Author's Note: Sorry this is a day late. I went home this weekend so couldn't post until after work today. So after this chapter I only have one more chapter finished. Y'all should help me out with further plot ideas because I am stuck. I have a way to end it but I feel like its a cop out and I don't want to disappoint you so if you would give me a hand that would be great! All ideas are welcome. Also if I could get some constructive feedback to make this better it would be greatly appreciated. xoxo lifeless
Disclaimer: I don't own shit and this is shit compared to the wonders that are JK Rowling's works of art.
Over the next few months Harry got closer with both Sirius and Draco. He also got to know Remus quite well. He had weekly dinners with Sirius, that Remus often attended them as well. Draco spent most afternoons in the library with Harry and would occasionally convince Harry to leave his sanctuary to take walks through the grounds or around the castle. Harry even joined him with Blaise and Pansy a few times.
One day in late November Harry was sitting alone in the library, Draco was spending time with Blaise, when Hermione came over and sat a pile of books on his table. Harry looked up at her and she smiled. "Do you mind?" she asked gesturing to the other chair.
"Go ahead." He assured her. She sat down and opened a book. They read quietly for a while before Harry asked "Where are your friends?"
Hermione looked up. "Oh Neville is in a private meeting with the headmaster and Ron is not really one for the library." Harry nodded understanding. "How are things going with Sirius?" Harry looked at her in confusion so Hermione explained. "We, Neville, Ron, and I, know him from the whole fiasco when he escaped in third year. It turned out that Peter Pettigrew had been masquerading as Ron's rat. When Pettigrew escaped and Sirius got recaptured we kind of helped him escape again." She smiled at the memory. "Anyway, we kept in touch with him and when he got the teaching position here he told us about you."
"Oh," Harry said. He hadn't known any of that. "Things are good, I guess. We have dinner. And we talk. It's nice." Harry smiled to himself.
Before Hermione could answer Draco walked up to the table. "Hey Harry" He smiled before looking at Hermione. "Hello Granger" he said politely. He summoned a chair from a nearby table and sat down pulling a book out of his bag.
"Hello Malfoy." Hermione replied. She had seen him sitting with Harry a lot this year and wasn't sure what was going on there but Malfoy hadn't started any trouble with them this year either so she just accepted it. Ron was sure that Malfoy was up to something but had left it alone for the most part. She knew Malfoy's father had been sentences to life in Azkaban so she figure that probably had something to do with his change in attitude.
The three of them studied quietly together. Hermione listened to them converse quietly from time to time. Harry even tried to bring her into the conversations. Harry would read something that interested him and quietly place a hand on Draco's arm and share it with him. She saw the way Draco lit up when Harry touched him. There was definitely something going on there.
Neville came in to get her when he was finished with his meeting. She left with him and Draco asked Harry to take a walk with him. Harry agreed and they headed out to the lake.
Draco was oddly silent as they walked around the lake. "Draco?" Harry asked looking up at him. "Is everything alright?"
Draco stopped walking. He smiled at Harry and said. "Yes everything is fine. It's just something I want to tell you, but I'm not sure how to do it."
Harry shifted nervously. He had no idea where Draco was going with this.
"Harry, I like you."
Harry was confused. "I like you too Draco." He said hesitantly.
"No Harry, I mean, I think I really like you. Like as more than a friend. I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and I would like to be your boyfriend. If you want to be that is. If not, that's fine we can just be friends. I'll understand." Draco looked at Harry, who was just staring at him. "Harry?" he asked nervously.
"I-I th-think I would l-like that too." Harry stuttered quietly, looking down at the ground with a faint blush on his cheeks.
"Really? Are you sure?" Draco asked.
"Y-yeah. I've thought about it too. But I didn't think you could ever want to be with someone like me…" Harry trailed off.
"Harry" Draco sighed. "There is nothing wrong with you." He took one of Harry's hands in his own and the dark haired boy looked up. "We've talked about this. I don't know who has drilled the idea that you are not worthy into your head but they are wrong. You are wonderful. You are caring, and smart, and beautiful and I love spending time with you." Harry looked away again but this time Draco put a gentle finger under his chin lifting his face so that their eyes met. Draco leaned in and placed a quick chaste kiss on Harry's lips. He took Harry's hand again and said "Now how about we finish our walk?" Harry smiled up at him and they finished walking around the perimeter of the lake and headed to the great hall for dinner.
As everyone was finishing up dinner Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement. "Every fifty years the Hogwarts wards have to be restored. This means that this year all students will be required to return home for the holiday break. We have notified your guardians."
The smile that had been on Harry's face since his talk with Draco fell off immediately. He was going to have to return to Privet Drive. No this couldn't be happening, not when things were just looking up. He hadn't had a nightmare in almost a week and he was almost able to eat a full meal. He had been looking forward to spending the holidays with Sirius and Remus. That was it! Maybe Sirius would let him stay with him instead of going back to the Dursley's. He would ask after dinner.
Draco spent most of dinner watching Harry. The boy had that shy smile on his face that Draco loved so much. As Dumbledore gave his announcement that smile dropped. When they were dismissed Harry jumped up and practically ran out of the room. Draco got up and followed him quickly. He knew that Harry's home life wasn't the greatest. He was pretty sure that those people were the reason Harry thought so little of himself.
Harry was headed up the stairs when Draco caught up to him. He laid a hand on the boy's shoulder causing him to tense. Harry looked back at him. "Are you alright?" Draco asked.
"Y-yeah. I-I just need to go see S-Sirius." Harry said pulling away.
"Alright" Draco smiled. "Let's go." He took Harry's hand and headed up the stairs.
They entered the classroom and Harry ran up to the office door. He knocked quietly and heard Sirius say "Come in." Harry opened the door but didn't enter.
"S-Sirius" Harry asked "Can I talk to you?"
Sirius, seeing who it was, got up and headed into the classroom. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why Harry would not come into his office. But he hadn't found the opportunity to ask him about it.
"What is it, pup?" Sirius asked following Harry over to the student's desks.
"Sirius? Um… I was… um… wondering if… um… if there was any way that… um… that I could stay with you for Christmas? Instead of going h-home." Harry stumbled nervously.
Sirius's face lit up but fell quickly. "Oh Harry. I wish you could." He said sadly. "But I have to be here to help restore the wards and students can't be here while they are down."
"Oh" Harry said dejectedly. "Okay. Th-that's fine. I understand." Harry turned to leave.
"Honestly Harry I would love for you to stay with me. I want nothing more than to have Christmas with you at my place but it's out of my hands kiddo." Sirius pulled him into a tight hug. Harry tensed but returned the hug.
"It's okay. It'll be fine. I just wanted to see if it was an option. I'll see you later Sirius." Harry said pulling away. Harry walked over to Draco and unconsciously took his hand.
As he started to pull Draco from the room Sirius said "Hey! Are you two finally together?" Both boys looked at him. Harry blushed and nodded shyly, biting his lower lip. "About damn time" Sirius laughed. "I have been watching you make goo-goo eyes at each other for weeks." He looked at Draco. "Look kid you just better not hurt my godson."
Draco smiled and said "I won't sir."
Over the weeks leading up to Christmas break Draco noticed Harry becoming more withdrawn and jumpy. Draco would often catch him sitting with his book in his lap just staring at the pages, not reading. Over the past few months Harry had calmed down considerably. He no longer flinched back every time Draco touched him although it still happened from time to time. Draco was starting to worry Harry's home life but every time he tried to bring it up Harry just shut him out.
Draco walked into the library a few days before they were supposed to go home from break. Harry was once again staring off into space with a book in his lap. The dark haired boy didn't even notice him approach.
"Harry?" Draco called slowly. He sat down and placed a hand on Harry's knee. Harry snapped back to reality and looked at Draco startled. "Harry? Are you alright?"
"Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine, Draco. Just thinking." Harry said distractedly.
"You've been doing that a lot lately. What's on your mind?" Draco asked.
Harry watched him for a minute. "I don't want to go home. I hate it there."
Draco leaned over and kissed Harry on the forehead. "I wish you could come stay with us but since we are stuck in one of Dumbledore's safe houses I'm not allowed to bring you with me. I asked but Dumbledore said no. You never talk about home. How bad is it? What makes you hate it so much?"
Harry let out a slow breath. "I'm just so alone there. All the time. They hate me. The only time they even acknowledge me is when they are ordering me to do chores or yelling at me for screwing up. I've always been alone. But you have given me a taste of what it's like to have someone and that makes it that much harder to go back."
"Oh Harry." Draco pulled the smaller boy into a hug. "You will always have me. Everything will be okay. It's just two weeks and then we will be back together. I won't abandon you."
"I'm sorry." Harry said. "I'm just being stupid."
"No Harry. It's not stupid. I'm glad you told me. I've been worried about you. Please know that I will always be here to listen. Talk to me when something is bothering you. No matter what it is I won't leave you." Draco leaned in and kissed him. After a few moments they pulled away and went back to their homework.
-x-
All too soon it was time to leave for the holidays. Sirius met Harry in the entrance hall to say goodbye. He gave Harry his Christmas present and told him not to open it until Christmas day, even though it was obviously a book. Then he pulled him into a tight embrace and whispered that he would see him in two weeks.
Harry and Draco sat in a compartment with Pansy and Blaise, like before, but this time Harry was curled up against Draco's side and the blonde boy had his arm around his shoulders. Harry, over the weeks they had been dating, had found that he loved this contact. He had always been afraid of physical contact but now he found himself craving what he had been missing all these years.
Draco was talking with Blaise and Pansy while Harry read. He smiled as he felt Harry snuggle closer to him. He tightened his arm around the boy and placed a kiss in his messy black hair. It didn't take long for Harry to fall asleep.
"So Draco?" Blaise asked. "How are things going with you two?"
"Good, I think." Draco responded looking down at Harry. "He's still quite shy so I'm taking it slowly. I don't want to scare him off."
Harry woke up just as the train was pulling into the station. For a brief moment forgot his terror about going home and just reveled in the comfort in waking up in Draco's arms. Then he realized they had arrived and he was going to have to see his uncle again. Harry shuddered and sat up. Draco smiled at him.
"Sorry I fell asleep on you." He said quietly.
"It's okay" Draco replied. "I enjoyed it." Draco took one of Harry's shaking hands and said "It'll be alright, Harry."
Harry gave him a small smile and followed Draco off the train. Draco led him to a beautiful blonde woman. She pulled Draco into a tight embrace. "You must be Harry." She said smiling and gave him a hug too.
"Yes Ma'am" He said quietly.
"Oh now none of that. Call me Narcissa." She chastised.
"I should go." Harry said looking at Draco. "I don't want to keep my uncle waiting."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Draco asked. "I could walk you through the barrier."
"No that's okay. I'll be fine. You don't need to do that." Harry said.
Draco looked at him skeptically but nodded and said "If you're sure?" When Harry nodded Draco pulled him close and kissed him. "Alright I'll see you in two weeks. I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too." Harry whispered as he hugged Draco close. Then he grabbed his trunk, said goodbye to Narcissa and walked away. Draco watched him until he disappeared through the barrier.
"He's adorable." Narcissa said smiling at her son. "But he's so tiny."
Draco sighed. "I know. Let's go mother." She took his hand and disapparated.
-x-
Harry silently approached his seething uncle. "You're late boy!" the man spat before storming off to the car leaving his nephew to follow. The entire ride back to Privet Drive Vernon ranted about how much time and money he wasted picking Harry up. Harry tried to block it out, choosing to think about Draco instead.
They pulled into the driveway and his uncle once again left him behind, not that he minded. Harry struggled to get his trunk out of the boot and into the house. As soon as he got inside his uncle took his trunk and shoved it in the cupboard under the stairs. Harry was ordered into the kitchen to make dinner and then sent upstairs without eating.
Harry sat in his room wondering what Draco was doing now when he heard his aunt and cousin leave for the cinema. Harry shuddered. He knew what was coming next. Sure enough a few minutes later he heard his uncle pound up the stairs. He walked in the room and looked at Harry in disgust.
"Well boy since I'm not going to be able to beat you as much as you deserve because those freak will notice I will just have to teach you your lessons the other way." He said with a disturbing smile.
He yanked Harry up from where he was sitting on the floor and threw him onto the bed. As he forced his trembling nephew into positions he said "I missed you Freak" before violently thrusting into the small boy. After what felt like hours his uncle finished and left Harry curled up on the bed.
This is how the rest of Harry's break went. His uncle would get Petunia and Dudley out of the house for a few hours and would head up to Harry's room. He would knock the boy around a bit, not nearly as much as he got to during the summer because the boy wouldn't have time to heal enough before going back, and then he would throw Harry on the bed and rape him. If he could not get his wife and son out of the house then he would make Harry pleasure him in other, quieter, ways.
Harry spent most of his time trying not to think of how disgusted Draco would be if he knew what Harry let his uncle do to him. On Christmas morning Harry woke up extremely sore. His uncle had given him his 'Christmas present' last night so that he wouldn't have to see the freak on Christmas day. Harry look to his barred window where he was surprised to see and owl sitting on the window seal holding a package. He limped over to relieve the owl of its burden and was thankful that the package was small enough to fit through the bars.
Harry opened it to find a journal, a ready-ink quill, and a note.
Harry,
Happy Christmas! This is a two-way journal that I found in a shop in diagon alley. It will allow us to communicate without having to use owls. All you have to do is write in it and the same message will appear in mine. I thought this may help with the loneliness, as well as give me the wonderful opportunity to talk to you whenever I want. How are things going with your relatives? Write me back when you get this. Have a good Christmas. I miss you.
Draco.
Harry smiled and sat down on the floor in a corner leaning against the wall. His room had no furniture besides the bed, which he avoided being on if he could help it. He took the quill and journal and began to write Draco back.
Draco,
Thank you so much for this. It's wonderful. I love it. I'm sorry I haven't gotten you anything yet but I promise to get you something the next time I get to a store. How is your holiday going? Things here are the same as they always are but being able to write to you will help and distract me. I miss you too.
Harry.
-x-
Draco was sitting in the living room with his mother and godfather opening presents when the journal sitting next to him glowed. He immediately dropped the book he had been unwrapping and picked it up. He read Harry's response and jumped up to find a quill. He returned to the couch quill in hand and wrote his response. When he was finished he saw that both adults were watching him curiously.
"I gave Harry a two-way journal for Christmas." He explained.
"And how is Mr. Potter?" Snape asked.
"He seems alright." Draco said worriedly. "He was quite upset when he found out all students had to go home for the holidays."
"Why is that? Is he not spoiled enough there?" Snape spat.
"Severus! How many times do I have to tell you that he is not his father?! From the little bit Harry has told me about his relatives, they treat him like dirt." Draco said angrily.
"Boys, can we not do this on Christmas?" Narcissa intervened. "Come on Draco finish opening your presents. Draco did as commanded.
He spent the rest of the day enjoying time with his mother and godfather and writing Harry back. Some of the things that Harry let slip in his messages were worrying Draco. Apparently his relatives had locked him in his room so that they wouldn't have to deal with him on Christmas. Harry didn't seem too bothered by this but it bothered Draco greatly. He didn't understand how they could just hide Harry away on Christmas. His father may have been distant and unloving but he mostly just ignored Draco. He didn't force the boy out of site.
After Christmas day Harry wrote less often and only at strange hours. He said that he was busy with chores so he didn't have time to himself to write. Needless to say by the time the holidays were over Draco was ready to see his boyfriend and make sure he was okay.
Draco hugged his mother goodbye and hurried onto the train. He found Harry in an empty compartment. He was sitting in a similar pose to how he had been when they had first met, except this time his head was resting on his knees.
When Draco opened the door to the compartment Harry's head shot up. For a moment he looked terrified but when he realized it was Draco he jumped up to greet the blonde boy. Draco pulled the smaller boy into a tight hug, noticing how Harry flinched once again. He also noticed that Harry had lost any weight he had put on over the semester. This affirmed his suspicions that something was not right in Harry's home. He would have to figure that out later, Harry was safe with him for now.
He cupped Harry's face and kissed him passionately. At first Harry didn't react, like he'd forgotten what to do, but then he returned it just as passionately.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you missed each other." Blaise said entering the compartment with Pansy in tow. "Get a room." He laughed.
Harry pulled away blushing and Draco retorted "Well we had a room and you came in." Draco sat down pulling Harry down next to him. Harry tensed a bit before melting into the warmth of Draco's side.
The Slytherins chatted about their holidays, trying to get Harry to join in but he opted to read the book Sirius had gotten him, Defensive Charms. It wasn't long before Harry's body forced him to reclaim some of the sleep he had lost over the past two weeks now that he was in a safe environment once again. Unfortunately the safety of Draco's arms did not keep away the nightmares this time.
Harry shot up with a gasp causing Draco to look at him worriedly. "Are you alright, Harry?" He asked.
"Y-yes I-I'm f-fine. J-just a n-nightmare." Harry stuttered, trying to calm his breathing. Draco began to rub calming circles on his back, causing Harry to flinch and Draco to realize that he could feel every bone in his back.
"Want to tell me about it?" Draco offered.
"No. I'm fine." Harry restated. He leaned back against the seat and pulled his feet up in it.
"Alright. Here," Draco said handing Harry a couple of sandwiches. "The trolley came while you were asleep. I didn't want you to miss out." Harry gave him a small smile and thanked him taking a bite out of one of the sandwiches. As hungry as he was Harry was only able to eat half of one of the sandwiches so he put the rest in his trunk. The rest of the ride Harry sat back contently listening to Draco chat with his friends.
Please Review =] Let me know what you think and what will make it better.