrunched up his face to stop himself from freaking out. Ginny's horse was taking one of the dementors as Tonks' werewolf version of Lupin and Lupin's moon each had two. While Fred and George's identical chimps were pouncing.

Sirius had a large monster fighting off several dementors at once. Harry could only assume tat this was what his father's animagus form was. He knew Sirius had always loved his father like a brother, and was one of the most devastated when he was murdered by the very man who was trying to kill them now.

Draco's stag was fighting along side Harry's charging at the nearest dementors, causing them to fly out of sight.

Wait… Draco's stag?

That can't be right…

But before had enough time to ponder on this, him and the blonde were being lifted off the ground and were surrounded by the swirling world, struck with the sudden feeling of tightening belts.

Harry knew this feeling.

Side along apparition.

They landed in the arms of two all too familiar people in a place Harry had seen before, in a dream.

A/N: Mwahahahahahaha*cough**hack**cough*! Clift hanger! I am such female dog!